The setting of the major Indian epics, the homeground of power politics and the site of significant historical battles- Haryana has a history similar to that of Rome and Athens. But it stands at a stark contrast to these heritage cities which see hordes of tourists visiting these places to take a walk into their past.
Nobody said ever- Let's Plan a holiday trip to Haryana
But why?
Haryana is constantly in the news for crime. But if you look at it again, it is not as much in the news as some other most visited places of India like Delhi, Mumbai and Srinagar. People do visit these places knowing that these are not just about crime.
The gender gap makes for a good reason for us to avoid it. But Rajasthan happens to be another state in India which competes for this position with Haryana but is also the most popular tourist destination.
By far, if you have started believing that the comparison is unfair as these states have a lot of natural beauty and heritage to offer, then I remind you again, this is Haryana- the place where Indus Valley Civilisation thrived, where Mahabharata found plot (literally and figuratively), where major battles in the medieval era were fought and which now is just next to the seat of India's power centre. How can Haryana have no significant visual cultural heritage to drive people to it?
While Industrialisation and production were prioritised in the state, tourism took a back seat.
Let's look at some of the marvels of Haryana that deserve your attention:
Recently, an excavation brought out to light that Rakhigarhi in Hisar district of Haryana was the largest city of the Indian Valley Civilisation, surpassing Mohenjodaro in size, complexity and stage of development.
Boring stuff, right? But Haryana has more to offer.
Folk Culture- Culturally, the state is rich with its folklore with tales from Mahabharata that also translates into traditional song and dance rituals such as Jhulan Leela.
Nightlife
The nightlife in Gurgaon and Faridabad is pretty happening, and caters heavily to the huge number of corporate professionals and students from NCR.
Sports
Nobody takes sports as seriously as Haryana does in India. Some of the top athletes from any field of sports are from Haryana. Sports is appreciated within the family and society and people do love to play and watch sports. Even if you are not inclined to sports, the raw energy is a spectacle to watch. Hopefully, sports tourism will pick up in Haryana in the coming years.
And of course, Murthal
A night out in Delhi always ends up in Murthal for a sumptuous Desi breakfast. The locals swear by its name. If you haven't heard its name