Day 30 - Gurgaon

Day 30


Gurgaon is the second largest city in the Indian state of Haryana. Gurgaon is the industrial and financial center of Haryana. It is located 30 km south of national capital New Delhi.Legend has it that Gurgaon village located into the heart of gurgaon city is the ancestral village of Guru Dronacharya (or Drona), the teacher of martial arts to the Pandavas and Kauravas princes in the Indian epic of the Mahabharata.According to Hindu mythology, the village was gifted by the Pandavas and Kauravas - specifically, by King Dhritarashtra of Hastinapur - to Dronacharya, the son of Rishi Bharadwaja, and was therefore known as guru-gram. Over time the colloquial term gaon (which also means village in Prakrit) was substituted for gram and the name Gurgaon emerged.



How to reach here:

By Air: Indira Gandhi International airport at Delhi is the nearest airport.


By Rail: New Delhi railway station is the nearest station. Gurgaon also has a small rail station on the Delhi-Jaipur railway line, but it only receives about five trains a day.


Best time to visit: February to April and August to November.



Languages spoken: Hindi, Urdu and English.


Must eat: Dal Pachranga, Galawati Kabab, Afgani chicken



Famous Restaurants: Drift, Knight Riders, EEST, Coriander leaf, The Monk



Places you must visit:




Shri Mata Sheetala Devi Temple also referred to as a 'Shakti Peeth'. The presiding deity of this temple is Mata Sheetala Devi,the goddess of small-pox is made of gold polished metal. Placed in a wooden casket on a small marble platform, this image weighs about 4 kg.There are various legends associated with the construction of this temple, out of which one says that this temple was built by son of King Surajmal of Bharatpur. The prince was on his way to attack the Mughal ruler in Delhi, who wanted to marry the beautiful daughter of a poor carpenter of Farukh Nagar. On his way, he passed through Gurgaon and prayed to Shri Mata Sheetla Devi that if he wins the battle, he would construct a temple. After his victory over the Mughal ruler, he built the temple on this site.








Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary was established in 1972 as the Sultanpur Bird Reserve, this place was upgraded to National Park in 1989. Spread over an area of 1.43 sq km, this bird sanctuary is a protected area, which is inhabited by over 250 species of birds.Birds like common hoopoe, common spoonbill and many others   permanently inhabit the bird sanctuary. This sanctuary is also home to spotbill, painted stork, black-headed Ibis and many other rare species.During winters, several migratory bird species like Siberian crane, yellow wagtail and many species   visit this sanctuary. 11 species of migratory birds like Asian koel, Eurasian golden oriole, black-crowned night heron and others   can be spotted in summers.





Damdama Lake  is a popular picnic spot among tourists visiting Gurgaon. Located near the Aravalli Hills, this lake is one of the biggest natural lakes in Haryana. Tourists visiting this place can indulge in boating, hot air ballooning, parasailing, kayaking and fishing.Adventure sports like rock climbing, trekking and camping are also possible in the destination. The lake is home to around 190 species of birds, including water fowl,terns, egrets and kingfisher.







Leisure Valley is a popular tourist attraction, which is located midst the sky scrappers of Gurgaon. This open wide green space spreads over an area of 101171 sq. m and features a musical fountain, rides, restaurants, jogging track and garden. At night, the fountains are illuminated and water flows out in the rhythm of latest songs.





Masani Temple is a popular shrine in Gurgaon, which is dedicated to Goddess Masani. The temple is thronged by devotees, whose children are suffering from small-pox, as a visit to the temple is considered as the best antidote for the disease.According to legend, there was a temple of Masani Devi in Kesopur village. One day the native of the village, Singha dreamt that Goddess Masani wanted to leave the village. In his dream, goddess instructed him to build a temple for her in Gurgaon.

Museum of Folk and Tribal Art was founded by K.C. Aryan, who was a famous sculptor, painter, historian as well as scholar. The museum holds exhibit of numerous handicrafts made from wood, stone, and iron. Religious artefacts, terracotta art objects, embroidered works and murals from Himachal Pradesh are also showcased in the museum.Items of folk and tribal arts like Kantha embroidery from Bengal and lithographs from Amritsar are also on display.One of the major attractions of this museum is 200 Shiva Heads from Karnataka. 

Pataudi Palace is the residence of the Indian cricketing legend, Nawab Mansur Ali Khan. This palace was built in 1935 by Nawab Ibrahim Ali Khan, father of Mansur Ali Khan. Covering over an area of around 101171 sq. m, the palace complex encompasses open green areas, lawns and garden.At present, the palace has been converted into a heritage hotel, which belongs to Neemrana Group. The entrance hall of the hotel is adorned with images of the cricket days of Nawab Mansur Ali Khan.




Sohna is a corrupted form of Sona which means gold. The town is said to have derived its name from the gold dust which was found after heavy rains in the beds of the neighbouring torrents. The town is of great antiquity and has been occupied in succession by three different races, viz. the Kambhos, the Khanzadas and the Rajputs, traces of which still exist in the extensive ruins by which the town is surrounded.The town is specially remarkable for its hot springs.In ancient times, it was a place of rishis and the main kund (tank) was called Shiv Kund. During Mughal period, Akbar on his visit to this palace had praised the place as one of the best in suburbs of Delhi.Famed for medicinal properties





Sheesh Mahal, which was built in 1793 by Nawab Faujdar Khan, is one of the architectural marvels of the Mughal period. This famous building is a rectangular double storeyed edifice made of stone, slate and lime and is decorated with beautiful mirror work.One of the major attractions of this building is the jail, which was used as a torture chamber in ancient times.





Ali Gosh Khan Baoli that was known to be connected to the women's quarters or the Sheesh Mahal by a tunnel. The tunnel was blocked in the early 19th century. The huge water tank is the main attraction and conservations are underway.
 




Sitaram Mandir is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Ram and Sita, Sitaram Mandir is within the Farrukh Nagar Fort. Though in a poor condition, it has been restored and is open to public.




Farukh Nagar Fort, which was built in the 18th century by Nawab Faujdar Khan, is one of the popular tourist attractions in Gurgaon. Entrance of the fort features Dilli Darwaza, which is popularly called the Delhi Gate. Out of five entrances, this gateway is one of three surviving entrances to the town. Patli Darwaza and Jhajjari Darwaza are the remaining two gateways.