Mahendragarh district (Hindi: ) is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. The district occupies an area of 1,859 km. The district has a population of 812,022 (2001 census). Narnaul city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Mahendragarh is one of the very few districts in India where the name of the district and its main town are different. Mahendragarh is a part of the Ahirwal region in which members of the Yadav community dominate. As of 2011 it is the third least populous district of Haryana (out of 21), after Panchkula and Rewari.The district is named after Mahendragarh town, which was previously known as Kanaud. The previous name was derived from the Kanaudia group of Brahmins. It was founded by Malik Mahdud Khan, a servant of Babur. Mahendragarh district was formed in 1948 by grouping different tracts of erstwhile princely states; Narnaul and Mahendragarh tehsils from Patiala State, Dadri (Charkhi Dadri) from Jind State and a part of Bawal nizamat from Nabha State. It became a part of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) state. On November 1, 1956, with the merger of PEPSU with Punjab, it became a part of Punjab state and with the formation of Haryana state in 1966, it became a part of the newly formed state. Rewari tehsil of Gurgaon district was added to it in 1972 but Rewari tehsil was made a separate district in 1989. 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 Rewari 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.
