Haryana is a state located in the northwestern part of India. It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, by Rajasthan to the west and south, by Delhi to the southeast, while river Yamuna forms its eastern border with Uttar Pradesh. The state capital is Chandigarh, which it shares with the neighbouring state of Punjab. The city of Gurgaon is among India's largest financial and technology hubs. The most populous city is Faridabad, a part of the National Capital Region. In terms of area, it ranks 21st in India, with around 1.5% () of India's land area.. Haryana has administrative divisions, districts, 72 sub-divisions, 93 revenue tehsils, 50 sub-tehsils, 140 blocks, 154 cities and towns, 7,356 villages, and 6,222 villages panchayats.
The modern state of Haryana was formed on 1 November 1966 after the Punjab Reorganisation Act was passed by the Indian Parliament. Haryana contains 32 special economic zones (SEZs), mainly located within the industrial corridor projects connecting the National Capital Region. Gurgaon is considered one of the major information technology and automobile hubs of India. Haryana ranks 11th among Indian states in human development index. The economy of Haryana is the 13th largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of and has the country's 5th-highest GSDP per capita of .
The state is also rich in ancient heritage, monuments, flora and fauna and tourism, with a well-developed economy, national and state highways. Haryana surrounds the country's capital territory of Delhi on three sides (north, west and south), consequently, a large area of Haryana state is included in the economically important National Capital Region of India for the purposes of planning and development.
Etymology Some anthropologists believe that the name "Haryana" originated in the period following the Mahābhārata, when the Ābhiras are thought to have settled in the region. This community was known for developing advanced agricultural techniques.
Historian Pran Nath Chopra suggests that the name evolved linguistically over time—from Ābhirāyana (derived from ābhira meaning "Abhira" and ayana meaning "path" or "way") to Ahirāyana, and eventually became Hariyānā or Haryana.
History
Ancient period
The villages of Rakhigarhi in Hisar district and Bhirrana in Fatehabad district are home to ancient sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which contain evidence of paved roads, a drainage system, a large-scale rainwater collection storage system, terracotta brick and statue production, and skilled metalworking (in both bronze and precious metals).
During the Vedic era, Haryana was the site of the Kuru kingdom, one of India's great Mahajanapadas. The south of Haryana is the claimed location of Manu's state of Brahmavarta. The area surrounding Dhosi Hill, and districts of Rewari and Mahendragarh had Ashrams of several Rishis who made valuable contributions to important Hindu scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, Manusmriti, Brahmanas and Puranas.Sudhir Bhargava, "Location of Brahmavarta and Drishadwati river is important to find earliest alignment of Saraswati river" Seminar, Saraswati river-a perspective, 20–22 Nov 2009, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, organized by Saraswati Nadi Shodh Sansthan, Haryana, Seminar Report: pages 114–117 As per Manusmriti, Manu was the king of Brahmavarta, the flood time state 10,000 years ago surrounded by oldest route of Sarasvati and Drishadwati rivers on the banks of which Sanatan-Vedic or present-day Hindu ethos evolved and scriptures were composed.
Medieval period Ancient bronze and stone idols of Jain Tirthankara were found in archaeological expeditions in Badli, Bhiwani (Ranila, Charkhi Dadri and Badhra), Dadri, Gurgaon (Gurugram), Hansi, Hisar, Kasan, Nahad, Narnaul, Pehowa, Rewari, Rohad, Rohtak (Asthal Bohar) and Sonepat in Haryana.
Pushyabhuti dynasty ruled parts of northern India in the 7th century with its capital at Thanesar. Harsha was a prominent king of the dynasty. Tomara dynasty ruled the south Haryana region in the 10th century. Anangpal Tomar was a prominent king among the Tomaras.
After the sack of Bhatner fort during the Timurid conquests of India in 1398, Timur attacked and sacked the cities of Sirsa, Fatehabad, Sunam, Kaithal and Panipat.
Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, also called Hemu, claimed royal status and the throne of Delhi after defeating Akbar's Mughal forces on 7 October 1556 in the Battle of Delhi, and assumed the ancient title of Vikramaditya. The area that is now Haryana has been ruled by some of the major empires of India. Panipat is known for three seminal battles in the history of India. In the First Battle of Panipat (1526), Babur defeated the Lodis. In the Second Battle of Panipat (1556), Akbar defeated the local Haryanvi Hindu Emperor of Delhi, who belonged to Rewari. Hem Chandra Vikramaditya had earlier won 22 battles across India from 1553 to 1556 from Punjab to Bengal, defeating the Mughals and Afghans. Hemu had defeated Akbar's forces twice at Agra and the Battle of Delhi in 1556 to become the last Hindu Emperor of India with a formal coronation at Purana Quila in Delhi on 7 October 1556. In the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), the Afghan king Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Marathas.
The growth of trade centers like Bhiwani was supported by influential merchants such as Seth Nand Ram Ji Katla Wale, who promoted social development and commerce during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was one of the prominent leaders who devoted his life to establishing Bhiwani as a trade centre in the 18th century.
British period The state was part of the British Punjab province. The Delhi division of Punjab province formed the bulk of Haryana. Among the princely states that were located in the state were Jind, Kalsia, Loharu, Dujana and Pataudi, as well as parts of the Patiala State.
Partition and aftermath During the Partition of India, the Punjab province was one of two British Indian provinces, alongside Bengal, to be partitioned between India and Pakistan. Haryana, along with other Hindu and Sikh-dominated areas of Punjab province, became part of India as East Punjab state. As a result, a significant number of Muslims left for the newly formed country of Pakistan. Similarly, a huge number of Hindu and Sikh refugees poured into the state from West Punjab. Gopi Chand Bhargava, who hailed from Sirsa in present-day Haryana, became the first Chief Minister of East Punjab.
Formation of Haryana
Haryana as a state came into existence on 1 November 1966 the Punjab Reorganisation Act (1966). The Indian government set up the Shah Commission under the chairmanship of Justice JC Shah on 23 April 1966 to divide the existing state of Punjab and determine the boundaries of the new state of Haryana after consideration of the languages spoken by the people. It encompassed the predominantly Hindi-speaking southern part of former Punjab, while the state of Punjab was reduced to the area where Punjabi speakers formed the majority population. The commission delivered its report on 31 May 1966 whereby the then-districts of Hisar, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Rohtak and Karnal were to be a part of the new state of Haryana. Further, the tehsils of Jind and Narwana in the Sangrur district – along with Naraingarh, Ambala and Jagadhri – were to be included.
The commission recommended that the tehsil of Kharar, which includes Chandigarh, the state capital of Punjab, should be a part of Haryana. However, Kharar was given to Punjab. The city of Chandigarh was made a union territory, serving as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
Bhagwat Dayal Sharma became the first Chief Minister of Haryana. Chaudhary Devi Lal is credited to be the individual who pushed for the creation of this commission. He was an instrumental figure in the separation of the Haryana state from Punjab in 1966.
Punjabi migration to Haryana in 1947 and 1980s The Punjabi migration to Haryana occurred in two major waves—first during the Partition of India in 1947, and later during the 1980s, influenced by the Khalistani movement in Punjab.
The Partition of India led to one of the largest mass migrations in history, as millions of people were displaced due to the creation of Pakistan. Many Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs fled West Punjab (now in Pakistan) and settled in Haryana, bringing with them their agricultural skills, business expertise, and cultural traditions. Their arrival helped in the economic development of Haryana, particularly in agriculture and trade, as they introduced advanced farming techniques and expanded local businesses.
The Khalistani movement, which emerged in Punjab during the 1980s, led to political instability and violent insurgency. The demand for a separate Sikh state (Khalistan) resulted in clashes between separatist groups and security forces, making the region unsafe for many civilians. This turmoil prompted Punjabi families, including both Hindus and Sikhs, to migrate to neighbouring Haryana, seeking security, stability, and economic opportunities.
The urban centers of Haryana witnessed an influx of Punjabi migrants, who contributed to the state's business and industrial sectors.
By the mid-1990s, the insurgency declined due to government interventions, weakening separatist factions, and changing political dynamics.
These migrations have shaped Haryana's demographic, cultural, and economic landscape, making Punjabis an integral part of the state's growth and identity.
Geography
Haryana is a landlocked state in northern India. It is between 27°39' to 30°35' N latitude and between 74°28' and 77°36' E longitude. The total geographical area of the state is 4.42 m ha, which is 1.4% of the geographical area of the country. The altitude of Haryana varies between 700 and 3600 ft (200 metres to 1200 metres) above sea level. Haryana has only 4% (compared with national 21.85%) area under forests. Karoh Peak, a tall mountain peak in the Sivalik Hills range of the greater Himalayas range located near Morni Hills area of Panchkula district, is the highest point in Haryana. Most of the state sits atop the fertile Ghaggar Plain, a subsection of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Haryana has 4 states and 2 union territories on its border – Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Chandigarh.
Plains and mountains Haryana has four main geographical features. The Yamuna-Ghaggar plain forming the largest part of the state is also called Delhi doab consists of Sutlej-Ghaggar doab (between Sutlej in the north of Punjab and the Ghaggar river flowing through northern Haryana), Ghaggar-Hakra doab (between Ghaggar river and Hakra or Drishadvati river which is the paleochannel of the holy Saraswati River) and Hakra-Yamuna doab (between Hakra river and Yamuna). The Lower Shivalik Hills to the northeast in foothills of Himalaya The Bagar region semi-desert dry sandy plain in north west of Haryana, covering northwest districts of Sirsa, western Fatehabad and northwestern Hisar. The Aravali Range's northernmost low rise isolated non-continuous outcrops in the south, covering Nuh, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Rewari, and Mahendragarh.
Hydrography
The Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganges, flows along the state's eastern boundary.