HARYANA: PLACES TO VISIT
Haryana state is in the northwest corner of India; it is bordered in the north by Himachal Pradesh, on the northwest by Punjab, Rajasthan on the southwest and Uttar Pradesh on the east.
Map of Haryana and the Locator Map
HARYANA STATS:
| Total Area: 44,212 Sq. Km (17,070 Sq. Mi) | Rank: 20th |
| POPULATION (2011): 25,353,081 | Rank: 16th |
| CAPITAL CITY: Chandigarh | |
| LARGEST CITY: Faridabad | |
| LITERACY RATE: 76.64% | |
| HDI: 0.644 | Rank: 17th |
| OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Hindi, Punjabi | |
| Official Website: www.haryana.gov.in |
HARYANA PEOPLE:
 Women in traditional attire |
 Men in traditional attire |
|
SOME PLACES OF INTEREST:
 Sai Mandir Rohtak |
 Haryana State Assembly Building |
|
|
|
|
FESTIVALS
Gugga Naumi:
(August/September)
This is a snake worship festival, observed in Haryana, during August-September. Generally worshipped as a demi-god, Goga is believed to protect his followers from snake bites and other types and forms of evils. He is particularly popular amongst the followers of the Naga cult. Initially a deity in Rajasthan, records suggest that Goga is being worshipped from the 17th century in Western Himalayas—probably because of migration from Rajasthan. Goga enjoys unbridled popularity amongst farmers as snakebite incidents and deaths are a frequent occurrence in agricultural farmlands. Amongst Muslims, he is considered to be a peer (saint) who has the power to eliminate the effects of Zahar (poison).
The highlight of the celebration is the Gugga Mela. Bamboo sticks with peacock feathers and a blue flag with colored threads are used as the medium of celebration. The fans carry out a procession on the ninth day along with beating drums across the village. Reverence is offered in the form of “Churma” and “Sevian” by the saints.
Surajkund Mela:
This is credited as the world’s largest International crafts fair. It is a bonanza of vivid art, craft, music and dance, colorful ambiance, ethnic cuisines, and an immersive cultural ethos – a spectacle that is waiting to blow your mind yet again! Occupying a place of pride on the international tourist calendar since 1987, the fair observes more than a million visitors every year, thousands of them being foreign tourists. Getting more and more attractive, fun, and consumer-friendly each year, the Surajkund Mela is not just the best platform for the skilled craftsmen and artisans of India and other SAARC nations to show their talent, but also a wonderful opportunity for the public to learn about their vibrant culture and get to respect the age-old craft that is better than any machine products.
STATE SYMBOLS: (COURTESY WIKIPEDIA)
| State animal | Black Buck Antelope (Antilope cervicapra) |  |
| State bird | Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) |  |
| State flower | Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) |  |
| State tree | Pipal (Ficus religiosa) |  |
TOURIST INFORMATION:
HARYANA GOVT. OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.Haryana.gov.in
www.haryanatourism.gov.in
HARYANA TOURISM CORP. LTD
SCO 17-19, SECTOR 17-B
CHANDIGARH-160017
PHONE: +91-0172-2702955-57
FAX: -+91-0172-2703185, 2702783
Email: haryanatourism@gmail.com
HARYANA CUISINE
SIGNATURE DISHES OF HARYANA
HARYANA THALI
SUKHI CHANA DAL
RAJMA
KHOYA BHAJI
SABAT ALOO
EGG CURRY
PINNI
DOODHI HALVA