Thanesar

Thanesar is an ancient city and place of pilgrimage in the sacred country of Kurukshetra. It was the capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, whose king Harsha rose from this seat to rule much of northern India in the seventh century. The mound known as Harsh ka Tila preserves remains of buildings from his time and earlier periods.

Mahmud of Ghazni sacked Thanesar in 1011 and carried away an image from one of its temples. The city remained a place of worship in later centuries. Under the Mughals, the Ain-i Akbari listed Thanesar as a pargana of Sirhind, with a brick fort and an obligation to supply soldiers. Inns and other buildings from the Mughal period bear witness to the travellers who passed through the town.