Karnal is an important city and the headquarters of Karnal District in the Indian state of Haryana. Karnal is said to have been founded by the Kauravas in the Mahabharata era for the king Karna, a mythological hero & a key figure in the epic tale. It is midway between Delhi and Chandigarh, being 123 km north of Delhi and 126 km south of Chandigarh, on the National Highway NH-1, which is famous as the Grand Trunk Road. Delhi and Chandigarh can be reached from Karnal within 2 hours using the very high frequency bus service provided by the Haryana Roadways. Karnal is famous for lush green pastures, Liberty shoes, the production of high-quality basmati rice and for its many agricultural and dairy research institutions. Liberty shoes was started from Karnal and has its largest manufacturing facility in the city.