Mahendragarh is one of the nineteen districts of Haryana state, India. One of the oldest district headquarters covering areas including Narnaul and Riwari. It has improved in its communication system in the last 20 years. Mahendergarh district was formed in 1948 by grouping different tracts of erstwhile princely states; Narnaul and Mahendergarh tehsils from Patiala State, Dadri (Charkhi Dadri) from Jind State and a part of Bawal nizamat from Nabha State. The headquarters of the district are at Narnaul.

The district lies between north latitude 270 47 to 280 26 and east longitude 750 56’ to 760 51’. It is bounded on the north by Bhiwani and Rohtak districts, on the east by Rewari district and Alwar district of Rajasthan, on the south by Alwar, Jaipur and Sikar districts of Rajasthan, and on the west by Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts of Rajasthan. It has 2 tehsils of Narnaul and MahenderGarh.

Mahendragarh town was previously known as Kanaud which took its name from the Kanaudia group of Brahmans. It was founded by Malik Mahdud Khan, a servant of Babur. There is a fort at Mahendergarh which was built by Maratha Ruler, Tantia Tope during the 17th century. This fort was named as Mahendragarh in 1861 by Narinder Singh, the ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala, in honor of his son, Mohinder Singh and consequently the town came to be known as Mahendragarh. The name of Narnaul Nizamat was changed to "Mohindergarh Nizamat".

Although the nomenclature of the district is not very old, the antiquity of the area it covered can be stretched to earlier periods also. The Archaeological explorations conducted in the region have brought to light late- Harappan sites specially from its Rewari tahsil. This type of evidence along with Painted Grey Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware and Early Historical Ware is gathered from the adjoining districts of Bhiwani and Gurgaon. In the absence of archaeological excavations in the district nothing more can be added to what has been stated above. So far not a single PGW site has come to light in the district, perhaps suggesting the north-eastward migrations of the Aryans from the banks of the Saraswati and the Drisadvati possibly due to the drying up of their courses. Most of the sites explored in the district belong to the late-medieval period. The district, it may further be pointed out, might possibly have remained outside the main stream of Aryan culture and hence has not been specifically mentioned in the traditional literature as an independent territorial unit. In the absence of evidence it also becomes extremely difficult to trace the successive stages in the historical growth of the region. However, it has been suggested that some of the present streams of the district may be identified with those mentioned in early Vedic literature5. The southeastern Rasa (a stream mentioned in the Rigveda has been recognised with the Sahibi which passes through the region, and the Dohan.

The art and Mughal style of structure of the Jal Mahal are beautifully designed by the builders. These are unique in style and construction. The walls of Jal Mahal were constructed with lime in those days but even today one can see the brightness of the walls. This pleasant building 'whose water and air are refreshing like paradise', was got constructed by Shah Quli 'Khan in 1591 A.D. This is stated in an epigraph set up there. Standing in the centre of a large tank, now dried up, and approached through a causeway, this 'pleasure house' like a small palace in a tank is surmounted by five kiosks, the larger being in the centre and the remaining at the corners.

The under side of the recess, a arched passage, enhances the beauty of the tank (dried up) and gives it a fairy land charm. Of the large garden) which was laid out around this baradari exists no trace here now.

Chor Gumbad

On account of its eminent location, isolated identity and haunting appearance, it can hardly escape the attention of a visitor to the town of Narnaul. It is, therefore, called the 'signboard of Narnaul’. It looks like a haunted fairy place of the old folk tales.

It was constructed by Jamal Khan, an Afghan, as his tomb, Though the date of the construction is not known, the pointed archs with the S-curves as well as other details of construction, put it coeval with the tomb complex of Shah Wilayat. Today, there are graves inside. It is said that for long it remained a hide out for thieves and highwaymen and that may account for its present name, Chor gumbad.

It is a big square monument with single chamber inside. It seems double storeyed from the outside, as the second level is obtained by way of providing an open verandah running around. The wide low dome and ogee archs and some other features of architecture, place it in point of time with the tomb of Shah Nizam and old parts of the adjoining Madarsa built in 1357 A.D. in the Tughluq style.

The passage running in the thickness of the walls may baffle the visitor, with its twists and turns. It is, therefore, called 'Bhul-Bhuhaiyan', a maze.

Birbal Ka Chhatta

This spacious building, built by Ray-i-Rayan Mukand Dass, the Diwan of Narnaul, during the reign of Shah Jahan (1628-58 A.D.) is dexterously planned and embellished, though its exterior is unostentatious and drab. It is a five storeyed structure with several halls, rooms and pavilions. The entire planning and the remnants of the interior decoration show ambitious intentions. The extensive open terrace on the south, light elliptical pavillions on different levels, halls on pillars and running verandah around a central court, once adorned with a marble fountain, impart to it spaciousness and light. The profuse use of marble for veneering and pillars and brackets, provided with artificial cataracts and drains, might have been cosy retreat during the tropical summers.

In the south-eastern corner on the terrace, there is a dilapidated Well, from which the water was raised into reservoirs, at various levels, through the Persian wheel to supply all the storeys. An exquisite isolated gateway-complex, well provided with projecting balconies and marble veneering stands a few metres to the west of the palace. This is said to have been the main entrance to the complex The intervening space is now being separated by jerry-built modern constructions.

Legend has it that the building is equipped with four underground tunnels leading to Jaipur, Mahendragarh, Delhi and Dhosi. People believe that a marriage party once went down the tunnel leading to Delhi and was not heard of again. It said that Akbar and Birbal visited this town and that is why Chhatta Rai Mukand Das is also popularly known as Chhatta of Birbal.

At a small distance from the Chhatta lies the Sarai Rai Mukand Das. The building bears an epigraph, which says that, during the reign of Shah Jahan, Rai-Rayan Mukand Das, a servant of Nawab Asif Khan, built the lofty building of caravanserai under the super vision of Mehta Puran Mal Hari Dass.

Tomb of Shah Wilayat

The tomb of Shah Wilayat stands beside the mausoleum of Ibrahim Khan. It is a big tomb-cum-collegiate complex, which incorporates within it a long tradition of architecture ranging from the Tughluq to the British period. Much of its originality is marred by later constructions. Originally the tomb and the adjoining complex were constructed during the reign of Feroz Shah Tughluq. The author of Gulzar says that the eastern colonnades and the dome were erected by Alam Khan Mewari (in A.H. 760, A.D. 1357), and part of the enclosure was also erected by him.

Tughluq style of architecture. The archs have the ogee curves after the fashion of the time. The tomb itself is surmounted by a hemispherical dome, crested by a fineal of the Pathan style. The interior of the dome is a perfect square and has some paintings, which are of much later date. Its two enclosures were constructed towards the end of Mughal time. A part was even added in the British period.

The inscription in Persian verse over the doorway registers the date of demise of the Turkish saint in a chronogram as well as in figures, i.e. A.H. 531.

Dhosi Hill

About eight kilomteres west of Narnaul town, the hill is located near the villages Thana and Kultajpur. This hill has acquired a country wide fame as it is believed that Chavan Rishi practised penance here for many years. On the top of this hill a saucer shaped plain surface is strewn with its ruins of a hill fortress, probably built by King Naunkaran of Bikaner. A temple dedicated to Chavan Rishi decorates the hill. In the memory of Chavan Rishi, a big fair is held on the occasion of Somavati Amavas. Born in Bbirgu dynasty, Chavan is said to be the founder of Bhargava community. The Bhargavas of Haryana are also known as Dhosar. The celebrated warrior-general, Hemu, was a Dhosar (Brahman).

This place is considered most sacred and is regarded as Tirtha. A Shiva temple, tank and a well exist on the hill. The water of the tank and the well is regarded sacred as that of the Ganga and the Yamuna. People come here from far and wide to have darshan of the image of Chavan Rishi. After having a bath in the tank, people consider themselves lucky and free from past sins. In this tank separate ghats for taking bath exist for men and women. A devotee has to climb 457 stairs of the Dhosi hill via village Thana. The people also go up the Dhosi hill via village Kultajpur through Khura (plain stairs) and take bath in the Shiva Kund2. There is a 5-6 feet long wall alongwith the stair-way. One can easily go up the hill with the support of this wall. On the Dhosi hill the other religious spots of interest are Panch Tirathi and Suraj Kund.

There are two temples on the top of the hill-one about 250 years old and the other about 100 years old. In the main temple, the idols of Chavan Rishi, Sukanya, Krishna and Radha stand installed. Besides, an asht dhatu idol of Lord Vishnu lies on Shesh Shayya posture. At some distance from the temple, there still exists a ghufa (cave) where the Rishi is said to have performed tapsya.

It is said that the Rishi used to take a special type of herb known as Chavan Prash. This herb, widely believed, is very much common here on the hill. Due to constant use of this herb, Rishi maintained his body well for a longer period. It is understood that after his name, a medicine known as Chavan Prash has become very common and popular throughout the country.