Haryana

Tradition and Culture of Haryana:

Culture has always been important to the people of Haryana. Their deep interest in music, dance, and arts and crafts is evident as they pay much attention to continuing these forms made popular by their ancestors as well as fuse with new forms. To encourage their people to excel in various dance forms, shows and competitions involving both traditional and modern dance forms are often organised in Haryana. Haryanvi, which is a dialect of Hindi, is the local language of Haryana. The dialect is also called Bangaru or Jatu. Most people in Haryana today speak Hindi, Urdu, English, and Punjabi. A few people in the city even speak Sanskrit. Folk music is very popular with the people in the city, but modern music too finds a place in the hearts of the people. Gita Jayanti is celebrated because it marks the birth of the Bhagavad Gita. A majority of Haryana’s population comprises of Hindus. Sikhs make up the second largest religious group in the city, followed by Muslims. Being deeply religious, the people of Haryana celebrate many festivals that pay homage to their Gods.

Fairs and Festivals of Haryana:

The fairs and festivals in Haryana is a mirror of the lifestyle of the people of Haryana. These fairs and festivals attract a large number of visitors from all over the world throughout the year. Some of the major fairs and festivals of Haryana are:

• Baisakhi at Pinjore: Baisakhi is one of the most popular festivals of Northwest India that is celebrated on a large scale particularly in the states of Punjab and Haryana. As such, Baisakhi at Pinjore, a small town in Haryana, is a grand event that is celebrated with much zeal and enthusiasm among the locals as well as visitors from across the country.
• Haryana Day: It is a very important day in the history of India. This festival is celebrated as on this day Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966 and in 2017, the 50th Haryana Day will be celebrated all over the state on 1st November.
• Kurukshetra Festival in Haryana: The Kurukshetra Festival in Haryana is one such festival that is celebrated by both religious and non religious people. The Kurukshetra Festival in Haryana takes place to mark the Gita Jayanati, or the day the Bhagwad Gita was born. It is during this time hat people visit the holy site of Kurukshetra to gain a spiritual experience.
• Mahabharata Festival in Haryana: It is at Kurukshetra that the epic battle of the Mahabharata took place. The Mahabharata Festival is held every year at the Kurukshetra in Haryana, to commemorate this day. It is celebrated with a number of events and celebrations and is one of the most popular of the Haryana Festivals.
• Mango Festival in Haryana: The Mango Festival in Haryana is a testimony to that. It takes place at the Yadavindra Gardens in Pinjore. This place is about 20 kilometers from Chandigarh. The main idea behind the Mango Festival in Haryana is to enhance and highlight the tremendous popularity of the mangoes.
• Sohna Car Rally: This festival of old cars has aroused so much of attention that people from all corners of the country come over to Gurgaon to witness it. The Vintage Car Rally winds its way starting at Delhi, then passing through Gurgaon and finally reaching Sohna.
• Surajkund Crafts Mela: Surajkund Crafts Mela is one of the largest crafts fair in India that is held every year in the Surajkund district of Haryana. The fair is truly the most popular among all fairs and festivals in Haryana and attracts visitors in large numbers from all parts of the country. Even several tourists from the world over arrive at the Surajkund Crafts Mela every year to witness the glorious culture and heritage of India.
• Kartik Cultural Festival in Gurgaon: The Kartik Cultural Festival in Gurgaon aims at promoting different martial arts and folk arts that were on the verge of extinction. India's richness in the field of performing arts can very well be gauged on a visit to the Kartik Cultural Festival in Gurgaon. A visit to the Kartik Cultural Festival in Gurgaon gives one the splendid opportunity to witness performances of classical artistes.
• Pinjore heritage festival: The Pinjore Heritage Festival is mainly an exhibition of the culture and tradition of the north Indian state of Haryana. A cultural concoction, this affair is attended by artists from all over the country who showcase their art and contribute towards the success of the event.

Must Visiting Places In Haryana:

• Arunai Temple, Kurukshetra: - It is situated about 6 kms from Pehowa, on Ambala road. The tirth is associated with sages Vishwamitra and Vashishta, both belonging to the times of Mahabharata.
• Brahma Sarovar, Kurukshetra: -It is a sacred water body in Thanesar. As per mythology Kurukshetra was created by Lord Brahma ensuing a huge Yagna. There is also a statue of Lord Shiva in the sarovar which can be reached via a bridge.
• Buddhist Monument, Kurukshetra: -Lord Buddha is believed to have visited here and many Buddhist monument mark this occasion. Some of these monuments also came up in later years. It is little wonder then, Kurukshetra is also an important pilgrimage site for the Buddhists also.
• Bhor Saidan, Kurukshetra: - It is a tiny village located in PehowaBlock of Kurukshetra District at about 13 Kms to the west of Thanesar towards Pehowa, and a home to the Bhurirava Tank. Mythology has it that it was here that Bhurirava was treacherously betrayed and murdered by Arjun.
• Markandeshwar Temple, Kurukshetra: - The temple is situated in ShahbadMarkanda, about 25 kms from Kurukshetra. This is supposed to be the place where Shiva vanquished the Lord of Death to protect his young, 12 year old devotee and granted him the boon of immortality.
• Karnal: -It is a city and the district headquarters of the Karnal district in Haryana. The city and the district are famous for their tourist monuments and attractions. The city is believed to have been founded during ancient times of Mahabharata by king Karna, a mythological hero in the epic tale. It is located on the National Highway 1 and is about three hours driving from Delhi.
• Surajkund, Faridabad: -It is one of the most popular tourist spot in Faridabad. It is situated about 8kms from south Delhi, surrounded by rock cut steps.The lake has symbolic significance and is said to signify the rising sun.
• Farid Khan’s Tomb, Faridabad: -The tomb has 2 huge doors made up of marbles. The east facing door is known as Nuri Darwaza or Gate of Light, and the north facing door is known as Bahishthi Darwaza or Gate of Paradise.
• Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Manesar: - It is situated on the Gurgaon-Farukhnagar Road, is about 16 km away from Gurgaon in Haryana. This sanctuary has over 250 species of birds, including both resident and migratory. Some of the important migratory birds that arrive at Sultanpur are the Siberian crane, white-wagtail, northern shoveler, rosy pelican and spot-billed pelican.
• Agroha Dham, Hisar: -The temple is located in Agroha, a village in district Hisar. Its construction started in 1976 and was completed in eight years in 1984. The central section is dedicated to goddess Mahalaxmi, also the main deity of the shrine, western and the eastern sections are dedicated respectively to goddess Saraswati and Maharaja Agarsen, the ruler of Agroha state some three thousand years back.
• Gurudwara Manji Sahib, Karnal: -It is situated in the busy Sarafa Bazar in Karnal, about one kilometre from the National Highway No.1 of the Grand Trunk Road. According to history, the first guru of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji visited this place in the year 1515 in the course of his first religious journey called Udasi.
• Sukhna Lake, Mohali: - It is located at the foothills of the Shivalik range in the town of Chandigarh. This manmade lake was created in the year 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe stream that flows down from the Shivalik Hills. The serene atmosphere at Sukhna Lake makes it a recommended destination for picnic, boating and even meditation.
• Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula: -It is one of the wanted pilgrimage destination amongst Hindus. It is dedicated to Mansa Devi or Shakti. Spreading over 100 acres of land, the temple nestles at the foothills of Shivalik hills.
• Yadavindra Garden Pinjore, Panchkula: - It is built by Patiala Dynasty rulers, the garden resembles Mughal style. It was created during the reign of Aurangzeb in 17th century. It is located in the vicinity of River Kaushalya and Jhajjar which are the tributaries of Ghaggar. It also has historical and religious significance as the name is derived from Panchpura

Cuisines of Haryana:

Historical influences in the region led the people to cook dishes that were either Tandoori or Mughal, but as the population is forced to be vegetarian, they substitute meat with fresh vegetables or cottage cheese. 81% people of Haryana are vegetarian, and cuisine of Haryana is based on fresh, earthy and wholesome ethos of its agrarian culture, where staples are roti, saag, vegetarian sabzi and abundance of milk products such as homemade nooni or tindi ghee, ghee (clarified butter), milk, lassi, kheer.