Panipat – Textile City and Setting of Great Historical Events

Panipat combines a long history with a vibrant textile craft tradition. Known as the “City of Weavers” and the “Textile City,” it is renowned for handloom weaving and the production of textiles, carpets and blankets. At the same time, museums, gates, tombs and memorials tell the story of the battles and rulers associated with Panipat. During your trip, you can choose from cultural and historical discoveries, religious sites and walks—or combine these different aspects of the destination.

Battle History and Museum

The Panipat Museum displays a wide selection of antiquities, inscriptions and sculptures, as well as weapons and armour, ceramics, archival documents, jewellery, and art and craft objects. The collections offer insight into various forms of material culture. Texts, photographs and trans-slides convey the bravery of the warriors associated with the battles of Panipat. Also on display are enlarged photographs of miniatures from the Baburnama and the Akbarnama. History enthusiasts will find not only artefacts here, but also narrative and visual perspectives.

An obelisk marks the site of the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. In Kala Amb Park, a red obelisk commemorates the spot where Maratha commander Sadashiv Rao Bhau fell in battle. The park is located at a well-known site of this conflict. Visitors also come here to enjoy the peaceful surroundings and go for a walk. In Panipat, historical remembrance and quieter time outdoors therefore offer different experiences side by side.

Other sites offer insights into different chapters of the city’s history. The Old Fort is an ancient, now partly ruined fortress; part of the structure remains in fair condition. The Bab-i-Faiz Gate once served as an entrance to the city and was built by Nawab Sadiq in 1737. The Salar Gunj Gate was erected in memory of Salar Jung, the Prime Minister of the Nizam of Hyderabad. It is located on the main road in central Panipat.

Kabuli Bagh comprises a garden, a mosque and a water tank. Babur had the complex built after the First Battle to commemorate his victory over Ibrahim Lodi; the garden is named after Babur’s wife, Mussammat Kabuli Begum. The tomb of Ibrahim Lodi marks the final resting place of the last Sultan of Delhi. It consists of a rectangular open grave on a high, two-tiered terrace made of Lakhauri bricks, accessible by stairs on two sides. A cenotaph also recalls the region’s history: Hemu’s followers erected it at the site of his beheading. It is located in the village of Saudhapur on Jind Road near Panipat.

Religious Sites and Walks

The nearly 700-year-old tomb of Bu-Ali Shah Kalandar is regarded as a symbol of faith, harmony and integrity. People of all castes, faiths and religions pray there every Thursday. Religious life at the tomb also includes an annual Urs Mela and regular Qawwali festivals. At the Devi Temple, devotees from across India seek the goddess’s blessing. The park beside the temple was created from a dried-up pond and is used by children and older people for morning and evening walks. The Ramlila is also associated with the park; its annual tradition during Navratri dates back 100 years.

Shri Ram Sharnam attracts numerous devotees with its assembly halls and atmosphere of devotion. It is the only prayer hall personally inaugurated by Swami Satya Nandji, in 1960. Shri Prem Mandir was moved to Panipat during the Partition in 1947. Satsang, religious programmes and worship take place there every morning and evening; every February, the temple also hosts the “PREM SAMMELAN.” These places add a spiritual and community-focused dimension to a stay, distinct from the historical collections and monuments.

Crafts, Getting There and When to Visit

A visit to local weaving workshops offers insight into a craft that has been preserved across generations. Together with its renowned production of textiles, carpets and blankets, weaving makes Panipat’s craft heritage especially tangible. If you want to focus your trip on cultural themes, both historical artefacts and living craft traditions can take centre stage.

For getting there, rail and road are useful options: Panipat Junction is connected to a good railway network. Panipat is also on National Highway 44 and has bus links to cities and towns in neighbouring states. October to January is considered the best time to visit Panipat. When choosing a holiday apartment, consider Panipat if you want to explore the city, its history and its textile crafts. The destination area also includes Samalkha: Samalkha.

Other destinations at the same level: Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Mahendragarh, Rohtak, Sirsa, Mewat, Gurgaon.

For the overview of the wider region: Haryana.