Jharkhand Foundation Day | Birsa Munda Jayanti – 15th November

Jharkhand is also known as The land of forest or Bushland was carved out of Bihar on 15th November 2000 as the 28th State of India. The day is also known for the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda also known as Bhagwan Birsa.

History of Jharkhand

The word “Jhar” means ‘bush and “khand” means ‘land’, thus Jharkhand means ‘land of the bush‘ which comprises the forest of Chhotanagpur plateau and Santhal Pargana and have their own culture and traditions. After independence, the rulers of the state chose to accede to the Dominion of India. Some portions of the state became part of Madhya Pradesh state, some in Orissa and Bihar state. Jharkhand was formed after a long struggle for a separate state which spread over a century ad can be traced back to early 1900.

The Birsa movement started in 1895 and emerged as a movement for complete political independence. The movement was a mass struggle against all the problems related to land and religion, as well as an attempt to political reconciliation of those problems. Birsa Munda was a tribal freedom fighter born on November 15, 1875, in the Munda tribe. He made the British kneel down with his bravery and mental acumen.

After independence, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s regular agitation impelled the government to establish the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council in 1995 and finally an independent State. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha launched a regular agitation during the post-Independence period and forced the government to create an autonomous body known as the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council in 1995. It is this autonomous body that finally led to the formation of a separate state.

The formation of the new state was considered a big achievement for the tribal people of the region who had been agitating for statehood for several years. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Babulal Marandi was the state’s first chief minister while Prabhat Kumar was its first Governor. Ranchi is the capital of Jharkhand while Jamshedpur is the largest and the biggest industrial city of the state. Some other major cities of Jharkhand are Dhanbad, Bokaro, and Hazaribag. Jharkhand is enshrouded in the hills and forests inaccessible to a large segment of people. It is also known for evergreen forests, rolling hills, rocky plateau, and has some of the beautiful waterfalls in the state.

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Jharkhand Foundation Day Celebration

Jharkhand Foundation Day is celebrated along with the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda. To celebrate the foundation of the State lots of programs are organized in various parts of the State. Tributes are paid to freedom fighters and national hero ‘Dharti Aba’ Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary. The state government showcases various development done during the last years along with various glittering cultural functions held on the occasion, portraying the rich art and culture of the State. The program of the statehood day commences after Governor and Chief minister pay their tribute to Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Officers of the state are given various Governor’s Medal, Chief Minister’s Gallantry Medal, and the Jharkhand Police Medal for their meritorious work.

Jharkhand possesses over 32 percent of the country’s total coal and 25 percent of iron ore and copper, besides also having deposits of uranium, mica, bauxite, granite, graphite, magnetite, and others. Jharkhand is known for both human and natural resources, but due to a lack of optimum utilization and management, the growth of the state is slow. The state is blessed with vast natural resources and a rich culture that all are proud of. May Jharkhand go from strength to strength in the years to come.

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