Culture of Haryana

Haryana is proud of a rich cultural heritage that goes way back to the Vedic times. The state is rich in folklore. The people of Haryana have their own traditions. The age old customs of meditation, Yoga and chanting of Vedic Mantras, are still observed by the masses. The seasonal and religious festivals glorify the culture of this region.

The dance is said to be the mother of all arts. Music and poetry exist in tune, painting and architecture in space. The dance is just not a form of recreation but something needed to release the physical and emotional energy. Folk dances, like other creative art, helps in sublimating the performer’s worries and cares.

Haryana has always been a state of diverse races, cultures and faiths. It is on this soil that they met and fused into something truly India. The people of Haryana have preserved their old religious and social traditions. They celebrate festivals with great enthusiasm and traditional fervor. Their culture and popular art are Saangs, dramas, ballads and songs in which they take great delight.

With Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English forming the main languages, there are numerous dialects which are spoken in Haryana. However, almost all of them have their base in Hindi with a smattering of Urdu and Panjabi thrown in. Sanskrit is also taught in most of the schools in Haryana.

In towns and cities, English is still to be adopted as the household lingo, but is spoken in a hazy mixture of Hindi. The most striking feature of Haryana is its language itself; or rather, the manner in which it is spoken. Popularly known as Haryanavi, Bangaru or Jatu (language of Jats), it is perhaps a bit crude, but full of earthy humor and straightforwardness. With rapid urbanization, and due to Haryana’s close proximity to Delhi, the cultural aspects are now taking a more modern hue.