Palwal is the 21st district of Haryana State in northern
India. Palwal city is the headquarters of this district. The city is situated
at a distance of 60 kms. from Delhi on the Delhi-Mathura highway (NH-2). It is
a place of great antiquity, supposed to figure in the earliest Aryan traditions
under the name of Apelava, part of the Pandava kingdom of Indraprastha, which
was later restored by Vikramaditya. It is believed that the city Palwal got its
name from a demon, “Palwasur” who ruled this place during the reign of
Pandavas. He was killed by Balarama, elder brother of Shri Krishna. In his
memory, every year a festival is organised in Palwal, which is known as “Baldev
Chhat Ka Mela”.
There is also a temple dedicated to Balaram near
Municipal Office Chowk. Railway Station of Palwal is the place from where
Mahatma Gandhi ji was arrested for the first time. A historical building
“Gandhi Ashram” was made in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.