Giridih district General information
Giridih district was carved out from Hazaribagh district on 4 Dec 1972. The district lies between 24 degree 11' North latitude and 86 degree 18' East longitude. It is bounded north by the district of Jamui and part of Nawada district of Bihar , on the east by the district of Deoghar and Jamtara , on the south by district of Dhanbad and Bokaro and west by districts of Hazaribagh and Kodarma . The Giridih district is spread over an area of 4853.56sq km The famous Parasnath hill(the SAMMED SHIKHAR JEE) is situated here.The Parasnath hill is the highest peak of the Jharkhand having altitude of 4431 feet above sea-level.The Langta Baba Mazar , which is the symbol of communal harmony is also situated here.The district is also famous as a place of ruby mica and coal field.The famous G.T. Road also passes through this district.
The district which acquired the status of an independent district on 6th December, 1972, has a close linkage with the parent district Hazaribag.Lying almost in the central part of the North Chotanagpur Divison ,the district is bounded on the north by Jamui and some part of Nawada district of bihar, on the east by the districts of Dhanbad, Jamtara and Deoghar ,on the south by Bokaro and some part of Dhanbad district and on the west by Hazaribag and Kodarma district. Giridih is the administrative headquaters and the principal town of the district. The district has been this name for abandance of mountain and hillocus in the district.Total area of the district is 4853.56 sq kms.
Geography
The district may be divided broadly into two natural divisions, viz : 1. The central plateau; 2. The lower plateau, The central plateau touches the western portion of the district near Bagodar block.Around the central plateau are the lower plateaus on all sides excep the west on which side a ridge connects the central plateau to the Palamu district. The lower plateaus average 1300 feet in height, their surface being undulating. In the north and north-west, the lower plateaus form fairly level tablelands until they reach the ghats when they drop to about 700 feet. In the east, the general elevation is lower and the descent gradual. The district ontains the famous Parasnath Hill which has the distinction of having the highest peak in the state, with an altitude of 4431 feet above the mean sea level. The district contains a large portion of forested area which is distributed almost uniformly all over. Sal is the most famous and predominant species of trees in the jungles of the district. Among other common species are bamboo, khair (catechu), salai, simul, mahua, palas, kusum, kend, asan piar and bhelwa.
History
The history of Giridih is a part of the history of its parent district, Hazaribag as also of the Chotanagpur plateau. The entire territory of Chotanagpur, known as jharkhand (meaning forest territory) was presumably beyond the pale of direct Hindu influence in ancient India. It is generally believed that in very early times it was covered with accessible hills and forests to which many non-Aryan tribes who refused to surrender to the steadily advancing Aryans, retired at different times. Though this tract was in touch with many parts of India, yet these non-Aryan tribes had no king. The inhabitant of chotanagpur decided to elect a king due to regular foreign invaders and Mundas became the king of the state.The Madra Munda appointed his foster son Phani Mukut for his superior intelligence and capability.Phani Mukut just after his birth , had been found by the side of a tank under the protection of huge nag or serpent. For this reason his descendants called themselves as Nagbanshi.Since the capital was at chutia near Ranchi hence the kingdom was called Chutia Nagpur .The Chota is a corruption of chutia .All through the long centuries of Hindu rule in India Chotanagpur including the district of Giridih appears to have remained unmolested, though foreign invaders on rare occasions might have succeeded in exercising nominal over lordship over it. To the Muhammadan historian the whole of Chotanagpur (including the Giridih ) was in the tract which they knew as Jharkhand or forest country. It appears to have practically independent through out the Turko-Afgan (1206-1526 A.D) in India. The accession of Akbar to the throne of Delhi in 1556 A.D. opens a new chapter in the history of Jharkhand.To the Mughals it was also known as Kukrah.It excited cupidity of the Mughal Emperors by the reason of report of the diamond to be found in its rivers.Kukrah remained independent of Muslim suzerainty till about the thirtieth year of the reign of Emperor Akbar. In 1585 Akbar sent an expedition which reduce the Raja Chotanagpur to the position of tributory.It is mentioned in the Ain-I-Akbari that chotanagpur or Kukrah was included in the subah of Bihar .During the expedition of Raja Mansingh ,one of the Industrious Generals of Akbar as some part of Chotanagpur region still carry the percolation of reminants of district Manbhum and Singhbhum which were acceded to subah of Bihar and during this period the only the concept of district was first introduced in revenue administration of Mughal. The entire region including the pargana of Khargdiha (Giridih district ) saw lot of up heavals thereafter till 1780 when Mr. Chapmen succeeded captain oamac. Mr. Chapman was practically the first civilian administrator of Chotanagpur. The conquered provinces as they were then called were formed into a British district which comprised parganas Ramgarh, Kendi, Kunda and Kharagdiha (which together constituted the old district of Haziribag comprising Giridih), the whole of Palamu, Chakai Panchet and the area around Sherghati. Subsequent to the Kol rising in 1931 which, however, did not seriously affect Giridih, the administrative structure of the territory was, however, changed.
The parganas Ramgarh, Kharag-diha, Kendi and Kunda became part of the South- west Frontier Agency and were formed into a division named Hazaribag, with Hazaribag as the administrative headquarters. In 1854 the designation of the south-west Frontier Agency was changed to Chutia Nagpur and it began to be administered as a Non-regulation Province under the Lieutenant Governor of Bihar. In 1855-56 there was the great uprising of Santhals against the British but it was brutally suppressed.
RIVER SYSTEM
The district is divided into two main water heads viz the Barakar and the Sakri rivers. The Barakar rivers drains major portion of the district ,enters the district near the Birni block and also flows through certain portions of the pirtand block. The Sakri river touches the areas of Deori and Gawan blocks. These are a number of small rivers also in the district,the most important among them being Usri.
MINES AND MINERALS
The District has been famous as the place of well known Ruby Mica and has several large coal fields which contain one of the best qualities of metallurgical coal in India. The extensive deposited of mica in this district are of importance not only to Jharkhand but to India and other countries also. It is mostly found near the block Tisri and Gawan.The massif of Parsnath Hill consists mainly of a pyroxene bearing garnetiferous quartzite with felspathic gneisses near the base.Stealite of soap stone are also found to the west of Parasnath
FLORA AND FAUNA
The district conatins large portion of forest area which distributed almost uniformaly all over.Sal is the most famous and predominated species of trees in the jungles of the districts Among other common species are bamboo ,Khair , salai , mahua ,simul,kusum,asan ,kend ,piar and bhelwa.In parasnath hill and its adjouring area ,large no of medicinal plant were found.Many of them still exits in the Parasnath hill. Awala,Bhelwa and Hare - Bahera are found in huge quantity in the Parasnath hill. Leopards are most times seen in the jungle of district .Bears,jackals ,foxes,pigs hares, sambhar,spoted deer,hog deer etc are also found here.Sankes and lizards are quite common here.Diffrent varities of birds visit the district in the winter season only. Nearby places Giridih has several interesting spots, including the following:
Usri Falls (13 km) -it is one of the oldest and famous picnic spot in Giridih,it is surrounded by dense forest touches Parasnath Hills.It lies in Tundi road.
Khandoli (8km) - a famous picnic spot.It is one of the great achievement of giridih in tourism field.
Baidadih, with a well with water reputed to contain several minerals.
Parasnath Hills and Sammed Shikharji, with the highest mountain peak in Jharkhand, 4480 feet above the sea level, it is one of the most important and sanctified holy places of the Jains. 20 out of 24 Tirthankaras (including Parshvanath) are believed to have attained salvation there.
Kabir Gyan Mandir - abode to Mother Gyan, a disciple of Shri Vivek Prabhujee. There, one can get spiritual enlightenment by participating in religious discources and other functions. Recently, the temple named Guru Govind Dham has come up here over the monument of Shri Vivek Prabhujee.
Kharagdiha, a place near Mirjaganj, in close proximity to Giridih, is the abode to the famous saint named Langtababa. He is revered both by the Hindus and the Muslims alike. His samadhi is also located at Kharagdiha.
Balkhanjo pahad or bodo pahad,a famous picnic sport near aerodram.
Economy
This town used to bustle with economic activity in the period from 60s to 80's when the mineral mica processing and export community reaped tremendous gains through exports to the USSR. Since the decline of the USSR however and its split into twelve CIS countries the industry has slowly declined and is currently ailing. However, with the formation of new state Jharkhand and governments initiative a lot of Small scale Industries have developed in Giridih. They all are basically related with metals, majority of them being Rolling Mills Like of Lal's, Mongia, Atibir. Even some of the rolling mills have grown in such a big size they have taken Bolleywood actor Dharmendra as their brand ambassador.
Education
The major educational institutions in the town include :
Saraswati Shishu/Vidya Mandir- Affiliated to the C.B.S.E. board, this school provides education up to an equivalent of the 10th Standard.
Carmel Convent School - Affiliated to the I.C.S.E board, this school provides education up to an equivalent of the 10th Standard. A co-ed institution, it was founded in 1954 and recently celebrated its 50th year. An Association of the alumni of this school, EXCA was founded some years ago.its the most preferred school of giridih known for its high grade study pattern with the most experienced teachers of many parts of India....
Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Badri Narayan Saha Public School - Affiliated to the C.B.S.E board, this school provides co-educational facilities to the children of the community up to XIIth standard. The school has recently moved to a newly built campus.The building was generously donated by J.K.Saha in the fond memory of his grandfather Late Shri Badri Narayan .This school has given both engineers and doctors.
Dayanand Anglo Vedic Public School - Central Coal Fields Limited - Affiliate to the C.B.S.E board, is run jointly by Central Government runned CCL and DAV Managing Committee. It is the oldest DAV of the Town. It is located in Beniadih a few Kilo Meter from the Giridih Town.
Subhash Public School in Giridih is the largest boarding school in Jharkhand. This school was started by Late Dr.Param Hans Singh. This school is affiliated to CBSE up 10+2. This school has been made a benchmark for other schools; it is the only self-financed non-aided school in Giridih, running under the guidance of Kakoli Dasgupta. AISECT Computer Education is one of the best I.T Training Institute of Giridih , For More Details Cont . Tabrej Alam (Branch Manager) 9931339772
Jawahar Navodoya Vidyalaya is also one of the best institutions . It is at Gandey of Giridih.
Besides the above major institutions there are other public and private schools as well. The colleges in this town include - The Mahila College for Women The Giridih College affiliated to the Vinobha Bhawe University. One more institution that is helping to bring good quality education is CCL DAV Public School,beniadih.