In the 10th century AD, there was an amphitheatre
sun-pool in Surajkund where the Tomars- the sun worshippers-
used to gather. Fascinated by the surroundings of the
terrain, Raja Suraj Pal, one of the chieftains, chose
to build his stronghold here.
A sun-pool and temple were designed. With times the
clan and the temple vanished. But the amphitheatre sun-pool
continued to stand as it does even today. It is after
this sun-pool that this complex came to be christened
as Surajkund.
Over the years, Surajkund has grown into a suburban
retreat. The Aravalli ranges surround the location.
The uneven levels of the land are dotted with clusters
of silver oak, eucalyptus, kikar, bottle brush and bougainvillea.
Patches of green proclaim the picnic spots. Hide-out
fires dot the greens that look out at the sun pool.
It is in this vast open space that a festive event,
Surajkund Crafts Mela, is held each year from February
1 to 15.
What to see The Surajkund Mela Authority, comprising
of the offices of Development Commissioners, Handlooms
and Handicrafts, Office of Crafts Museum and Haryana
Tourism, working under the apex agency of Ministry of
Tourism, Government of India, has succeeded in creating
a crafts village in the Surajkund tourist complex.
Here, the finest of crafts traditions come from the
remotest parts of the country, be it the rain forests
of Assam, the tribal lands of Bastar, the desert realms
of Rajasthan, the Nilgiri hills of south or the awesome
stretches of Leh and Ladakh.
How to get there
By Road: Surajkund is well connected to Delhi,
Gurgaon and Faridabad district head quarter towns by
road. Approachable by tour coaches, tourist taxis and
own conveyance.
By Air: The nearest Airport is at Delhi. The
complex is 35 minutes drive from the Indira Gandhi International
Air port and 25 km from Palam Airport.
By Rail: Delhi is the nearest Railway junction.
Faridabad and Gurgaon are both linked to Delhi via Railway
lines. From each of these stations travel to Surajkund
has to be done by cab/tourist coach.
During the mela period, special transport services
link the main shopping centres and interstate bus stands
of Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad to the mela grounds. |
