OVERVIEW
Jharkhand is one of the youngest states that came into being after Indian parliament passed the Bihar Reorganization Bill in 2000. The name, Jharkhand, literally means Bushy-land, and is quite appropriate since most of the land is covered in forest. Ranchi is the capital of this state but Jamshedpur is the most populous and the trading city.
Before the time of Magadha (ancient Bihar) Jharkand was named Kukara. Jharkhand shares its history with Bihar and was the land of great empires of Nandas, Sungas, Mauryas and Guptas.
Many languages are spoken in Jharkhand and these languages belong to Munda, Dravidian and Indo-Aryan family of languages. Majority of population speak languages like Santhali, Angika, Hindi and other tribal languages. It is also believed that these languages were spoken in Harappan civilization; hence they are used for deciphering Harappan inscriptions.
Jharkhand lies on the Chotanagpur Plateau and is made up of ancient stone Archaean Granite Tatanis. It is endowed with treasures of minerals that can run entire state, including Bihar. Hence, the state is one of the most industrialised regions of the country. Its Earth comprises of 35.5% of country’s known coal, 90% of cooking coal deposits with other minerals like copper, iron ore, mica, bauxite, quartz and ceramics.
Rice is a staple meal, along with pulses and vegetables. The local drink called Harnia is also made of rice. Initially, animals hunting and wildlife were major source of income in the state, however agriculture now has taken over.
Jharkhand is home to numerous tribes; they not only differ from the non-tribal population but from each other as well. The oldest of these tribes is Mundas, whereas Santhals are the latest ones to settle in these lands. The tribal society is rich in arts and craft which can be witnessed in the rock paintings of this region that date backs to more than 5000 years. The best place to experience this is at Tribal Research Institute and Museum located in Ranchi.
Dance and music form an integral part of the tribal society of Jharkhand and most Hindu festivals are celebrated here. Sarhul is the most important festival celebrated, but each tribe celebrates it differently. Sarhul, mean blossoms of Sal tree, the locals worship the Sal tree, seeking blessings from their spirits. Mukka Sendra is another festival that is celebrated after every 12 years by Oraon women, when they dress up in men clothes and gears, and go out hunting for a day.