Prithudak Tirtha

Prithudak Tirtha is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site located in Pehowa town in Kurukshetra district, Haryana, on the banks of the Saraswati River. Revered as one of the most important tirthas for Pind Daan and ancestral rites, it is mentioned in the Mahabharata, Vamana Purana and other scriptures. Associated with King Prithu and Lord Brahma, the tirtha features ghats, temples and the Saraswati Sarovar.

Visitors can expect a sacred tank and ghats along the Saraswati riverbed with temples dedicated to Brahma, Saraswati and Shiva in the complex. The site has stone steps leading to the water, small shrines, puja shops and priests performing Pind Daan rituals for ancestors. The surroundings are town-based with open sarovar, bathing areas, and a calm pilgrimage atmosphere, especially crowded during Amavasya, Somvati Amavasya and Pitri Paksha.

Prithudak Tirtha is an ancient tirtha mentioned in the Mahabharata, Vamana Purana and Padma Purana. Tradition associates it with King Prithu, son of Vena, who is said to have performed ancestral rites here, giving the place its name Prithudak. It was also known as Brahma Tirtha as Lord Brahma is believed to have created the universe from here. Archaeological mounds at Pehowa have yielded inscriptions from the 9th century Gurjara-Pratihara period referring to the tirtha and its importance.

The tirtha is considered highly sacred for Hindus for performing Pind Daan, Shraddha and Pitri Tarpan for departed ancestors, believed to bring salvation to souls. Bathing in the Saraswati Sarovar during Somvati Amavasya, Kartik Purnima and during Pitri Paksha is considered especially meritorious. It is part of the 48 Kos Parikrama of Kurukshetra and remains a major centre for ancestral worship in North India.