Haryana
The State of Haryana came into existence in 1966 when it was carved out of
Punjab. The capital of both Haryana and Punjab is Chandigarh, a delightful
planned city, designed by the French architect Le Corbusier, which has many
places of tourist interest. Haryana ranks as one of India's most prosperous
states.
Haryana is an ancient
land and archaeological digs in many places have unearthed evidence of
pre-Harappan and Harappan culture. It was claimed that Rishi Vyas wrote the
Mahabharata here. The legendary battle described in the Mahabharata was fought
on the fields of Kurukshetra.
The region has witnessed many successive invasions from the
North. The Huns, the Turks and the Afghans invaded India through this area. King
Harshvardhan became ruler of Thanesar (Kurukshetra) in the 7th Century AD and
later ruled most of Northern India. The first battle of Panipat was fought here
when the Mughals defeated the Lodhis in1526. Babur, a descendent of Timur and
Genghis Khan, rode in with an infantry and cavalry of 25,000 soldiers from
Samarqand, and defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi of Delhi in this historic battle.
The Sultan of Delhi
was defeated despite his army numbering 100,000 soldiers. This was the first
battle in which artillery was put to such effective use to win against vastly
superior numbers. The battle led to the establishment of Mughal rule in India, a
period that saw the construction of many forts and architectural wonders
including the Taj Mahal. 30 years later, in 1556, a second battle was fought in
the plains near Panipat, a battle which firmly established the Mughals as rulers
of North India. Hemachandra the King of Delhi was defeated by Akbar's armies in
this battle.
In fact, Panipat was
witness to a 3rd battle in 1761 when the Marathas, who were then ruling the
area, were defeated in battle by Ahmed Shah Durani from Afghanistan. This battle
marked the end of the period of Maratha rule. The period thereafter saw the
advent of British rule in India.
Getting There :
- By Air: Nearest airport is in the capital Chandigarh. Indian Airlines connect Chandigarh
with Delhi, Jammu, Shrinagar and Leh. Vayudoot Services connect Chandigarh with
Delhi, Kulu and Gaggad.
- By Rail: Chandigarh, the terminus of Northern Railway, is connected with Bombay, Delhi,
Kalka and other major cities in India.
- By Road:Chandigarh is connected by good motorable roads with Amritsar 240 kms, Dehradun
230 kms, Delhi 248 kms, Shimla 117 kms, Kulu 279 kms, Bhakra 116 kms, Kasauli 77
kms, Jammu 380 kms, Pathankot etc. There are regular bus services between these
places.
Fast Facts :
- Area: 44212 Sq. Km
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Languages: Hindi and Punjabi
- Religion: Hindus (34.46%), Sikhs (62.95%), others (2.59%)
- Literacy rate: 57.14%
- Best Time To Visit: October To March
Tourist Attractions :
Ambala :
In 1859 Ambala became the head quarters of a district
and division formed under the Punjab administration. It still maintains its dual
status. It is famous for its army cantonment, air force base and railway
junction. Ambala district is now famous for its industries especially that of
scientific instruments, metal casting and kitchen mixer grinders.
Faridabad :
Faridabad is a southeastern town in the state of Haryana founded in 1607 AD.
Faridabad city is the most populated and most industrialized in whole of Haryana.
The district headquarter is situated in Faridabad city. Faridabad alone is
generating about 60% of the revenues of Haryana with its large number of
industrial units. There is a belief that it was Baba Farid, an eminent Sufi
saint, who founded Faridabad.
Gurgaon :
The district headquarter is situated in Gurgaon city.
Now Gurgaon has become one of the most important corporate and industrial hubs
of Haryana. Gurgaon also known as 'Guru Gram' or 'Guru Gaon' ( village of the
spiritual teacher) was named after Dronacharya, a character in the Epic
Mahabharata. It is said that Guru Dronacharya of the Pandavas and the Kauravas
gave spiritual instructions to them at this place. The office and manufacturing
plant of India's largest car maker Maruti Udyog Limited is situated here as are
a large number other industries. Another area in which Gurgaon is excelling is
the IT industry and software development. Real estate is booming here with new
buildings coming up at an astronomical pace.
Hissar :
THissar was the biggest district in Haryana. It has
now been spilt in to three - the new districts being Bhiwani and Sirsa. The
district has made striking progress during the last few years both in
agriculture and industry. The Haryana Agricultural university and the Government
Live stock farm (biggest in Asia) are located here. Hissar is now the head
quarters of the second division in Haryana.
Kurukshetra :
Kurukshetra the holy pilgrimage in which 360 places of pilgrimage related to the
Mahabharata can be seen. It is one of those holy towns that have borne the
imprint of Lord Krishna's footsteps. Tradition holds that the great 18-day
battle between the Pandavas and Kauravas in which Lord Krishna played his
enigmatic part, as described in the pages of the epic Mahabharata, was fought on
the plains of Kurukshetra. Kurukshetra lies on the Delhi-Ambala stretch of the
National Highway number 1. It has a population of 6.41 lakhs.
Panchkula :
The recently formed 17th district of Haryana, Panchkula is
surrounded by Himachal Pradesh in the north and north east by Ambala district in
the east by Kurukshetra district in the south and Punjab and Union Territory of
Chandigarh in the West.
