The ancient name of Sonipat, Swarnaprastha, literally translates to ‘Golden Place’. Sonipat is also spelt and pronounced by many as Sonepat. This city in Haryana has several links back to the mythological epic Mahabharata, and even to Panini’s Asthadhyayi, Panini being the man who was known to be a great grammarian. This suggests that Sonipat was in existence as early as in 600 BC.
Sonipat is largely an agricultural region with vast expanses of lush green, fertile land. The River Yamuna runs by the eastern part of the city, and not only provides water to the city, but offers some scenic views and hidden natural wonders as well. The existence of a number of Islamic tombs and Mughal buildings prove that this region was also under the control of this mighty kingdom at one time, and it was only after independence that the city was merged into the state of Haryana.
The gushing river banks of the Yamuna should definitely be one of your first stops when you arrive at Sonipat. With beautiful views and a cool atmosphere, this spot makes for great picnics with your loved ones.
The Khwaja Khizr Tomb is another popular and revered tourist attraction on Sonipat. The tomb of Saint Darya Khan from Ibrahim Lodhi’s time is located here. This tomb was built in the 16th century and has some stunning, multi-hued designs and engravings within its walls. It was built using red sandstone and has been preserved well over the years. Today, it is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.
The Mosque of Abdullah Nasir-ud-din is one of the many Mughal structures in Sonipat that draws many tourists and religious devotees throughout the year.
Walk around this city of Haryana and you are bound to find hidden treasures that define the very essence of the region.
Buses and auto-rickshaws are fairly easily available in and around Sonipat. Fix the fare with the auto-rickshaw driver before you start your journey to avoid getting fleeced. Hire a private taxi or car from a local rental to roam around the city at your own pace. You can even walk around during the day to discover the true side of Sonipat.
On a daily basis there are approximately 847 flights that operate at Indira Gandhi International Airport.Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Sonipat through train.Sonipatis one of the most popular train stations in Sonipat.On an average about 37 trains pass through Sonipat on a daily basis.Ambala to Sonipat, Karnal to Sonipat, Panipat to Sonipatare some of the most popular routes to Sonipat with 132, 132, 132 trains weekly respectively.
By road Sonipat is surrounded by Baghpat, Khekada, New Delhi which are 12.83 km, 17.19 km, 24.02 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.
Sonipat has a total of 5 hotels.There are 5 hotels in Sonipat with the popular ones being Jurasik Park Inn, Ethnic India Tourist Motel, Jassons Sheesh Mahal etc.