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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.
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