History of Jharkhand

The demand for a separate Jharkhand state can be traced back to the early 1900s, when Jaipal Singh, the Oxford Captain of the Gold Medal winning Indian Hockey team for the 1928 Olympics, 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 Reorganization 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 position accorded to 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 Raja and exist to this day. (These are regions which are still semi- autonomous, the degree of this depending on the size of each specific Munda Raja’s domain.) Later, during the Mughal Empire 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).

Actually, it would be more accurately described as a land riddled with rolling hillocks, covered with evergreen forests, and criss-crossed by innumerable fresh water springs. In some places you can find those rushing streams and waterways dropping away into majestic white water falls, that thunder down onto cool smooth rock, and perfectly rounded little pools, reminding you of some magical place found only on postcards.

The sunsets here are more beautiful, the scenery and greenery more picturesque, and really it is a shame that hiking here isn’t more popular, because Jharkhand is a natural gem. Located on Chhota Nagpur Plateau and Santhal Parganas, the land unfolds before the mind’s eye like a haven where you can savour the simplicity, and elegance of nature to the hilt.