Jharkhand is the 28th state of India. It was separated from Bihar on 15th November, 2000. The total geographical area of the state is 79,714 km2 which is 2.42% of the total land area of the country. According to its area, Jharkhand is 15th largest state of India.
▸ Jharkhand is located in the Eastern part of India. Much of Jharkhand lies on the Chhota Nagpur plateau.▸ The extent of Jharkhand is from 2159N to 25°18N latitude and 83° 20E to 8757E longitude.▸ The Northern portion of the state is broad and the South portion is narrow. Its North-South length is around 380 km and East-West length is 463 km.
▸ Tropic of Cancer passes through the centre of the state.▸ It passes through Kisko, Ormanjhi, Gola, Gopalpur, Murhul Sudi, Pokhanna, Jhalbarda, Gosaidih and Palkudri in Jharkhand.
Being a land locked state, Jharkhand is surrounded by five states namely, Bihar in the North,Odisha in South, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh in the West andWest Bengal in the East.The districts of Jharkhandwhich touches the boundary of neighbouring states are given below:
State
Districts of Jharkhand Touches the Boundary of Neighbouring States
Bihar
10 districts (Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Kodarma, Giridih, Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, Sahibganj)
Chhattisgarh
4 districts (Garhwa, Latehar, Gumla and Simdega)
Odisha
4 districts (Simdega, West Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum)
Uttar Pradesh
1 districts (Garhwa)
West Bengal
10 districts (Sahibganj, Pakur, Dumka, Jamtara, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Seraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum)
Jharkhand the 'Land of Forests' is geographically and geologically one of the oldest landmasses. This is the North-Eastern portion of the Peninsular highland and a part of ancient Gondwana land. It portrays areas formed of rock formations ranging from Archeans to Post-Tertiary period.Most of the area of Jharkhand is formed by Chhota Nagpur plateau.
▸ Almost two-third of the Chhota Nagpur plateau has Archean formations. The Archean rocks are the repositories of the mineral wealth of India.▸ The term 'Archean' introduced by JD Dana in 1782, refers to the oldest rocks of the Earth's crust.▸ Rocks of this period are mainly granite and gneisses formed as a result of the hot molten Earth becoming cold. They lack fossils.▸ Archean rocks are abundant in metallic and non-metallic minearls like iron manganese, copper, bauxite, lead, mica, gold and graphite, etc.▸ This type of rocks are found in East and West Singhbhum, Simdega and South-Eastern part of Jharkhand.
▸ This rock system is the result of the deposition of initial erosional process occurred on the basis of Archean rock structure. This rock system can be seen in the Southern tip of Jharkhand.▸ It is known as storehouse of metallic minerals. The predominant minerals of India like iron, bronze, kyanites, bauxite, manganese, nickel etc are mostly excavated from this rock system. It is found in Kolhan upland and Jamshedpur and Bokaro region of Jharkhand.▸ In East Singhbum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Khasrawan, this rock system is known as Kolhan series.▸ It is the oldest sedimentary rock system. Fossils are not found in this rock system.▸ The Aravali mountain range which is the oldest fold mountain of the world has been made with Dharwar rocks.
▸ The Vindhyan system is well known for red sandstone, sandstone, building material, ornamental stone, conglomerates and raw materials for cement, lime, glass and chemical industries.▸ This rock system has been formed after the Cuddapah rocks by the deposition of silt of river valleys and shallow oceans. Thus, these rocks are also sedimentary rocks.▸ In Jharkhand, it is found in the area of Son river which is the Southern part of Rohtas plateau.▸ Garhwa and Palamu districts are included in this rock system. The forward part of this rock system is known as Parasnath.▸ The evidences of fossils of micro-organism are found in this structure. This structure is famous for house building rocks.▸ The Sanchi Stupa, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid are built with the red sandstone of this structure. Besides, limestone, China clay, dolomite, etc are also found in this structure.
▸ This was a period of great glaciation and Jharkhand was also under the glacier.Glacial evidences are found in the Talcher series. The glaciers later melted and rivers like Damodar and Son were formed. It comprise mainly of limestone, quartzite and shols.▸ Carboniferous rock system was formed during the paleozoic era. It is found in Peninsular regions of the Himalayas and the Gangetic plain.▸ This rock system is not found abundantly in India but some evidences of this rock system has been found in South-Eastern part of Jharkhand.
▸ Persian and Jurassic period is known as Gondwana period. 90% of coal in India is found in this structure. Thus, Gondwana period is also known as Coal Age.▸ This rock system has been formed between the Carboniferous and Jurassic period.This is the period when coal belts of Peninsular India were developed.▸ This structure consists of three geological process i.e. faulting, inter-penetration and sedimentation.▸ Damodar and Son river valleys, Rajmahal hills, the Talcher series, the Damuda series and the Panchet series are the outcomes of this period.▸ This rock system extends from Latehar in the West to the Jharia and Raniganj coal fields in East.▸ Coal seams are also found here. Fire clay that is found beneath the coal seams used as a refractory raw material.▸ This rock system is found in Latehar, Bokaro, Palamu, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Chatra, Dumka, Giridih, Dhanbad, Pakur and Godda.
▸ Rajmahal Trap and Deccan Trap are examples of this rock system. Rajmahal Trap was formed during Cretaceous period due to volcanic activity.▸ This was formed when the Indian plate came over the reunion hotspot in the Indian ocean while travelling northward, the eurasian plate.▸ This rock system is found in Palamu, Latehar and Lohardaga. Bauxite is found in this system due to weathering and erosion of this rock system.
▸ The beginning of the tertiary period is about 65 million years ago. The two great events that occurred during the tertiary period include: – The final breaking-up of the old Gondwana continent.– The upliftment of the Tethys geosyncline in the form of the Himalayas.▸ During the Early Tertiary period, as India collided with Tibet, the sediments which had been accumulating in the Tethys basin had begun to rise by a slow rise of ocean bottom.▸ The upheaval of the Himalayas altered the old topography of the subcontinent. It also altered the topography of Jharkhand.▸ The formation of Pat region, rebirth of the river valleys and other depressions, Eastern part of Rajmahal, Son valley, lower valley of Subarnarekha are results of this collision.
▸ The rocks of this system were formed as a result of the revival of rivers and the intensity come in cycle of erosion. Due to this, the waterfalls were formed above the rivers of Kanchi, Subarnarekha, North Koel, Raru and Sankh.▸ Due to the formation of the Himalaya, the Chhota Nagpur plateau was formed in three phases. The phases are: – First Phase At this stage, the Pat areas rises upto 1,000 feet above Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateau. Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateau was formed upto 1,000 feet. The Damodar river divides it into two parts.– Second Phase At this stage, Pat areas rises with Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateau upto 2,000 feet.– Third Phase At this stage, the lower part of Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateau also rises. The Pat areas rises upto 3,000-3,600 feet and Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateau rises upto 1,000-2,000 feet.
▸ In river basin, structure built with Alluvial deposits are found. In Jharkhand, it is found in Western part of Rajmahal, Son basin and lower part of Subarnarekha.▸ Most of the rivers of Jharkhand flows in this plain area. Mainly, it is extended in Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, Pakur (Western) and middle part of Sahibganj district.
On the basis of elevation, the physiographic division of Jharkhand is divided into five divisions. Which are as follows: 1. The Pat Plateau 3. The Chhota Nagpur Plateau 2. The Central Plateau 4.Mountains of Rajmahal i. The Ranchi Plateau 5. Plain of Chaibasa ii. The Hazaribagh Plateau
▸ This plateau lies in the West of the Ranchi plateau and also known as Western or higher Ranchi plateau.▸ It extends from North-West Gumla to Lohardaga and Palamu.▸ The Pat region with an elevation of about 900 1,100m above sea level is the highest surface (except Parasnath hill) in the state.▸ This plateau includes North-Western part of Ranchi and Southern part of Palamu. The region consists of flat topped dissected hills rising sharply above the neighbouring plateau and are locally known as Pats.▸ The Pat region descends to outer Chhota Nagpur plateau in the North and Ranchi plateau in the East and South.▸ The highest Pats in this region include Netarhat Pat, Ganeshpur Pat and Jamira Pat. Netarhat Pat (1070 m) is the highest point in this region. The flat plains of this region are known as Chaubis Plains.▸ The hills of this region are composed of gneiss and granite, with a covering of Deccan lava which has now been converted into laterites due to their exposure to the agents of weathering for a long time.▸ Towards North, this region is drained by the river North Koel flowing Northward and its tributaries.▸ Valleys of these rivers are generally narrow as they flow through hills except for the saucer shaped Chechari basin drained by the Burha river.▸ Due to rugged terrain and poor quality of soil, the region in most parts is not suited for agriculture and is covered with forests. Such areas are therefore uninhabited.▸ Some of the Pats where conditions are little favourable or bauxite mining is carried on, have small concentration of population.
Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateaus are the main plateau of the central region . These are given below:
▸ This is the largest plateau in Jharkhand with an average elevation of 700 m. This is gradually slopes down towards South-East into the hilly and undulating region of Singhbhum.▸ Damodar river originates here and flows through a rift valley. To the North, Ranchi Plateau is separated from the Hazaribagh plateau by the Damodar trough and to the West is a group of plateaus called Pat.▸ It is almost square in shape. Its surface is undulating marked by few hills at some places. The upland of this region is known as Tand and lower land is Don.▸ Southern side of the plateau is more gentle towards Simdega plains.▸ The North Karo river has formed a 17 m high Perwaghagh falls at the Southern margin of Ranchi plateau. Such falls are called scarp falls.▸ Hundru falls (73 m) on Subarnarekha river, Dassam falls (44 m) on Kanchi river, Sadni falls (60 m) on Sankh river are examples of scarp falls.
It is a continuation of the Ranchi plateau and has almost the same elevation but it is smaller in extent. It faces the outer Chhota Nagpur plateau in North,Dhanbad peneplains in East and the Damodar trough in South. Forests cover large part of the Hazaribagh plateau. The Hazaribagh plateau is often subdivided into two parts:i. The Higher Plateau It is known as Hazaribagh plateau. The North-Eastern and Southern faces are mostly abrupt but to the West it narrows and descends slowly in the neighbourhood of Simaria and Jabra where it curves to the South and connects with the Ranchi plateau through Tori Pargana. It is generally separated from the Ranchi plateau by the Damodar trough. The plateau is surrounded by escarpments.The Western portion of Hazaribagh plateau constitutes a broad watershed between the Damodar drainage on the South and the Lilajan and Mohana rivers on the North. The average elevation of the plateau is 600 m. Important hills of the plateau are Aswa Pahar (751 m), Jarimo (666 m), Barsot (660 m), Sendraili (670 m),Mahuda (734 m) and Chandwar (860 m).Parasnath (1365 m) is the highest mountain peak of Jharkhand is located in this region. It is located towards the Eastern end of the Chhota Nagpur plateau in Giridih district. The highest peak of Parasnath is called Sammed Shikhhar. It is a chief Jain pilgrimage site and the holy place for Jains.ii. The Lower Plateau It is also known as Koderma plateau or Lower Hazaribagh plateau. The Northern face of the Koderma plateau is elevated above the plains of Bihar. It has the appearance of a range of hills but in reality it is the edge of a plateau, 240 m from the level of the Gaya plain. Towards East, this Northern edge forms a well-defined watershed between heads of the tributaries of Gaya and those of the Barakar which traverses the Koderma and Giridih districts in easterly direction.To the East side, the slope is gentle and uniform and continued past the river which bears to the South-East into the Santhal Parganas and gradually disappears in the lower plains of Bengal. The Southern boundary consists of the face of the higher plateau, as far as its Eastern extremity. Here low and undistinguished watershed runs Eastward to the Western spurs of Parasnath hills. The drainage to the South of this low line passes by the Jamunia river to the Damodar.
▸ Chhota Nagpur plateau has an elevation of about 300-450 m above sea level. It is composed of rock system of pre-Cambrian period. It covers 47.8% area of the total geographical area of Jharkhand.▸ Soils in major part of this region have been derived from the gneiss and granite like Ranchi and Hazaribagh plateaus but in few areas in Singhbhum districts they have been formed from quartzites and schists.▸ Though, soils in general are deficient in lime, phosphoric acid and nitrogen but the use of fertilizers can increase the productivity of these lands tremendously.▸ East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum districts of this region is rich in minerals like iron, copper and manganese and Palamu district has reserves of coal, limestone, fire clay, iron ore, graphite, etc. The Chhota Nagpur plateau is also known as the Treasure of Jharkhand.▸ Due to better conditions for agriculture and mining activities population concentration is generally high and a number of mining towns have come up in the region.
▸ The mountains of Rajmahal was formed during the Jurassic period due to Lava flow.▸ The average height of this mountain is 400 m. It is 150-300 m higher than the Santhal Pargana areas. The rocks of these mountains are formed by basalt.▸ It is extended in Northern part of Jharkhand from Rajmahal mountain to Kaimur mountain, lower river valley and plain areas.▸ It covers Deoghar, Dumka, Godda, Western part of Pakur and central and Southern part of Sahibganj district.▸ The longest river valleys included in this area are Subarnarekha, Damodar, Barakar, Sankh, North Koel, South Koel, Mor, Ajay and Gumani, etc.
▸ In the plain areas Chaibasa is one of the major plains. It is located inWestern Singhbhum of Eastern-Central part with an average height of 150 m.▸ This plain is situated in the center of Dalma series, Dhalbhum series, Kolhan mountain and Porahat mountain.▸ In this area, peak mountains are called Tongri and tomb like mountains are called Dongri.
Canary Hill
Dhawajadhari Pahar
Kolhan Hill
Nakamaro Hills
Netarhat Hills (Queen of Hill in Jharkhand)
Parasnath Hills
Phuldungri Hill
Ranchi Hill
Tagore Hills
Trikut Paryat
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