The thesis written by Manu, the lawgiver in Indian mythology, chose Haryana as Brahmavart from where the Brahmanical religion and social system grew up and spread to the rest of the country. Much of the Hindu religion and society was formed on plains of the present-day Haryana.
Haryana served as a geographical passage to Delhi. Over the centuries, a number of invaders poured across the plains of Haryana, and sometimes fighting battles there. At the end of the 14th century, Timur led an army through the state towards Delhi. In 1526, the Mughals invaded and defeated the armies of the ruling Lodi dynasty at the Battle of Panipat. 30 years later, in 1556, the Mughals won yet another decisive battle there. By the mid-18th century, the Marathas were in control of Haryana, but this era was brought to an end after the Afghans under Ahmed Shah Abdali defeated the Maratha forces in the third battle of Panipat in 1761. |
