Capital : Ranchi

Principal Languages : Hindi

Geography :

The young state of Jharkhand touches its former brother state of Bihar on the north, West Bengal on the east, Orissa on the south, and the fellow young state of Chhattisgarh on the west. These lines, however, are simple political divisions that do not necessarily divide the states and their peoples in all in respects. In fact, most of Jharkhand is on the Chotanagpur Plateau, which happens to also reach into the surrounding states of West Bengal, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh

Important Cities - Towns and Religious - Tourist Place

Bokaro, Jamshedpur (steel city), Chaibasa, Deoghar, Dumka (centres of Pilgrimage), Betla (Palamu National Park), Hazaribagh (wildlife reserve), Giridih, Godda, Gumla (hill resort), Singhbhum, Daltonganj (Populous town).

Climate

The overall climate of the state can be characterized as tropical. Summers are hot and winters are fairly cool. However, this is a very general categorization of over 75,000 sq. km of land, and regional variations do exist. For example, Ranchi, Netarhat, and Pransnath basically have temperate climate all year, including the otherwise brutal summer. Jharkhand experiences its monsoon season from July to September, during which 90% of the year's total rainfall occurs.

Location :

Jharkhand is bounded by west Bengal in the west, Bihar in north and Orissa in south.

Culture:

Though the state is young politically, its people, traditions, and culture have an old history, as with most states of India. In fact, rock paintings documenting early civilization in the area date back to over 5,000 years ago. The tribes of the state still maintain many ancient arts and crafts, including expert construction of plates out of the Sal leave and sticks. Dance also reflects the largely tribal influence on culture. Enjoyment of unhindered music and dance occurs in all Jharkhand festivals, including its most famous festival Sarhul (literally "Sal tree blossom"). Most villages even leave a central lot of land clear for such celebrations. Traditionally the tribes of Jharkhand were hunting societies, but tribes more often focus on agriculture now. Only a small portion of the state still participates in hunting activities. Typical food of the region reflects this change. Rice is included with any meal, usually with vegetables. Bread is also included in the evening meal. The extremely common Hanaria, a local rice brew, is also a signature of the state.

History :

Jharkhand which came into being on November 15, 2000 is the homeland of the trial's for which they had been dreaming for centuries. A tradition goes that Raja Jai Singh Deo of Orissa had declared himself the ruler of Jharkhand in the 13th century. It largely comprises of forest tracks of Chhotanagpur plateau and Santhal Pargana and has distinct cultural traditions. In post-Independence car, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha led by Santhal leader Shibu Soren started a regular agitation which impelled the government to establish the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council in 1995 and finally a full-fledged state on November 15,2000

Economy :

The State is abundantly rich in minerals-Copper, Coal, Iron, Manganese, Mica, Chromite, Bauxite, etc. Reserves of Gold and Silver have also been found in the State. It has country's two biggest steel plants at Bokaro in the public sector and Tata Iron and Steel Co. (TISCO) in Jamshedpur in the Private sector. Other important industries are Shriram Bearings, Usha Martin, Indo-Ashahi Glass, Indian Tube Company, etc. The State has the Potential of becoming one of the most Prosperous States of India if all its mineral resources are fully harnessed.

Facts About Jharkhand

* Today, Jharkhand is among the most industrialized states of India, with great help from its abundant mineral resources.

* When the state was part of Bihar, 63% of Bihar's total revenue was attributed to Jharkhand, Jharkhand's resources, and taxes collected in Jharkand.

* The idea of separating southern Bihar (present day Jharkhand) into its own state dates back to pre-Indian independence. Oxford educated captain of India's 1928 Olympic field hockey team, Jaipal Singh publicly brought up the subject, and the movement continued building momentum until the passing of the Bihar Organization Bill on August 2, 2000. The bill formally created the state of Jharkhand.