The Haryanvi People, Farmers and Wrestlers of the Northern Plains

To the west and north of Delhi, on the fertile plains between the Yamuna and the deserts of Rajasthan, live the Haryanvi people, the hardy farmers, cattle-keepers, and wrestlers of the state of Haryana. Known across India for their blunt speech, their dairy and their strength, and their deep attachment to village and clan, they are heirs to a land that lies at the very heart of ancient Indian history.

This is the country of Kurukshetra, the legendary battlefield of the Mahabharata, and of Panipat, where the fate of empires was decided. Out of this storied plain emerged a robust agrarian people with their own language, cuisine, and traditions of folk song and wrestling. This article traces the Haryanvi people’s origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and customs, and the vigorous village culture that defines them today.