Jharkhand

Sliced out from the southern part of Bihar, Jharkhand was added to the total number of states in India in the year 2000. The state shares a common borderline with many other states. Jharkhand is very rich in mineral deposits and nearly 29% of the state is covered with dense forests that make it resourcefully enriching too.

Demographics

The census reads a population of 26.90 million of which the male count shares a portion of 13.86 million and the female ration figure stands at 13.04 million. Hindi is the official language, which is generally understood throughout the state. Bengali is commonly spoken in some of the native eastern regions. However, English is also widely used in Jharkhand, which is mostly spoken and written by the elite section. Hinduism is the major religion here occupying about 68.5% of the population’s faith. Islam and tribal religious beliefs make up the remaining population.

Geography

Jharkhand is bordered by the major states in India on all the surrounding sides. It is fenced by Bihar to the North, Uttar Pradesh and Chattisgarh to the West, West Bengal to the East and Orissa to the South. The state occupies a total area of 79700 hectares. The major part of the state spreads on Chota Nagpur plateau. The plateau is the source of Damodar, Koel, Kharkai, Brahmani and Subarnarekha rivers. The soil content of Jharkhand is rich in disintegration of rocks and stones.

Climate

The climate is tropical in Jharkhand with hot summers and cold winters playing their roles. The different parts of the state experience varied climatic conditions like Netarhat, Ranchi and Parasanth enjoy a pleasant temperature during the Summers between April and mid June. When the Summer ends, the rainy season commences with torrential rain and thunder continuing till the end of September. Winter lasts till the end of February. Nonetheless, it is between October and March that the weather remains most pleasant and ideal for tourist visit.

Flora and fauna

Jharkhand literally means the ´territory of forests´. Statistics show that about 200 species of fauna inhabit the region. The animal list includes elephant, bison, wolf, antelope, wild boar, sambhar, squirrel, blue bull, mongoose, jackal, deer, tiger, python, rhesus and much more. The plant list is no less behind. The flora mainly comprises moist deciduous forest, but it remains dry during most part of the year. Sal, jackfruit, kendu, jamun, mahua, shisham, mango, baheda, aasan, lac, katha are the important items in the flora list.

Major attractions

Hazaribagh is one of the main attractions in Jharkhand. It implies thousand gardens. A renowned health resort, it offers excellent climate and great scenic charm. The Parashant temple is a “must see” for the tourists since it is the place where 23 Jain prophets are believed to have attained salvation. The Betla National Park and Palamu are replete with wild animals. The other exciting sites include Lodh falls, Hundru falls, Bastar, Chitrakoot Falls, Topchanchi Lake, Dimna Lake and Baidyanath Dham.

Tips

- Do not dare to play or tease animals in Jharkhand
- Except for the large cities, English is not spoken anywhere else. Hence, it is advisable for the non-Hindi speakers to take guides with them
- Avoid eating at the street vendors and drink only pure water