Haryana is a landlocked state in northern India is surrounded by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north and Rajasthan to the west and south. Its eastern border touches Uttaranchal & Uttar Pradesh, which is defined by river Yamuna. The state also surrounds Delhi on three sides, forming the northern, western and southern borders of Delhi. A large area of the state is included in the National Capital Region (NCR). Two developing cities - Gurgaon and Faridabad are close to Delhi and some major hubs for IT and software industry.Haryana - The Madhyama Dis (mid-region) of the Later Vedic Period was the birthplace of the Hindu religion. The land was the home of legendary Bharata dynasty, which gave India its Hindi name, Bharat. The epic battle between the Kauravas and Pandavas, recorded in the Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, took place at Kurukshetra (a place in Haryana).
This is one of the most Agrarian States in India covered with greenery all around.The state is famous for wheat and milk production. The vast plains that stretch between the river Indus and Gangetic belt of fertile soil and hence have improved the crop productivity of the country. The industrial revolution in the state can not be overlooked. It is also home to Maruti Udyog Limited, India's largest automobile manufacturer, and Hero Honda Limited, the world's largest manufacturer of two wheelers.
Haryanvis (the people of Haryana) which are simple, straight forward, proactive and hard working. Maintain their old religious and social traditions, they celebrate festivals of traditional fervor. Above all, the hospitality of people which attracts people from across the globe to explore the state with nosiness.
History
Haryana, also called "Madhyama Dis" (middle region) and the Later Vedic Period (c. 800-500 BC) was the birthplace of the Hindu religion. The first hymns of the Aryans were sung and most ancient manuscripts were written here. Urban settlements in Ghaggar valley date back to 3000 BC. Around 1500 BC, Aryan tribes were the first (of many groups) to invade the region. The area was the home to the legendary Bharata dynasty, which gave India its Hindi name, Bharat.
The epic battle between the Kauravas and Pandavas, recorded in the Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, took place in Kurukshetra.In the 3rd century BC, the area was established in the Mauryan Empire. It later became an important power base for the Mughals, the battle of Panipat in 1526 established Mughal rule in India. Territory was ceded to the British in 1803. In 1832 it moved to the North Western States and in 1858 Haryana became a part of Punjab, remaining as such after the partition of India in 1947.
Demand of Haryana, as a separate state, however, was raised even before India's independence in 1947. Lala Lajpat Rai and Asaf Ali, prominent figures in the national movement, advocated a separate state Haryana. Sri Ram Sharma, a veteran freedom fighter, who headed a Haryana Development Committee to focus attention on the concept of a autonomous state. Demand for unilingual states by Sikhs and Hindus gained momentum early in 1960s. With the passage of the Punjab Reorganization Act (and in accordance with earlier recommendations of States Reorganization Commission), Haryana became India's 17th state on November 1, 1966.
Haryana was carved out of the mostly Hindi-speaking eastern part of Punjab, and mostly Punjabi-speaking western part of the left, as the current day Punjab. The city of Chandigarh,on the linguistic and the physical border, was made a union territory to serve as capital of two states. Chandigarh was due to transfer to state of Punjab in 1986, according to Rajiv-Longowal Accord, but the transfer has been delayed pending an agreement on which parts of the Hindi spoken areas Abohar and Fazilka, currently part of Firozpur District of Punjab, which should be transferred to Haryana in exchange.
The epic battle between the Kauravas and Pandavas, recorded in the Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, took place in Kurukshetra.In the 3rd century BC, the area was established in the Mauryan Empire. It later became an important power base for the Mughals, the battle of Panipat in 1526 established Mughal rule in India. Territory was ceded to the British in 1803. In 1832 it moved to the North Western States and in 1858 Haryana became a part of Punjab, remaining as such after the partition of India in 1947.
Demand of Haryana, as a separate state, however, was raised even before India's independence in 1947. Lala Lajpat Rai and Asaf Ali, prominent figures in the national movement, advocated a separate state Haryana. Sri Ram Sharma, a veteran freedom fighter, who headed a Haryana Development Committee to focus attention on the concept of a autonomous state. Demand for unilingual states by Sikhs and Hindus gained momentum early in 1960s. With the passage of the Punjab Reorganization Act (and in accordance with earlier recommendations of States Reorganization Commission), Haryana became India's 17th state on November 1, 1966.
Haryana was carved out of the mostly Hindi-speaking eastern part of Punjab, and mostly Punjabi-speaking western part of the left, as the current day Punjab. The city of Chandigarh,on the linguistic and the physical border, was made a union territory to serve as capital of two states. Chandigarh was due to transfer to state of Punjab in 1986, according to Rajiv-Longowal Accord, but the transfer has been delayed pending an agreement on which parts of the Hindi spoken areas Abohar and Fazilka, currently part of Firozpur District of Punjab, which should be transferred to Haryana in exchange.
People & Religion
Haryana has been the hub of social, cultural and religious activity in India, even before the time of Vedic Civilization. Taking into account its unique geography, the state Haryana was evidence of invasions of Muslim Rulers, battles of the Marathas and Sikhs. Hindu saints, Buddhist monks and Sikh gurus have traversed Haryana, spreading their messages of universal love and brotherhood. Population of Haryana, according to 2001 census is 2,10,83,000 with 1,13,28,000 males and 97,55,000 females. Population density is 477 people / sq km.
People of Haryana are simple, straight forward, enterprising and industrious. Since ancient times, they have survived many upheavals upholding the traditional glory and greatness, the land on this day. They have preserved their ancient Vedic traditions. They celebrate festivals with great enthusiasm and traditional fervor. Region has its own festivals, popular folklores, folksongs and musical instruments. Women are dedicated and diligent and assist their men-folk on the farms. People have simple food habits. They are known for their love of animals and the abundance of milk and curd in their diet.
Religion has always provided the main basis for the structure of Haryana society. In ancient times, Aryan people followed the Vedic religion. Later on Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Sikhism influenced the people. Swami Dayanand's teachings greatly impressed by the people and the ARYA Samaj has a large following among Hindus in Haryana. In modern Haryana, Hindus are about 90% of the population, Sikhs 6.2%, Muslims 4.05% and Christian 0.10%. Hindus are divided into several castes like Jats, Brahmins, Ahirs, Gujars, Aggarwals, Arora, Khatris, Sainis, Rajputs and Rors. Among them all, Jats occupy preeminent position in Haryana, being the largest group in the state. The artisan castes such as the Telis (oil traders), Sunars (jeweler), Lohars (Blacksmiths), dhobis (launderers) and Nais (barbers) are found throughout the state, especially in villages.
The Jats are spread throughtout Haryana. Origin of Jats is shrouded in mystery. Harijans constitute about one fifth of the population. As a result, various structures and privileges provided by the government, the Harijans are now taking an active part in all activities. Muslims generally Meos state and is focused on Mewat region. Although Islam does not propagate casteism, there are three categories of Muslims Haryana. That Asharf or Sharaf (honest) form the high-caste that Ajlaf (base or means) with the average Arzal (the lowest of all) is coming to an end. There are some Muslim Rajputs, as well as converted Muslims. The Sikhs, in general, live in Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal districts. Sikhs also have their own castes like Jat Sikhs, Aroras etc.
More than 70% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. People are talking about a similar sounding dialects of Hindi. Being the most important dialect of 'Bangaru. The people of Haryana are generally taller, stronger and healthier than the average in India due to hard work, and includes many dairy products in their diet. The main languages spoken by people in Haryanavi, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English. Sanskrit is taught in schools up to class 8.
