The name of Haryana instantly conjures up the
image of a State which astonishingly combines both-antiquity
and plenty. The Vedic land of Haryana has been a
cradle of Indian culture and civilization. Indian
traditions regard this region as the matrix of creation
of northern altar’ where Brahma performed
the pristine sacrifice and created the universe.
This theory of creation has been confirmed to a
large extent by archaeological investigations carried
out by Guy E. Pilgrim in 1915, who has established
that 15 million years ago, early man lived in the
Haryana Shivaliks. The Vamana Purana states that
King Kuru ploughed the field of Kurukshetra with
a golden ploughshare drawn by the Nandi of Lord
Shiva and reclaimed an area of seven Kosas.
Replete with myths, legends and vedic references,
Haryana's past is steeped in glory. It was on this
soil that saint Ved Vyas wrote Mahabharata. It was
here, 5,000 long years ago that Lord Krishna preached
the gospel of duty to Arjuna at the on set of the
great battle of Mahabharata:"Your right is
to do your duty and not to bother about the fruits
(Outcome) thereof !" Since then, this philosophy
of the supremacy of duty has become a beacon to
succeeding generations.
The Mahabharata knows Haryana as the land of plentiful
grains (Bahudhanyaka) and immense riches (Bahudhana).
Before the Mahabharata war, a battle of ten kings
took place in the Kurukshetra region. But it was
the Mahabharata fought for the highest values of
righteousness which gave to the region world-wide
fame because of the profound and sophisticated thought
expounded in the holy Bhagavadgita by Lord Krishna
recited to the quivering Arjuna.
The region has been the scene of many a war because
of its being ‘A Gateway to North India’.
As years rolled by, successive streams of the
Huns, the Turks and the Tughlaqs invaded India
and decisive battles were fought on this land.
At the end of the 14 century, Tamur led an army
through this area to Delhi. Later, the Mughals
defeated the Lodhis in the historic battle of
Panipat in the year 1526. Another decisive battle
was fought in the year 1556 at this very site,
establishing the supremacy of the Mughals for
centuries to come.
Towards the middle of the 18th century, the Marathas
had established their sway over Haryana. The intrusion
of Ahmed Shah Durrani into India, culminating
Maratha ascendancy and the rapid decline of the
Mughal empire, leading ultimately to the advent
of the British rule.
Indeed, the history of Haryana is the saga of
the struggle of a virile, righteous, forthright
and proud people. From ancient times, the people
of Haryana have borne the main brunt of invaders
and foreign hordes with their known traits if
bravery and valour. They have survived many an
upheaval, upholding the traditional glory and
greatness of the land to this day. The epoch-making
events of yore, the martyrdom in the First War
of Indian Independence in 1857, the great sacrifices
in the freedom struggle, and the display of outstanding
valour, unflinching courage, and heroism in recent
years are all in keeping with the character of
this land of action. Bold in spirit and action,
the people of Haryana have formed a bulwark against
forces of aggression and anti-nationalism.
Haryana has always remained a rendezvous for
diverse races, cultures and faiths. It is on this
soil that they met, fused and crystallized into
something truly Indian. Hindu Saints and Sikh
Gurus have traversed the land of Haryana spreading
their message of universal love and brotherhood.
Sihi in Faridabad, the birth place of great Hindi
poet Surdas, is another nucleus of culture in
Haryana while the legend of Lord Krishna is very
evident in the lives of the people. The love for
cattle and the abundance of milk in the diet of
Haryanavis persists to this day which gave to
the region world-wide fame.
Haryana emerged as a separate State in the federal
galaxy of the Indian Republic on November 1,1966.
With just 1.37% of the total geographical area
and less than 2% of India’s population,
Haryana has carved a place of distinction for
itself during the past three decades. Whether
it is agriculture or industry, canal irrigation
or rural electrification, Haryana has marched
towards modernity with leaps and bounds. Today,
it enjoys the unique distinction in India of having
provided electricity, metalled roads and potable
drinking water to all its villages within record
time. Haryana is among the most prosperous states
in India, having one of the highest per-capita
income in the country. |
