History of Haryana

The state of Haryana came into existence on 1st November, 1966.

Haryana is where Lord Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, is said to have propitiated the elements, to create the universe. Haryana is the land of the Mahabharata, where the pandavas and kauravas clashed in the epic battle of Kurukshetra. It is also the land of the Gita, the well-known Indian treatise on life, duty and death. The region of Haryana is mentioned as Brahmavarta in the Manusmruti.

Haryana was the cradle of the Indus Valley Civilization. Rakhigarhi a village in Hisar District. Haryana which lies on the Chautang River was the site of an extensive city, part of the Indus Valley Civilization. The site which was uncovered is dated to be over 5,000 years old with evidence of paved roads, drainage system, large rainwater collection, storage system, terracotta brick, statue production, and skilled metal working.

The ancient Vedic civilization also flourished on the banks of the ancient river Saraswati, and the hymns of Rigveda were composed here. In some ancient Hindu texts, the boundaries of Kurukshetra correspond roughly to the state of Haryana. Gurgaon refers to the village of the Guru Dronacharya. It is said that Lord Krishna preached the Bhagvad Gita to the reluctant Arjuna here.

The region has been the centre of many hard fought battles as the Huns, Turks, Mughals and several smaller invaders used it as a gateway to north India. The three battles of Panipat were fought at Panipat in Haryana.

During the British Raj , most of Haryana formed part of the Punjab province. In Sirsa the famous battle of Chormar was fought. Rao Tula Ram was one of the most important leaders of the 1857 revolt .

Haryana, like Punjab, is a land where two religions, Hinduism and Sikhism, are accorded equal importance by the people.