History of Haryana

Paleolithic History of human presence in Haryana dates back to 100,000 years ago. Archaeologists discovered cave paintings and tools in Mangar Bani hill forest in May 2021; the cave paintings are estimated to be 100,000 years old. These are believed to be the largest in the Indian subcontinent and possibly the world's oldest. Group of 43 sites was found in this area including Ankhir, Anangpur, Anangpur Dam, Shilakhari, Mangar Bani, Dhauj, Kot, Roj ka Gujjar, Nurpur, Dhumaspur, Surajkund, etc. Paleolithic and Neolithic Stone Age (7000 BCE - 5500 BCE) find were excavated from the banks of the stream (paleochannel of Saraswati river) flowing through HMT complex, by the Guy Ellcock Pilgrim who was a British geologist and palaeontologist, who discovered 150,000 year old prehistoric human teeth and part of a jaw denoting that the ancient people, who were intelligent hominins dating as far back as 150,000 ybp Acheulean period, lived in Pinjore region near Chandigarh. Quartzite tools of Lower Paleolithic period were excavated in this region extending from Pinjore in Haryana to Nalagarh (Solan district in Himachal Pradesh. Neolithic Neolithic are numerous in Haryana, specially the pre-IVC phases found at Bhirrana, Siswal, Rakhigarhi, Kunal, etc. Indus Valley Civilisation Indus Valley civilisation evolved on the banks of Rigvedic rivers Indus and Sarasvati rivers. Sarasvati and its tributary Drishadvati river (Ghaggar) flow through north and central Haryana and there are numerous IVC sites in haryana along paleochannels of these rivers, notable among those are the Rakhi Garhi, Banawali, Bhirrana, Farmana, Jognakhera, Mitathal, Siswal, and IVC mines and smelter at Tosham. Haryana govt is undertaking projects to revive Saraswati and Rakhigarhi Indus Valley Civilisation Museum has been constructed for the conservation of the artefacts. Vedic period During the Vedic era, there were janapada in Haryana from 1500 BCE 6th century BCE, which evolved into mahajanapadas which lasted from 6th century BCE to 4th century BCE. During Janpada period Kuru janpada covered most of Haryana and their area was called Kurukshetra, except South Haryana where Matsaya janpada (700–300 BCE) covered Mewat in Haryana (and Alwar in Rajasthan) and Surasena janpada covered Braj region including parts of Haryana near Barsana (such as Punhana and Hodal). After mahabharta and subsequent ashvamedha yagna, Kuru janpada evolved into a mahajanapada which sovereignty over other janpadas. The sandy bagar tract in northwestern and westcentral Haryana on Haryana-Rajasthan border was part of the larger jangladesh which also covered thar area of Rajasthan. Lord Krishna revealed Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna at Jyotisar. Śrauta were codified in Haryana during Kuru mahajanpada era, and notable sites in Haryana related to rishi authors are Bilaspur (Vyas Puri) and Kapal Mochan both related to Rishi Ved Vyasa who wrote mahabharta on the banks of Saraswati at hish ashram at Bilaspur, Dhosi Hill was ashram of Rishi Chyavana, who is mentioned in mahabharta, and he is well known for creating chyavanprash and detailed formula for which first appeared in the ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita. In some ancient Hindu texts, the boundaries of Kurukshetra (the area under Kuru janpada, not just the modern day Kurukshetra city) correspond roughly to the state of Haryana. Thus according to the Taittiriya Aranyaka 5.1.1., the Kurukshetra region is south of Turghna (Srughna/Sugh), north of Khandavprastha forest (Delhi and Mewat region), east of Maru Pradesh (marusthal or desert) and west of Parin. Some of these historic places are included in the 48 Kos Parikrama of Kurukshetra. Early_Vedic_Culture_(1700-1100_BCE).png|Early Vedic Culture (1700-1100 BCE), era of janpadas. Late_Vedic_Culture_(1100-500_BCE).png|Late Vedic Culture (1100-500 BCE), janpadas evolved into mahajanpadas. EpicIndia.jpg|Locations of kingdoms and republics in Bharata Khanda (India) mentioned in epics like mahabharta. Sultanate period Muhammad Ghori conquered Haryana after the Second Battle of Tarain. Following his death, the Delhi Sultanate was established that ruled much of India for several centuries. The earliest reference to 'Hariana' occurs in a Sanskrit inscription dated 1328 AD kept in Delhi Museum, which refers to this region as The heaven on earth, indicating that it was fertile and relatively peaceful at that time. Firuz Shah Tughlaq established a fort at Hisar in 1354 to further fortify the region, and also constructed canals or rajwahas as they were referred to in the Indo-Persian historical texts. The Khanzadas of Mewat were a ruling dynasty of Muslim Rajputs, who traced their lineage to Raja Sonpar Pal, a Yaduvanshi Rajput who converted to Islam during the Delhi Sultanate. The Khanzadas were granted the Lordship of Mewat by Firuz Shah Tughlaq in 1372. Raja Nahar Khan, formerly known as Raja Sonpar Pal, proclaimed the title of Wali-e-Mewat, solidifying a hereditary polity that endured until 1527. Mughal Empire at the Second Battle of Panipat, c. 1556, Akbarnama. The three famous battles of Panipat took place near the modern town of Panipat. The first battle took place in 1526, where Babur, the ruler of Kabul defeated Ibrahim Lodi of the Delhi Sultanate, through the use of field artillery. This battle marked the beginning of the Mughal Empire in India. Hasan Khan Mewati was the son of Raja Alawal Khan, his dynasty ruled Mewat for nearly two centuries. Descended from Raja Nahar Khan, the Wali of Mewat in the 14th century, Hasan Khan Mewati assumed the role of a sovereign king. Babur acknowledged him as the leader of the 'Mewat country'. In the First Battle of Panipat, Hasan Khan Mewati supported Ibrahim Lodi against Babur in 1526, marked a pivotal moment in the conflict between the Mughal Empire and the Delhi Sultanate. Hasan Khan Mewati later aligned himself with Rana Sanga in continued opposition against the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Khanwa, where he was killed by the forces led by Babur. In the Second Battle of Panipat (5 November 1556), Akbar's general Bairam Khan defeated Hemu, the local Haryanvi who grew up in Rewari. Hemu, who belonged to Rewari in Haryana, rose from a businessman to become adviser to Afghan kings and then Prime Minister-cum-Chief of Army. He fought and won 22 battles in between 1553 and 1556, from Punjab to Bengal against Afghans and Mughals and won all of them without losing any. Hemu defeated Akbar's army at Tughlaqabad in Battle of Delhi-1556 and became king at Delhi on 7 October 1556 declaring himself as Vikramaditya following the reigns of earlier Vedic kings. Hemu died in the Second Battle of Panipat. Maratha period (1756–1801) The Third Battle of Panipat was fought in 1761 between the Afghan Emperor Ahmad Shah Abdali and the Maratha Empire under Sadashivrao Bhau of Pune. Ahmad Shah won decisively, on 13 January 1761. Colonial period 1857 war of independence The Indian Rebellion of 1857 war started first at Ambala Cantonment, 8 hours before revolt started in Meerut, when the soldiers of 5th Indian Infantry Brigade and 60th Indian Infantry Brigade revolted but it was crushed. 5th and 60th Regiments of Benga Native Infantry rebelled at Umballa (Ambala). During the Battle of Narnaul at Nasibpur on 16 November 1857, British lost 70 British soldiers and their commanders colonel Gerrard and Captain Wallace. 40 British soldiers and officers Captain Craige, Captain Kennedy and Captain Pearse were wounded. The major centers of rebellion were at Hisar, Hansi, Sirsa, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh, Farrukhnagar, Ballabhgarh, Rewari, Ambala, Panipat and Thanesar. The Rajput rulers of Rajasthan also kept out of the mutiny. Raja Nahar Singh was the ruler of Ballabhgarh, Rao Tula Ram ruler of Rewari and his cousin Gopal Dev, Nawab Abdur Rahman Khan Jhajjar, Nawab Ahmad Ali of Farrukhnagar, Sadruddin was the leader of Mewat, Harsukh Rai and Mirza Gauhar Ali of Palwal and Imam of Bu Ali Shah Qalandar mosque in Panipat played key role. After reorganisation, Haryana government banned Punjabi in the state. In 2018, the Government of Haryana started to award ₹10,000 per month pension to the Matribhasa Satyagrahis (Hindi language activists). Re-organisation of the Punjab state On 1 November 1966, Haryana was carved out of the East Punjab on linguistic grounds, with majorly consisting of the "Hindi Speaking areas". Same example was later followed in creation of Himachal Pradesh as well. In order to analyse and find a cooperative as well as universally acceptable solution, for the long going vexed linguistic problem, being faced by Punjab, the parliament announced the formation of the Parliamentary Committee on Demand for Punjabi Suba (1966) chairmanned by Sardar Hukam Singh, on 23 September 1965. According to the 90 paged report, the committee initially came to an understanding that a 'co-operative solution' was not possible. Moreover, it stated that unanimity is also not possible or necessary on any matters in a democratic set-up. So, after perusing the large number of memoranda/representations received by the committee and hearing the various view-points expressed by the different witnesses representing the various shades of opinion, the committee suggested the re-organisation of the State of Punjab on linguistic basis. It also stated that the then Chief Minister of the Punjab State admitted that the situation needed a change and status quo in its entirety was not possible." Although a section of the people from the Punjab canvassed before the committee that the status quo might be maintained in the Punjab. Even a third argument advanced in favour of the status quo was that, any reorganisation of the State would not be in the interests of the security of the country and would weaken the defence of India, which was later struck off due to lack of authentic data or justifiable reasons. On 23 April 1966, while acting on the report submitted by the parliamentary committee, the Indian government set up the Punjab Boundary Commission under the chairmanship of Justice J. C. Shah & two members S.Dutt & M. M. Philip to divide and set up the boundaries of Punjab and Haryana. The commission gave its report on 31 May 1966. According to this report the then districts of Hissar, Mahendragarh, Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Karnal were to be a part of the new state of Haryana. Further the Tehsils of Jind (district Sangrur), Narwana (district Sangrur) Naraingarh, Ambala, Jagadhari tahsil of district Ambala were also included. The commission recommended that whole Tehsil Kharar (including Chandigarh) should also be a part of Haryana. However, commission one member from three, Subimal Dutt submitted a dissenting note, arguing that Kharar tehsil minus Kalka Police Station (He recommended for Himachal) area but including Chandigarh should merge with Punjabi state, citing its Punjabi-speaking rural majority, the migratory nature of the Hindi-speaking urban population, and its earlier classification under the Punjabi region as per the Sachar Formula of 1949. • 36 villages, Manimajra and Chandigarh towns of Kharar tahsil of Ambala district (114.0 kmsq.) were lumped together to come out a separate administrative unit stuled as Union Territory of Chandigarh. • 282 villages along with Kharar and Kurali towns Kharar tahsil of composite Ambala district in Punjab. Initially, 153 villages and Kalka town were added to Naraingarh Tahsil. Later, these areas were separated from Naraingarh Tahsil to form a new administrative unit—Kalka Tahsil—under the Haryana Government Notification No. 4575-E(V)-67/2626, dated the 25th July, 1967. ==Thematic history of Haryana==