Gurgaon India Travel Guide

Gurgaon History and Geography

Gurgaon is named after Dronacharya, the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas as written in the epic text The Mahabharat. It was originally named Guru Gaon or Guru Gram meaning Teacher’s Village. It is believed that Gurgaon is the place where the Pandavas and their cousins Kauravas were taught the art of archery and warfare. Legend has it that the eldest of the Pandavas, Yudhisthira gave away this land to Guru Dhronacharya for as payment for Dronacharya’s teaching. A tank of that era can still be seen as a memento of the gift, near the railway station. Gurgaon is a rolling plain, bounded by the Aravalli Hill range. These hills are one of the oldest ranges in the world. The history of Gurgaon shares the same history as a lot of the Indian cities, i.e. Gurgaon was also a part of the Mughal regime. Gurgaon’s history was full of civil strife, with a lot of internal tribal fighting. The British ultimately captured the region in 1803, and signed the treaty of Surji Arjungaon with the Sindia ruler. The British primarily used the region as a post to spy on the Queen of Sirdhana, Begum Samru, whose main cantonment was about a kilometer and a half from of Gurgaon. The British divided the region and gave the parcels of land to petty chiefs for services rendered. This continued till the first Indian uprising in 1857, when Gurgaon and its districts were transferred to Punjab from the Northern Provinces. After Indian independence, the state of Haryana was formed in 1966, and Gurgaon was made a major district of the state.

Gurgaon Attractions and Things To Do

Gurgaon is a metropolitan city and so there are a lot of activities to do in the city. You should see the Sheesh Mahal, or the Palace of Mirrors. It is a rectangular shaped palace with magnificent and intricate mirror. Inside the edifice you can see an ancient jail and torture chamber. Tourists can relax themselves at the Damdama Lake, with activities like hover crafting, camping, and boating, you’re bound to have a blast. You can also visit the famous temple of Sheetala Devi, with a decent pond and great landscaped grounds, it is a good place to visit. Due to the phenomenal growth of the city, you will find a number of golf courses and leisure centers in Gurgaon.

Gurgaon Excursions

A twenty kilometer ride from Gurgaon will take you to one of the finest bird sanctuaries in Asia, with hundreds of species of birds to watch along with leisure activities. The Kurukshetra is another place where tourists can visit that, according to The Mahabharat, is the battle ground where the great war between the Pandavas and Kauravas took place. The area has religious significance not only because of the war, but also because it was where Lord Krishna gave Arjuna the divine discourse Bhagvad Gita. You can also you take a thirty kilometer drive to the capital of the country, New Delhi. The capital has lots of tourist places, restaurants, and attractions to offer tourists and locals alike.

Gurgaon Shopping

Gurgaon is also known as the Mall City of India. With jaw dropping architecture, these fancy malls are the soul of Gurgaon. From the local sector markets to the magnificent malls packed with clothing lineups, gift shops, handicrafts to international fast foods, Gurgaon gives lots of choices to shoppers. The Sahara mall is one of the best malls in northern India. Another mall that will leave you in complete awe is the City Center Mall. No doubt people from the capital drive all the way to shop in Gurgaon.

Gurgaon Cuisine

Being metropolitan in nature, you can find almost all cuisines of the world thriving in Gurgaon. Gurgaon is located in northern India, so don’t forget to try Punjabi dishes.

Gurgaon Nightlife

This a place where hardly a night will go waste, with tons of pubs and lounges in the city, your nightlife will rock. Variety of drinks, good music and nominal rates is the norm the pubs in Gurgaon.

Gurgaon Getting There

The best time to visit the city is between February and April, as summers are a bit warm, and winters can go get chilly because of the cold wave from the Himalayan region. Gurgaon is perfect place to start excursions into Northern India, with good road and rail links to the capital’s international.

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