Stand at the entrance to Tilyar Lake on Delhi Road and the first thing you notice is how quickly the road noise falls away. The lake spreads across a green stretch at the edge of the city, with a zoo, lawns and a restaurant all in one place, and it is the easiest introduction to Rohtak for anyone arriving from Delhi.
Rohtak suits travellers breaking a journey on NH 9, families looking for a half-day outdoors, and anyone with an interest in the city's older layers. This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, plus a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Rohtak
1. Tilyar Lake (Tiliyar Jheel)
Tilyar Lake, on Delhi Road, is the city's main outdoor draw and the spot most visitors see first, since it sits at the entrance to Rohtak when you arrive from Delhi. The lake spreads over 132 acres and forms the centre of a green stretch with a restaurant, large lawns for sitting and playing, a toy train for children and a small swing for adults.
Allow a few hours rather than a quick stop, because the zoo and lawns are part of the same visit. It is open from 9AM to 5PM and the entry charge is ₹10.
2. Rohtak Zoo
The zoo sits within the Tilyar Lake complex and is reached on the same ticket. Its animals include bears, tigers, panthers, deer, birds and monkeys, which makes it the part of the site most likely to hold a family's attention.
Combine it with the lake and lawns in a single outing, and keep to the 9AM to 5PM window that applies to the site.
3. Sai Mandir
Sai Mandir is listed among the places to see in the city and is a straightforward stop for visitors who want to include a temple in their time in Rohtak.
Pair it with a walk in Mansarovar Park, which lies in the heart of the city, so that both fit into the same part of your day.
4. Mansarovar Park
Mansarovar Park sits at the heart of Rohtak city and is one of its oldest parks. It is nicely maintained and well decorated, and people of all age groups come here daily, which makes it a good place for a walk or a jog.
Look out for the two old-fashioned cannons placed in the park, which make an easy photograph. Early morning and evening are the natural times for a walk here.
5. Sheela Theater
Sheela Theater, also known as Sheela Talkies, began as an old-fashioned movie theatre and has since been transformed into a cineplex. If you enjoy Bollywood films, this is the place to go in the city.
It works well as an evening activity after a day outdoors at Tilyar Lake, when the heat or the light makes a cinema the better choice.
6. Khokhrakot archaeological site
Khokhrakot is the archaeological site at Rohtak where clay mounds of coins have thrown light on the process of casting coins in ancient India. A large number of coin moulds from the Yaudheyas reign, dating to the 3rd or 4th century CE, have been unearthed here, along with clay seals from that period and beyond, and Gupta terracotta finds from the 4th to 6th century CE.
This is a stop for travellers interested in the city's deeper history rather than a landscaped attraction, so set aside time to look rather than to stroll.
7. Asthal Bohar
Asthal Bohar is the village where a seventh century CE statue of Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Jain tirthankara, was found. It is the source's only named location outside the city for this aspect of Rohtak's past.
Treat it as a historical point of interest to combine with the other heritage stops rather than a standalone outing.
8. D-Park, Model Town
D-Park in Model Town holds all the branded showrooms and is described as one of the best places to hang out in the city. Model Town itself is considered one of Rohtak's upmarket areas.
It suits an unhurried hour of shopping or an evening out, and pairs naturally with the cinema at Sheela Theater.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Tilyar Lake on Delhi Road when it opens at 9AM, and give the zoo inside the complex its own share of the morning while the day is still cool.
Afternoon: Move into the city for Mansarovar Park, where you can walk and see the two old-fashioned cannons, then stop at Sai Mandir nearby.
Evening: Spend the evening around Model Town, browsing the showrooms at D-Park, and finish with a film at Sheela Theater.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Rohtak?
Rohtak has a hot semi-arid climate with extreme variation in temperature. Summer from April to June sees daytime temperatures generally between 30 °C and 42 °C, while the winter months from November to February do not usually fall below freezing. The rainy season runs from July to September and brings about 80% of the total rainfall.
How do you reach Rohtak?
Rohtak lies 70 kilometres north-west of New Delhi and 250 kilometres south of Chandigarh on NH 9, the old NH 10. It also forms part of the National Capital Region.
What can you see at Tilyar Lake?
The lake spreads over 132 acres and the site includes a restaurant, a mini zoo with bears, tigers, panthers, deer, birds and monkeys, a toy train for children, a small swing for adults, and wide lawns. It is open from 9AM to 5PM and entry costs ₹10.
Is there anything to do in the city centre?
Mansarovar Park lies at the heart of Rohtak city and is one of its oldest parks, well maintained and decorated, and suitable for a walk or jog. D-Park in Model Town holds the branded showrooms and is one of the best places to hang out, while Sheela Theater, once an old-fashioned movie theatre, is now a cineplex.
Use these stops to sketch your own route through Rohtak, and start with the day that fits the season you are travelling in.