Jharkhand

Jharkhand, state (2001 provisional pop. 26,909,428), 30,775 sq mi (79,714 sq km), E central India; created in 2000 from S Bihar, which now forms its northern border. Other bordering states are Chhattisgarh (W), West Bengal (E), and Orissa (S). The capital is Ranchi. Part of the Chotanagpur plateau and a generally hilly region, Jharkhand rises to its greatest height (4,480 ft/1,365 m) in the Parasnath Hills of the east and has two major rivers, the Damodar and the Sawarnrekha. The state is a great source of India's mineral wealth with about a third of the nation's coal deposits as well as quantities of copper, mica, bauxite, quartz, chromite, dolomite, titanium, uranium, gold, and many others. Iron ore is found in the south and is processed at steelworks in Jamshedpur and Bokaro. In addition, the state has mines, factories, and large timber reserves from the forests that cover nearly 30% of its area. Its arable land produces various kinds of fruits and vegetables. Despite these resources, by the beginning of the 21st cent. the state was underdeveloped. The population is characterized by a large number of non-Hindu tribal peoples, many of them from the aboriginal Santal group. A movement advocating the separation of this culturally distinct region from the state of Bihar began in the early years of the 20th cent., recurred a number of times, peaked during the 1980s, and sparked violence in the 1990s.

The demand for a separate Jharkhand state can be traced back to the early 1900s, when Jaipal Singh, an Indian Hockey captain and Olympian, suggested the idea of a separate state consisting of the southern districts of Bihar. The idea did not become a reality, however, until August 2nd, 2000, when the Parliament of India passed the Bihar Reorganisation Bill to create the state of Jharkhand, carving 18 districts out of Bihar to form Jharkhand state on 15th November, 2000. It became the 28th state of India. However, according to some historians there was already a distinct geo-political, cultural entity called Jharkhand even before the period of Magadha Empire. According to a legend, Raja Jai Singh Deo of Orissa was accepted as the ruler of Jharkhand by its people in the 13th century. The Singh Deo's of Orissa have been very instrumental in the early history of Jharkhand. The local tribal heads had developed into barbaric dictators who could govern the province neither fairly nor justly. Consequently, the people of this state approached the more powerful rulers of Jharkhand's neighbouring states who were perceived to have a more fair and just governance. This became the turning point in the history of the region wherein rulers from Orissa moved in with their armies and created states that were governed for the benefit of the people and involved their participation, thus ending the barbarism that had marked the region for centuries. The good tribal rulers continued to thrive and were known as the Munda Rajas, and exist to this day. (These are regions which are still semi- autonomous, the degree of autonomy depending on the size of each specific Munda Raja's domain.) Later, during the Mughal period, the Jharkhand area was known as Kukara. After the year 1765, it came under the control of the British Empire and became formally known under its present title, "Jharkhand" - the Land of "Jungles" (forests) and "Jharis" (bushes). Located on Chhota Nagpur Plateau and Santhal Parganas, has evergreen forests, rolling hills and rocky plateaus with many places of keen beauty. The subjugation and colonization of Jharkhand region by the British East India Company resulted in spontaneous resistance from the local people. Almost one hundred years before India?s First War of Independence (1857), adivasis of Jharkhand were already beginning what would become a series of repeated revolts against the British colonial rule: 1772-1780 Paharia revolt 1780-1785 Tilka Manjhi led the tribal revolt and managed to injure the British army Chief. In 1785, Tilka Manjhi was hanged to death in Bhagalpur 1795-1800 Tamar revolt 1795-1800 Munda revolt under the leadership of Vishnu Manaki 1800-1802 Munda revolt under the stewardship of Dukhan Manaki of Tamar 1819-1820 Munda revolt in Palamu under the leadership of Bhukan Singh 1832-1833 Khewar revolt under the leadership of Bhagirath, Dubai Gosai and Patel Singh 1833-1834 Bhumji revolt under the leadership of Ganga Narain of Birbhum 1855 Santhals waged war against the permanent settlement of Lord Cornwallis 1855-1860 During late 1850s Sidhu had accumulated about ten thousands Santhal to run parallel government against British rule. The basic purpose was to collect taxes by making his own laws. British Government had announced an award of Rs. 10,000 to arrest Sidhu and his brother Kanhu 1856-1857 Martyr Sahid Lal, Vishwanath Shahdeo, Sheikh Bhikhari, Ganpatrai and Budhu Veer led a movement against the British Government during India?s First War of Independence, 1857, also called Sepoy Mutiny 1874 Kherwar Movement shot into fame under the leadership of Bhagirathi Manjhi 1895-1900 Movement against the British raj led by Birsa Munda (born 15th November, 1875). Birsa Munda was captured by British forces and declared dead on 9th June, 1900 in Ranchi Jail, due to Cholera, according to records of the British colonial government. All of these uprisings were quelled by the British through massive deployment of troops across the region. In 1914 the Tana Bhagat resistance movement started, which gained the participation of more than 26,000 adivasis, and eventually merged with Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha and Civil Disobedience movement.