"Panipat - home of linens & the "Pachranga Pickle"" Panipat by DSwede

I realize that not everyone can control where they must go, but if you can, if you are a foreigner, there really is no reason to stop in Panipat (no offense to the locals). It is a ~3 hour drive north of Delhi, but a good place to rest up and continue to Haridwar.

OK, fellow VT'er umashanker corrected my original posting that "Panipat is the hub of powerloom and it offer cheep & beautiful bed sheets. It is also famous for "Pachranga"Pickle."

I stand corrected. In my months in and near Panipat, I did learn that the area is famous for its fabrics, but in all honestly the destination seeking traveler will not come here simply for good sheets.

As for the Pachranga Pickle... I saw the signs everywhere on the main streets where stores were selling them. But once again, I must confess that I had never heard of them before. The signs claimed that they had the "World Famous Pachranga"... but only the Indians that I met were enlightened that these were 'world famous'.

Panipat is also the historic site of the Three Battles of Panipat (first in 1526, then 1556, then 1761), but the history is only evident by a few statues placed along the sides of the roads and a 5-minute visit to a small museum well off the beaten bath to the east.

I saw what was listed by the Panipat tourist agency in two afternoons (after work), and honestly speaking I walked by many of them not knowing that they were even there.

I wound up reading many books... and from time to time sat on the street and watched traffic, inhaled dust and exhaust.

(for more pictures, feel free to visit my India Gallery. If you enjoy the pictures, please leave a comment.)

Also, please see my India page for more general comments.

• Pros:Possible in a (long) day trip from Delhi.
• Cons:All accommodations face the road, with endless sounds of horns.
• In a nutshell:Unless you're searching for linens or working the local IOCL plant, not much to see here.