Category Archives: Chotanagpur

“The Chotanagpur region of Jharkhand has many tribal groups living close to each other. A unique phenomenon of this region is the emergence of a hybrid language called ‘Nagpuri’ or ‘Sadri’, which is used as lingua franca. […] In Santal Parganas (Dumka) region, there are two main tribal groups – the Santal and the Paharia. […] There are other small groups also in Chotanagpur like the Birhor of Netarhat and the Chik Baraik.” – Ivy Hansdak (Jamia Millia Islamia University New Delhi) in “Santali and related tribal languages of the Chotanagpur region: Mundari, Ho and Birjiya”
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=21807

“A plateau accounting for half of the country’s mineral wealth comprising coal, iron-ore, copper, bauxite, chromite, dolomite, limestone, manganese and mica in erstwhile Chotanagpur area deserves to be studied in depth not only for the minerals but for its human endeavour to liberate itself from exploitation by greedy industrialists and insensitive rulers, be it colonialists or Indian, from time to time.” – K.R.A. Narasiah reviewing Colonial and Contemporary Bihar and Jharkhand by Lata Singh & Biswamoy Pati (eds.) in “Bihar’s past struggles reconstructed” (The Hindu, 22 September 2014)
https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/bihars-past-struggles-reconstructed/article6436022.ece
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=15699

According to Jaipal Singh, a Munda from Chotanagpur, “the tribals were the ‘original inhabitants’ of the subcontinent – hence the term ‘adibasi’ or ‘adivasi’, which means precisely that. Jaipal formed an Adibasi Mahasabha in 1938 which asked for a separate state of ‘Jharkhand’, to be carved out of Bihar. To the tribals of Chotanagpur, he was their marang gomke, or ‘great leader’. In the Constituent Assembly he came to represent the tribals not just of his native plateau, but of all India.” – Ramachandra Guha in India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy (New Delhi: Picador India), p. 115
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=15375

Video | Tribal culture and natural resources: The Chota Nagpur (Chotanagpur) plateau of eastern India – Jharkhand

Posted on 24/04/2022 by website administrator

Chota Nagpur [Chotanagpur] plateau is in eastern India, in Jharkhand state. The plateau is composed of Precambrian rocks (more than 540,000,000 years old). Chota Nagpur is the collective name for the Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Kodarma plateaus, which have an area … Continue reading →

Posted in Adverse inclusion, Chotanagpur, Colonial policies, Cultural heritage, Eastern region – Eastern Zonal Council, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Globalization, History, Media portrayal, Music and dance, Networking, Organizations, Quotes, Resources, Storytelling, Video resources - external, Websites by tribal communities | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Video | Tribal culture and natural resources: The Chota Nagpur (Chotanagpur) plateau of eastern India – Jharkhand

“A mine of information” that questions earlier writings on tribals, colonial history and the effects of globalization: Book review – Jharkhand and Bihar

Posted on 15/02/2022 by website administrator

A plateau accounting for half of the country’s mineral wealth comprising coal, iron-ore, copper, bauxite, chromite, dolomite, limestone, manganese and mica in erstwhile Chotanagpur area deserves to be studied in depth not only for the minerals but for its human … Continue reading →

Posted in Adverse inclusion, Anthropology, Chotanagpur, Colonial policies, Crafts and visual arts, Customs, Eastern region – Eastern Zonal Council, Economy and development, Figures, census and other statistics, Globalization, History, Literature and bibliographies, Misconceptions, Modernity, Music and dance, Press snippets, Rural poverty, Social conventions, Storytelling, Tribal identity, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged , , | Comments Off on “A mine of information” that questions earlier writings on tribals, colonial history and the effects of globalization: Book review – Jharkhand and Bihar

Santali and related tribal languages of the Chotanagpur region: Mundari, Ho and Birjiya – Jharkhand

Posted on 16/01/2022 by website administrator

Birjiya [Birjia] is the language spoken by Asur tribe/ethnic group, just as Kurukh is spoken by Oraon group, Santali by Santal group, Mundari by Munda group, Ho by Ho group and Kharia by Kharia group.  These are broadly identified by … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Assimilation, Chotanagpur, Colonial policies, Eastern region – Eastern Zonal Council, Economy and development, Government of India, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature and bibliographies, Names and communities, Particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), Quotes, Social conventions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Santali and related tribal languages of the Chotanagpur region: Mundari, Ho and Birjiya – Jharkhand

Jaipal Singh and the adivasi (adibasi) movement of modern India: A gifted speaker from Chotanagpur – Jharkhand

Posted on 01/01/2022 by website administrator

Ramachandra Guha, India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy (p. 115) | More information and book review >> The first report on minority rights, made public in late August 1947, provided for reservation for Untouchables only. Muslims were denied … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi / Adibasi, Chotanagpur, De- and re-tribalisation, Democracy, Economy and development, History, Literature and bibliographies, Modernity, Names and communities, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Scheduled Tribe (ST), Video resources - external | Tagged | Comments Off on Jaipal Singh and the adivasi (adibasi) movement of modern India: A gifted speaker from Chotanagpur – Jharkhand

An indigenous film industry for large indigenous populations: ‘Jhollywood’ tells the stories of modern Adivasis – Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam & Manipur

Posted on 02/11/2021 by website administrator

Jhollywood is calling Forget the faux tribals grunting in Raavan. Jharkhand has its own film industry, made by Adivasi filmmakers for Adivasi viewers, says G VISHNUIS BEERA Formula for a Jhollywood film: five songs, three fights, three romance scenes. Plus … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi / Adibasi, Chotanagpur, De- and re-tribalisation, Democracy, Eastern region – Eastern Zonal Council, Film, Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Modernity, Names and communities, Press snippets, Seven Sister States & Sikkim – North Eastern Council, Storytelling, Success story | Tagged | Comments Off on An indigenous film industry for large indigenous populations: ‘Jhollywood’ tells the stories of modern Adivasis – Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam & Manipur