Mostly visited for – Kurukshetra (Lord Krishna delivered Bhagavat Geeta to Arjuna here), Surajkund (an ancient lake with historical and religious significance, now a major fair site), Gurgaon (an IT suburb of NCR area), Thanesar (famous for a sacred Shiva temple), Jyotisar, Panipat (city of weavers famous for textiles, carpets and blankets), Badkhal Lake (a natural lake famous for bird watching and boating), Pinjore (Mughal Gardens), Morni Hills (Haryana’s only hill station), Dhosi Hill (where oldest known generic brand in the world Chyavanaprasha and Kayakalpa were formulated by sages)
Weather - Summer: March to May, Monsoon: June to September, Winter: October to February. A part of northern plains, Haryana has a continental climate, with extremes of heat in summer and cold in winters.
Connectivity
By Air – The main airport of the state is in its capital Chandigarh. It is well connected with the cities of North India.
By Rail- The state is well connected by railway network. There are many railway routes crossing through Haryana like Amritsar to Delhi, Rewari to Ahmedabad, Kalka to Jodhpur, Delhi to Shimla and Bhiwani to Rohtak.
By Road – Some parts of the state are within the National Capital Region and are at a short driving distance from Delhi.
History, Geography and Culture of Haryana
Land of immense contrasts, Haryana is bestowed with history as old as time, rushing rivers, lofty hills and enterprising people, making it a unique state like no other. The cradle of Indian culture and agriculture, Haryana belongs to the second century BC as a territory inhabited by Aryans. Since then, the primary occupation of this fertile state has been agriculture and animal rearing through the ages. Rigveda, the earliest recorded Hindu literature was composed here. Archaeological evidences reveal that the region was actively practising agriculture even earlier than Harappan civilization came to the fore.
Other landmark contribution of Haryana’s history is the origin of Bhagavata Geeta, a sacred scripture, during the war of Mahabharata at Kurukshetra. This document changed the life of millions of people, inspiring them for selfless action with other essentials for a balanced life.
An earliest reference on which Haryana is named is based upon two interpretations. First is interpreted as an Abode of God and second one states it as a green home. It genuinely depends upon the visitor who wants to explore Haryana on what side he / she wants to see. Blessed with enormous green covered farmlands, this state has equally famous spiritual abodes as well. Tourists who are fascinated with Bhagvata Geeta can avail the opportunity to visit Kurukshetra. Others who want to explore the richness and bounties of greens can venture into the farmlands through farm tourism.
Geographically the state is bounded by the Shiwalik Hills in the North, Aravali Hills in the South, River Yamuna in the East and the Thar-Desert in the West. Almost 1/3rd of Haryana is a part of Delhi-NCR region, lending it a metropolitan status and a unique position in the country. However, that doesn’t take the state’s true identity hidden within its ever fertile farmlands. In fact, many tourists prefer to venture the countryside of Haryana and experience the warmth of rural tourism. Also, this state is a famous link to other prominent tourist hotspots. The famous highway tourism policy made Haryana a perfect vacation land, allowing tourists to just take the road towards the destination of their choice.
The destination has equally charming cultural heritage belonging to the Vedic times. This countryside used to serve as an abode of many sages including Rishi Chyavana and Bhrigu. The farm culture and treasured folk traditions dominate the landscape. The age old rituals of yoga, meditation and chanting are still observed and followed by people with great zeal. Seasonal and religious festivals glorify the way of life. Natives engulf themselves during celebrations through a variety of folk dances. These include phag, dhamal, raas, loor, jhoomar, ballads and folk songs etc.
Tourists can enjoy the hospitality of Haryana through rural, golf, highway and spiritual tourism. There are a plenty of Farm and Highway tourism resorts in Haryana. In fact, many of the highway resorts are named as a dedication to the birds of the region. Few among them are Kingfisher in Ambala, Magpie in Faridabad, Rajhans in Surajkund, Flamingo in Hissar, Red Bishop.
Above all, the state is known for a lively simple culture offering delightful holidays; making Haryana a state like no other.
Religion – Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism
Wildlife Sanctuaries of Haryana
Bhindawas Bird Sanctuary (near Jhajjar)
Sultanpur National Park & Bird Sanctuary (near Gurgaon)
Festivals
Gopal, Mochan Fair (Ambala)
Basdoda Fair (Basoda)
Mela Devi (Beri in Jhajjar)
Surajkund Mela
The Mango Festival (Faridabad)
Teej
Geeta Jayanti (Dec / Jan, Kurukshetra)
Heritage Fair (Pinjore)
Eat – Cuisine of Haryana is a rich amalgam of flavours and rustic essence. Famous cuisines are Makke Di Roti and Sarson Ka Saag, Lassi (Sweet Yogurt drink), Rajma, Cholay Bhature, etc. Besides these popular recipes, the hidden flavours of Haryana can be tasted through Besan Masala, Roti Makhan, Bajra Aloo and Mithe Chawal. Road trips via Haryana are equally enjoyable for tourists who want to taste food at Highway stopovers. Must visit attraction is Haveli in Karnal.
Buy – Haryana becomes the craft capital of India in the month of February during Surajkund Crafts Fair. Here, tourists can enjoy purchasing souvenirs not only from the native state, but from the different states of India. During a tour to Haryana, don’t miss out purchasing Pottery, Phulkari Embriodery and Weaving, Bagh, Chope, Durries, Paintings and Sculpture of the region.
Hotels – There are a number of highway tourism resorts and farm stopovers that contribute to the hospitality circuit of Haryana and provide a rich holiday experience to the tourists.