Karnal is the eighth largest district in Haryana and takes its name from Karnalaya

Background

Karnal is an agricultural-industrial district lying in the north-central part of Haryana. The district administration says the place was founded by Raja Karna, a central figure of the Mahabharata, and that the name comes from Karnalaya, where alaya means abode. The city has become synonymous with National Highway 44, popularly known as GT Karnal Road, and lies midway between Delhi and Chandigarh. Kurukshetra is to its northwest, Jind and Kaithal to its west and Panipat to its south, while the Yamuna separates the district from Uttar Pradesh on the east. Karnal has five sub-divisions, five tehsils and nine blocks. The district covers 2,471 sq. km. and so ranks as the eighth largest district in Haryana. The city stands at an elevation of 240 meters above sea level. The district is part of the Indo-Gangetic plains, is irrigated by a network of Yamuna canals, and the low-lying fertile plains next to the river are called Khadar.