->Jethwarp at 11:00, 3 August 2021

2021-08-03T11:00:59Z

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{{short description|Village in India}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Morni Hills
| elevation_m = 1220
| map = India Haryana#India3
| map_caption = Location of in [[Haryana]]
| location = [[Panchkula district]], [[Haryana]]
| range = [[Shivalik Hills]] of [[Himalayas]]
| label_position = left
| listing = [[List of Indian states and territories by highest point]]
| coordinates = {{coord|30|42|N|77|05|E|type:mountain_region:IN_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates =
| easiest_route = Hike / scramble
}}

'''Morni''' is a village and tourist attraction in the '''Morni Hills''' at the height of {{convert|1267|m}} in the [[Panchkula district]] of the Indian state of [[Haryana]]. It is located around {{convert|45|km}} from [[Chandigarh]], {{convert|35|km}} from [[Panchkula]] city and is known for its [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] views, flora, and lakes.
The name of Morni is believed to derive from a queen who once ruled the area two thousand years back. She was a just and noble ruler of her Queendom and after her the Morni was jagir of the [[Raja]] of Morni,kotaha and [[Pindrawal]] [[Raja]] [[Mir]] [[Syed]] [[Muhammad Baquar Ali Khan]] [[C.I.E.]]

==Geography==
[[File:Morni Hills and Tikkar Taal, Haryana, India - 7.jpeg|thumb|Sign board showing the altitude of Morni Hills]]
The Morni Hills are offshoots of the [[Siwalik Hills|Shivalik range]] of the Himalayas, which run in two parallel ranges. The village of Morni lies on the mountainside, at {{convert|1220|m|ft}} above mean sea level. Among the spurs of the hills lie two lakes, the larger of these being about {{convert|550|m|ft}} long and {{convert|460|m|ft}} broad, and the smaller around {{convert|365|m|ft}} either way.

==Tourism==
[[File:Morni Hills and Tikkar Taal, Haryana, India - 1.jpeg|thumb|Haryana Tourism's Hotel Mountain Quail]]
The [[Haryana Government]] has constructed the Mountain Quail Resort for tourists,<ref name=hgov>[http://www.haryanatourism.gov.in/adventure/mornihills.asp "Morni hills"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627170032/http://www.haryanatourism.gov.in/adventure/mornihills.asp |date=27 June 2013 }}. [[Haryana Tourism]]. 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2013.</ref> along with a motorable road to connect the Morni Hills with the Haryana State Highway near Panchkula. Three further roads connect Morni to [[Chandigarh]] and other nearby towns.

===Forts ===

====Morni Fort Museum====
{{anchor | Morni Fort | Morni Fort Museum }}
There is a two thousand year old fort in the Morni area, which was built by Queen Morni. Local folk songs mention how noble and just was queen Morni. The hills are covered by [[pine trees]], and are popular [[trekking]] locations.<ref name=hgov/> The fort also has a museum built in fy 2017-18.<ref name=mus1>http://haryana.punjabkesari.in/hisar/news/cm-has-done-inspection-of-herbal-forests-734137 CM has done inspection of herbal forests, Punjab Kesari, 8 Jan 2018.</ref>

[[Forests Department, Haryana|Forests Department of Haryana]] has converted the fort into a museum and nature study centre which houses old photographs of the fort, endangered birds and animals, awareness of dangers of plastic, etc.<ref name=harsamvad1>[http://haryanasamvad.gov.in/store/document/Haryana%20Samvad%20October%202018.pdf Haryana Samvad] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129225259/http://haryanasamvad.gov.in/store/document/Haryana%20Samvad%20October%202018.pdf |date=29 November 2018 }}, Oct 2018, p38-40.</ref>

==== Garhi Kotaha Fort ====
Garhi Kotaha is a fort on [[National Highway 1 (India)|NH1]] which lies 27 km south of the Morni Fort and 3 km east of [[Raipur Rani]] tehsil headquarter. It now lie in ruins since it was partially demolished by the [[British Raj]] after the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]].<ref name=fort1/> [[Mir (title)|Mir]] Muslims of Kotaha ruled from Garhi Kotaha Fort with smaller forts at Morni and Massompur.<ref name=fort1/>

==== Masoompur Fort ====
Masoompur Fort is a smaller outpost fort with thick stone-brick masonry walls on a mud hillock. It is northeast of Massompur village which is 5 km from the main Garhi Kotaha Fort via road passing through Rehana village. It was built to control the access route to Samlotha temple, which lies northeast of the fort, to collect the hefty [[jizya]] (religious ransom tax) from the Hindu's pilgrimage.<ref name=fort1>[http://www.hillsofmorni.com/history-of-morni/glimpses-of-history-masoompur-fort/ Masoompur fort ruins].</ref>

===Morni Hill Waterfall===
Waterfall, access via a track in the forest, is active in the rainy season.<ref name="webIndia1">http://tourism.webindia123.com/tourism/hillstations/Morni/index.htm Morni Hills</ref><ref name="Tikkar1">[http://tikkarlake.com/ Tikker lake]</ref>

===Morni Pheasant Breeding Center===
[[File:Red Junglefowl - Thailand.jpg|thumb|[[Red junglefowl]].]]
[[File:Kalij pheasant Prasanna Mamidala.jpg|thumb|[[Kalij pheasant]], male.]]
{{see also | Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore | label 1 = Pinjore Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre | Kalesar National Park#Elephants | label 2 = Kalesar Elephant Rehabilitation Centre}}
'''Morni Pheasant Breeding Center''' focuses on the breeding of [[red junglefowl]]s and [[kalij pheasant]]s, and regularly releases birds raised in captivity into the wild every year. Red junglefowl had become extinct from most of its range and there are concerns of loss of its genetic purity due to breeding with other related species of fowls. Consequently, in 1991-92 a pheasant breeding center at Morni Hills was established with 6 aviaries and a walk-in a aviary to preserve the wild breed.<ref name=rjf1>[http://haryanaforest.gov.in/red.aspx Red junglefowl].</ref>

=== Morni Hill Archaeological Temple Site ===
'''Thakur Dwar temple''', dedicated to lord [[Krishna]],<ref name=kris1>[[William Wilson Hunter]], 1885, [[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]].</ref> at the banks of Tikkar Taal is built on the site of 10th Century temple. Excavations in 1970 found Hindu sculptures dating back to [[Gurjara-Pratihara|Pratihara]] era (7th to 11th century CE), some of which are housed at [[Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh]] and some remain in-situ at the Thakur Dwara temple at Morni Hills.<ref name=kris2>[http://www.hillsofmorni.com/morni-hills/thakur-dwar-temple-tikkar-tal-morni/ Morni Hills Thakur Dwara temple].</ref><ref name="Tikkar1"/>

'''Bhuri Singh Deota temple''', dedicated to the [[Punjabi folk religion#Jathera—ancestral shrines|folk deity]] Buri Singh, is the cliff-temple at Pejarli village at a height of 1870 metres with unbroken scenic view of [[Ghaggar-Hakra River|Ghaggar river]] (Sarasvati).<ref name=kris3>[[Horace Arthur Rose|H.A. Rose]], 1911, [[A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North-West Frontier Province]].</ref><ref name=kris4>1934, Gazetteer of the Sirmur State.</ref>

===Herbal forest===
In 2018, Haryana government starting establishing a 50,000 hectare herbal forest with the help of community self-help groups and with the assistance of [[Ramdev|Baba Ramdev]]'s [[Patanjali Yogpeeth]].<ref name=harsamvad1/>

==See also==
{{wikivoyage}}
{{commons}}
*[[Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore]]
*[[Adi Badri, Haryana]]
*[[Geography of Haryana]]
*[[List of National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries of Haryana, India]]
*[[List of mountains in India]]
*[[List of mountains by elevation]]
* [[World Herbal Forest]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://theindiagram.com/morni-hills-near-chandigarh/ Chandigarh to Morni Hills]

{{Haryana}}
{{Protected areas of Haryana}}
{{Protected Areas of India}}
{{National Parks of India}}

[[Category:Tourist attractions in Panchkula district]]
[[Category:Villages in Panchkula district]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Haryana]]
[[Category:Sarasvati River]]
[[Category:Mountains of Haryana]]
[[Category:Himalayas]]
[[Category:Highest points of Indian states and union territories]]
[[Category:Hindu pilgrimage sites in India]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Haryana]]

Morni - Revision history

->Jethwarp at 11:00, 3 August 2021