Haryana

Haryana is a state in the Punjab region of northern India. It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south. Eastern border to Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh is defined by river Yamuna. Haryana also surrounds Delhi on three sides, forming the northern, western and southern borders of Delhi. Consequently, a large area of Haryana is included in the National Capital Region. The capital of the state is Chandigarh which is administered as a union territory and is also the capital of Punjab. The name Haryana means "The Abode of God" from Sanskrit Hari (the Hindu God Vishnu) and ayana (home), although it may also refer to the lush green landscape of the state (from Sanskrit harit meaning green).
Haryana was the cradle of the Indus Valley and Vedic Civilizations, both flourishing on the banks of the now lost Saraswati river. Several decisive battles were fought in the area, which shaped much of the history of India. These include the epic battle of Mahabharata at Kurukshetra(including the recital of the Bhagavad Gita by Krishna), and the three battles of Panipat. Haryana was administered as part of the Punjab province of British India, and was carved out on linguistic lines as India's 17th state in 1966. Haryana is now a leading contributor to the country's production of foodgrain and milk. Agriculture is the leading occupation for the residents of the state, the flat arable land irrigated by submersible pumps and an extensive canal system. Haryana contributed heavily to the Green Revolution that made India self-sufficient in food production in the 1960s. The state of Haryana has the 3rd highest per capita income in the country at Rs 29,887, including the largest number of rural crorepatis in India. It is one of the leading industrialized states of India, and is considered to be the current growth engine of India,with the city of Gurgaon rapidly emerging as a major hub for the information technology and automobile industries. Gurgaon is home to Maruti Udyog Limited, India's largest automobile manufacturer, and Hero Honda Limited, the world's largest manufacturer of two-wheelers. Panipat, Panchkula and Faridabad are also industrial hubs, with the Panipat Refinery being the second largest refinery in South Asia. There are also long established steel and textile industries in the state.

Haryana CultureWith all this martial progress across their lands, it is hardly surprising that the people of Haryana are a brave and proud race and, inevitably, the different races and creeds that traversed the land left traces behind. A prime example of this is the co-existence of Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs in the State and the existence of a robust local folklore and folk culture that have survived battles, incursions and politics.
What is late 20th century Haryana like? It is still at heart an agricultural State, a land of hard-working farmers and their equally sturdy wives who help out with much of the farm work. The Haryanvi is a simple, straight-forward, no-nonsense person who believes in the virtues of hard work and then, when the work is done, of enjoying himself and relaxing. The small towns and villages that cover the State are slowly coming to terms with such modern-day intrusions as video shops and satellite dishes but there is still a robust folk tradition that has survived. Haryana is, generally, a prosperous State and even the smallest village will have bustling markets and shops where the farmers and their families arrive on their tractors to do their shopping.