Kapil Muni Tirtha, Kurukshetra, Haryana India

Kapil Muni Tirtha is dedicated to the renowned author of Sankhya Philosophy, Saint Kapila, and is located in Kalayat, which is an ancient village near Narwana. Kapil Muni Tirtha is one of the most popular pilgrimages located in the Kurukshetra region.

The region of Kalayat consists of certain architectures that are considered to be very rare like the brick temple in the northern part of India. This temple belongs to the 7th century AD and was built by King Salwan.

The bricks used in the temple are moulded and are of different shapes and sizes that have survived the ravages of time. A similar temple is located just opposite a water tank, which is now under the Archaeological Department.

Kalayat, a village near Narwana, is known for its ancient heritage. It is one of the popular pilgrimages of ancient 48 kos Kurukshetra Bhumi. The tirtha is dedicated to the Saint Kapila, the author of Sankhya philosophy.

The sacred land of Kurukshetra, comprised of 48 kos, an area in which are located numerous pilgrimages or tirthas dedicated to various ancient rishis or saints and pastimes from Mahabharata and the Puranas. One of the important tirthas of Kurukshetra is called Kapila tirtha, or Kapil Muni tirtha, located 80 km from Kurukshetra on Kaithal-Nawana road, which is about 29 km from Kaithal in a small village called Kalayat. Kalayat is a distorted version of Kapilayat, or Kapil, which are one and the same according to scholars. Kapila was an ancient philosopher known for his extraordinary works of Sankhya. It is Sankhya which is vividly elaborated in the second chapter of Bhagavad Gita, expounded here at Kurukshetra from the mouth of Lord Krishna on the battlefilled at the outset of battle of Mahabharata.

Kalayat possess one of the rarest architectural monuments of Northern India, in the form of a brick temple. The temple was built by a legendary King Salwan in the 7th century AD. This temple is one of the few brick temples of India to have survived the onslaught of time and climate. Molded bricks were used in this temple for various decorative parts of the façade. This is a panchratha temple built in Nagara style, with typical curvilinear spire. There is another similar temple standing opposite the tank, which has been restored by the Archaeological Department of India.