Home > Travel > States of India > History of Jharkhand
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.

Share this Article:

History of JharkhandJharkhand came into existence as an independent state in the year 2000. Prior to that, the area was part of the state of Bihar in India. Presently, Ranchi is the state capital of Jharkhand. The place has been inhabited by humans since Mesolithic-Chalcolithic and thus possesses a rich archeological and cultural history. Stone tools, cave paintings and arechelogical ruins of ancient monuments stands as a replica to the vast ancient history of the state.

British identified this region as a great source of raw material for their booming industries back home and to exploit the region to its full potential, established a vast network of railway line. Calcutta was developed as a major port to export raw materials from this region to England.

Ancient history of Jharkhand
For a greater part of Vedic age, Jharkhand remained buried. During the age of Mahajanpadas around 500 BC, India saw the emergence of 16 large states that controlled the entire Indian subcontinent. The supremacy of the janpads was often decided by the power of swords, bows, axe and other weapons. The region around Jharkhand was extremely rich in its mineral resources including iron and the janpad that controlled this region, Magadha, eventually controlled most of the country. The power of Magadha continued to occupy central state in Indian subcontinent for a long time and saw the emergence of mighty empires such as Mauryas and Guptas.

After the end of last big Hindu empire of Guptas, India saw emergence of a number of numerous regional powers that tried to control this region. Same was the case with Muslim Sultans of Delhi and their feudatories in Bengal, who tried to control this mineral-rich area.

Medieval History of Jharkhand
History of Jharkhand Birsa Munda from1875 to 1900 and Sidho and Kanho are the legendary heroes of the tribals of Jharkhand state who fought against the oppressive rule of the British government. Birsa Munda, now regarded as god, fought for the tribals natural right over forests and land that was mercilessly being acquired by the British for exploitation. After a long fight, Birsa Munda was captured by the British authorities and died in prison. Sidho and Kanho were another set of revolutionaries among the tribals, now regarded as tribal heroes. The region enshrouded in the hills and forests inaccessible to a large segment of people. The tribes of this state are living here from thousands of years and not much changed in their life and culture over the ages bearing last few decades.

Many scholars now believe that the language used by tribes in the state of Jharkhand is identical to the one used by Harappan people. This has led to a great interest in the deciphering of Harappan inscriptions using rock paintings and language used by these tribes. In the last fifty years, the tribes of this region fought against the hegemony of Northern Bihar, a region that gained from the mineral deposits of this region like anything. Jharkhand became a state under the Republic of India on November 15, 2000 and now it is poised for a great leap forward.

Modern History of Jharkhand
For a long time, Jharkhand remained as a part of Bihar, but after Indian independence, the demand for a separate state of tribals started gaining momentum. The 28th state of the Indian Union was brought into existence by the Bihar reorganization Act on November 15,2000- the birth anniversary of the legendary Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Jharkhand is famous for its rich mineral resources like Uranium, Mica, Bauxite, Granite, Gold, Silver, Graphite, Magnetite, Dolomite, Fireclay, Quartz, Fieldspar, Coal (32% of India), Iron, Copper (25%of India) etc. Forests and woodlands occupy more than 29% of the state, which is amongst the highest in India. The industrial city of Ranchi is its Capital. Some of the other major cities and industrial centres are Jamshedpur, Bokaro Steel City, Sindri, Giridih, Gumla, Deoghar, Hazaribagh and Dhanbad once a part of West Bengal. Jharkhand is also popularly known as Vananchal vana plus anchal, meaning land of woods. Jharkhand is famous for its mineral wealth and forestry products.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in States of India


East Indian States
East Indian States comprises of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and also the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It defines the cultural heritage, rich historical background and the linguistic unity.
Erode District
Erode District is one of the districts in the state of Tamil Nadu. The district of Erode is having a land-locked area with no sea coast.
Purnia District in Bihar
Purnia District is located in Bihar and extends from River Ganga to Nepal. The district has a rich Hindu history and glorious past.
South Delhi District
South Delhi District is the third largest district of Delhi as far as its area is concerned. South Delhi District is known for its economic, historical, cultural and social significance.
North Indian States
North Indian States formed the cultural and religious unity in spite of having many foreign invasion and the political disturbances from the early era till the British gained supremacy in Indian sub continent.
Kendujhar District
Kendujhar District, spread over an area of 8,240 sq kms, is as varied as the whole of Orissa with waterfalls roaring gorges, mountains and minerals. The manifold expressions of nature in Kendujhar District are considered as unique.
Hooghly district
Hooghly District along the bank of the river Hooghly is one of the principal trading ports of West Bengal.
Districts of South Tamil Nadu
Districts of South Tamil Nadu consist of many tourism destinations like archaeological sites and the history of Pandyas and Cholas. Considering their proximity to the sea, many districts also boast of serene beaches and coastal beauty.
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh includes infinite species and is a subject of great interests for the botanists.
Districts of South Gujarat
Districts of South Gujarat are the epicenter of Jain pilgrimages and the early Hindu kingdoms.
North West States of India
North West States of India consist of three states, which are Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana. All of them are culturally and traditionally diverse and they have been ruled by different dynasties in historical time.
Geography Of Chittoor District
Geography of Chittoor district is spread along the topography of the land which is divided into two natural divisions; Chittoor has a dry and healthy climate.
Districts of North Rajasthan
District of Northern part of Rajasthan is dotted with ancient forts and medieval villages.
Districts of North Odisha
District of North Odisha has Bengal boundary and shares the same culture. These are reachable if one pays a weekend visit to Digha.
Districts of West Bihar
Districts of West Bihar is comprised of medieval monuments that were built by the different governors of Mughal era.
Districts of South Haryana
Districts of South Haryana consists of many cities of industrial excellence. These districts are dotted with popular tourism destinations.
Medieval History of Assam
Medieval history of Assam narrates the advent and rule of a number of kingdoms in the region. The prominent dynasties of the kingdom left an everlasting imprint on the socio cultural heritage of India.
Geography of Meghalaya
The suitable climate, highland plateaus, rivers and the flora and fauna together forms the geography of Meghalaya.
Districts of Rayalaseema
Districts of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh state has urban population and rural settlements as well.
Districts of South Punjab
Districts of Southern part of Punjab depict medieval history of Punjab and the rise of Sikhs.