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Jharkhand

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Jharkhand is a landlocked state in eastern India.

India Jharkhand relief map
India Jharkhand relief map

Being landlocked means it has no coastline and no ocean nearby. It sits right next to several other Indian states. West Bengal is to the east, and Odisha is to the south. Chhattisgarh lies to the west, while Bihar is to the north. Uttar Pradesh sits near the northwest corner of the state.

Map of present-day Jharkhand region by Rennell, 1779
Map of present-day Jharkhand region by Rennell, 1779

The state is quite large in size. It is the 15th largest state in India by area. It is also the 14th largest state by population.

The name Jharkhand tells us a lot about the land. In many languages, "Jhar" means forest and "Khand" means land. So, the name really means "the land of forests."

A Munda tribesman sitting in front of wall decorated with Munda style Sohrai Painting at Isko Village, Hazaribagh
A Munda tribesman sitting in front of wall decorated with Munda style Sohrai Painting at Isko Village, Hazaribagh

This name fits the area well because of its many trees. Visitors often come to see the beautiful hills and waterfalls. The state is also home to many holy places. Some major religious sites include Baidyanath Dham, Parasnath, Dewri, and Rajrappa. Ranchi is the capital city, and Dumka is the sub-capital.

People have lived in this region for a very long time.

A Munda tribesman sitting in front of wall decorated with Munda style Sohrai Painting at Isko Village, Hazaribagh
A Munda tribesman sitting in front of wall decorated with Munda style Sohrai Painting at Isko Village, Hazaribagh

Scientists found ancient cave paintings in the Hazaribagh district. These paintings date back thousands of years to the Mesolithic period. People also used stone tools in the Chota Nagpur Plateau. Later, they began using copper and iron tools. Many different empires ruled the area in the past. These included the Nanda, Maurya, and Gupta empires. Even the famous Chinese traveller Xuanzang passed through here in the 7th century.

Jharkhand is very important for the minerals found in its ground.

Coal Mine
Coal Mine

In fact, the state produces more than 40% of all minerals in India. This makes it a very important place for resources. However, the state also faces some hard jobs. About 39.1% of the people live below the poverty line. Also, 19.6% of children under five years old are malnourished. Most people live in rural areas rather than in big cities. Only about 24% of the population lives in urban places.

Many groups of people have shaped the history of Jharkhand.

Nehru bajaj sarojini khan azad1940a
Nehru bajaj sarojini khan azad1940a

During the time of the British, many local tribes fought back. The Bhumij and Santhal tribes led rebellions against the British. In 1940, many great leaders met in Ramgarh. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were among those who attended. Later, many people worked to make Jharkhand its own separate state. This movement included leaders like Jaipal Singh Munda and Shibu Soren. Today, Hindi is the official language used in the state.

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🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:Khakparta Temple.jpg
Khakparta Temple.jpg
File:Map of present-day Jharkhand region by Rennell, 1779.jpg
Map of present-day Jharkhand region by...
File:Attack by 600 Santhals upon a party of 50 sepoys, 40th regiment native infantry.jpg
Attack by 600 Santhals upon a party of 50...
File:Nehru bajaj sarojini khan azad1940a.jpg
Nehru bajaj sarojini khan azad1940a.jpg
File:India Jharkhand relief map.png
India Jharkhand relief map.png
File:Linguistic map of Jharkhand.png
Linguistic map of Jharkhand.png
File:Sun Temple, Bundu, Ranchi.jpg
Sun Temple, Bundu, Ranchi.jpg
File:Cityscapes of Jamshedpur.jpg
Cityscapes of Jamshedpur.jpg
File:Hotel Classic Bokaro.jpg
Hotel Classic Bokaro.jpg
File:Coal Mine.jpg
Coal Mine.jpg
File:Rice plate Jharkhand.jpg
Rice plate Jharkhand.jpg
File:Chhau Dancers.jpg
Chhau Dancers.jpg

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