The recently formed 17th district of Haryana, Panchkula is surrounded by Himachal Pradesh in the north and north east by Ambala district in the east by Kurukshetra district in the south and Punjab and Union Territory of Chandigarh in the West. It also shares seamless border with Mohali district in Punjab. The prestigious Chandimandir Cantonment Headquarters of the Indian Army Western Command, is a
lso located in Panchkula. There are five census-towns in the Panchkula district, Pinjore, Kalka, Barwala, Panchkula and Raipur Rani. Morni is the only Hill station in Haryana. Panchkula and Mohali (in Punjab) are two satellite cities of Chandigarh. These three cities are collectively known as Chandigarh Tricity. The origin of the name Panchkula is based on the five irrigation canals (or kuls as they were called, making it Panch Kul of five canals) that take water from the Ghaggar in the uphill section and distribute it from Nada Sahib to Mansa Devi. The Nada canal has now been eroded by the river and most of the kul's pass through the cantonement of Chandimandir towards Mansa Devi. The canals are a beautiful example of community property and are maintained by the villagers along the way, with distribution days decided. The canals were made by a ruler in the past, and follow the contours to take water to levels much higher than the river at the same spot.
