Gumla District
Encyclopedia
Gumla district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand
state
, India
, and Gumla
town is the administrative headquarters of this district.
, and the place was called Gaw-Mela. Gumla is believed to derive its name from Gaw-Mela, which consists of two words of Hindi
(also used in several local dialect
s), namely, Gaw (cows and the cattle) and Mela, that is, a fair. The place became known as Gaw-mela, and then the word transformed itself into Gumla.
rule Gumla was under Lohardaga
district. In 1843 it was brought under Bishunpur
province that was further named Ranchi
. In fact Ranchi district came into existence in 1899. In 1902 Gumla became Sub-division under Ranchi district.
On 18 MAY 1984 Gumla District came into existence .Sri Jagannath Mishra then ruling Chief Minister
of Bihar
inaugurated it and Sri Dwarika Nath Sinha acquired the post of 1st deputy commissioner of the just born district.
Gumla is considered to be the birth place of the Hindu God Hanuman
. A temple a few kilometers away from the city off the Gumla-Ghaghra
road is dedicated to him and his mother. The district contains mountains named "Risyamook", which are mentioned in the Ramayana
.
The district is currently a part of the Red Corridor
.
which forms the eastern edge of the Deccan plateau system.
There are three major rivers, which flow through the Gumla district viz. the South Koel, the North Koel
and the Sankh
. There are various streams/ tributaries to the main rivers on which there are some picturesque waterfalls, as for example Sadni Falls
.
The terrain is highly undulating and there are existence of many rivers and streams. The forest cover of the district is 1.35 lakh hectares out of the total 5.21 lakh hectares of land i.e. round 27% of the total area of the district.
and mineral
resources. There are 23 Bauxite
mines
and 68 Stone mines in Gumla district. Besides these there is good number of brick makers. In Gumla District the important minerals like Bauxite and Laterite
(Aluminium
ore) are found in villages of Amkipani, Langdatanr, Chirodih, Jalim, Narma, Bahagara and Gurdari of Bishunpur block, Langatanr, Lupungpat and Chota-Agiatu in Chainpur block and Harup, Serengdag and Jalim in Ghaghra block. Beside these china clay is also found in some part of the district. Other mining activities like stone crusher, Brick kiln and stone chip mining lease are also available in different part of the district.
In 2006 the Indian government named Gumla one of the country's 250 most backward districts
(out of a total of 640
). It is one of the 21 districts in Jharkhand currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Gumla district has a population
of 1,025,656, roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus
or the US state of Montana
. This gives it a ranking of 439rd in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 193 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 23.21 %. Gumla has a sex ratio
of 993 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 66.92 %.
India census
, Gumla had a population of 1,025,656 which is 3.11% of total Jharkhand Population. Out of total 1,025,656: 514,730 are males and 510,926 are female; this makes the sex ratio of Gumla 993, which better than India's sex ratio. Gumla has an average literacy rate of 66.92%. In Gumla, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.
, Hindi
, Oriya
& Kurukh.
Languages spoken here also include Asuri
, an Austro-Asiatic
language spoken by approximately 17 000.
has a rich aadiwasi culture and is colourful with the shades of nature. "Chhotanagpur ki raani", a hill station is located in this district.
Gumla has a rich tribal culture. The majority of people (about 80%) speak Nagpuri
, but Hindi
is used for communicating with non-tribal people.
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Gumla
Gumla
Gumla is a town which is also headquarters of Gumla district of Jharkhand state, India.-History:Long ago Gumla was a small hamlet. Fair ‘Gau-Mela‘ took place once in a year and continued for one week. Here all items of daily use, utensils, ornaments, grains, cattle etc. were sold & exchanged...
town is the administrative headquarters of this district.
Etymology
For centuries, the place was a meeting center for people from the hinterland who flocked here to exchange goods using the barter systemBarter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a...
, and the place was called Gaw-Mela. Gumla is believed to derive its name from Gaw-Mela, which consists of two words of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
(also used in several local dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s), namely, Gaw (cows and the cattle) and Mela, that is, a fair. The place became known as Gaw-mela, and then the word transformed itself into Gumla.
History
During BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rule Gumla was under Lohardaga
Lohardaga
Lohardaga is a town and the district headquarters of Lohardaga district in the Indian state of Jharkhand, west of Ranchi, the state capital. Earlier Lohardaga was the commissionary headquarters for Chotanagpur. It was only later that the commissionary of Chotanagpur was shifted to Ranchi...
district. In 1843 it was brought under Bishunpur
Bishunpur
Bishunpur is a village development committee in Kapilvastu District in the Lumbini Zone of southern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2942 people living in 472 individual households....
province that was further named Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
. In fact Ranchi district came into existence in 1899. In 1902 Gumla became Sub-division under Ranchi district.
On 18 MAY 1984 Gumla District came into existence .Sri Jagannath Mishra then ruling Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
inaugurated it and Sri Dwarika Nath Sinha acquired the post of 1st deputy commissioner of the just born district.
Gumla is considered to be the birth place of the Hindu God Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
. A temple a few kilometers away from the city off the Gumla-Ghaghra
Ghaghra block
Ghaghra block, one of the eleven administrative blocks of Gumla district, Jharkhand state, India, has a population of 75,056. The block comprises one hundred and twenty villages....
road is dedicated to him and his mother. The district contains mountains named "Risyamook", which are mentioned in the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
.
The district is currently a part of the Red Corridor
Red corridor
The Red Corridor is a term used to describe an impoverished region in the east of India that experiences considerable Naxalite communist insurgency...
.
Geography
Gumla is located at 23°N 84.50°E. Geographically, Gumla is located on southern part of the Chota Nagpur plateauChota Nagpur Plateau
The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the basin of the Mahanadi River lies to the south...
which forms the eastern edge of the Deccan plateau system.
There are three major rivers, which flow through the Gumla district viz. the South Koel, the North Koel
North Koel River
North Koel River flows through the Indian state of Jharkhand.-Course:The North Koel rises on the Ranchi plateau and enters Palamau division, below Netarhat near Rud...
and the Sankh
Sankh River
The Sankh River flows across Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Orissa states in India. The river flows for a distance of 240 km before it meets the Koel River in Orissa.- Course :...
. There are various streams/ tributaries to the main rivers on which there are some picturesque waterfalls, as for example Sadni Falls
Sadni Falls
Sadni Falls is a waterfall located about from Rajadera village in Gumla district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.-The Falls:...
.
The terrain is highly undulating and there are existence of many rivers and streams. The forest cover of the district is 1.35 lakh hectares out of the total 5.21 lakh hectares of land i.e. round 27% of the total area of the district.
Climate
Gumla district enjoys a good climate characterized by a pleasant cold and temperate weather conditions. Gumla has a sub-tropical climate. Temperature ranges from maximum 40 to 20°C during summer, and minimum 21 to 3°C during winter. The annual rainfall is about 1450 mm. From June to September the rainfall level is about 1,150 mm.Economy
Gumla district has rich naturalNature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
and mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
resources. There are 23 Bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and 68 Stone mines in Gumla district. Besides these there is good number of brick makers. In Gumla District the important minerals like Bauxite and Laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
(Aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
ore) are found in villages of Amkipani, Langdatanr, Chirodih, Jalim, Narma, Bahagara and Gurdari of Bishunpur block, Langatanr, Lupungpat and Chota-Agiatu in Chainpur block and Harup, Serengdag and Jalim in Ghaghra block. Beside these china clay is also found in some part of the district. Other mining activities like stone crusher, Brick kiln and stone chip mining lease are also available in different part of the district.
In 2006 the Indian government named Gumla one of the country's 250 most backward districts
Poverty in India
Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 41.6% of the total Indian population falls below the international poverty line of 1.25 a day...
(out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). It is one of the 21 districts in Jharkhand currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
Gumla district has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 1,025,656, roughly equal to the nation of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
or the US state of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. This gives it a ranking of 439rd in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 193 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 23.21 %. Gumla has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 993 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 66.92 %.
India census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Gumla had a population of 1,025,656 which is 3.11% of total Jharkhand Population. Out of total 1,025,656: 514,730 are males and 510,926 are female; this makes the sex ratio of Gumla 993, which better than India's sex ratio. Gumla has an average literacy rate of 66.92%. In Gumla, 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Languages
The major languages spoken in this region of Jharkhand are Nagpuri or SadriSadri
Sadri is a city and a municipality in Pali district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The city was called gate of Mewar to Marwar. Sadri is one of main worship place for Jain community. Sadri is landing place for Ranakpur Temple and Shri Parshuram Mahadev Mandir. Sadri Gram Panchayat converted...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...
& Kurukh.
Languages spoken here also include Asuri
Asuri language
Asuri is a minor Munda language of India.Ethnologue states that Birjia is a dialect of Asuri, but also that there is a related language Birjia; it is not clear if these refer to the same thing....
, an Austro-Asiatic
Austro-Asiatic languages
The Austro-Asiatic languages, in recent classifications synonymous with Mon–Khmer, are a large language family of Southeast Asia, also scattered throughout India and Bangladesh. The name Austro-Asiatic comes from the Latin words for "south" and "Asia", hence "South Asia"...
language spoken by approximately 17 000.
Culture
GumlaGumla
Gumla is a town which is also headquarters of Gumla district of Jharkhand state, India.-History:Long ago Gumla was a small hamlet. Fair ‘Gau-Mela‘ took place once in a year and continued for one week. Here all items of daily use, utensils, ornaments, grains, cattle etc. were sold & exchanged...
has a rich aadiwasi culture and is colourful with the shades of nature. "Chhotanagpur ki raani", a hill station is located in this district.
Gumla has a rich tribal culture. The majority of people (about 80%) speak Nagpuri
Kurukh language
Kurukh , also called Kurux, Kuṛux or Kuruḵẖ, is a Dravidian language spoken by the Oraon and Kisan tribal peoples of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal, India, as well as in northern Bangladesh. It is most closely related to Brahui and Malto...
, but Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
is used for communicating with non-tribal people.
Tourist Attractions
- Anjan - Small village about 18 km away from Gumla. The name of the village has been derived from the name of goddess Anjani, mother of HanumanHanumanHanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
. Many objects of archeological importance obtained from this place has been placed at PatnaPatnaPaṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
MuseumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. It is birth place of HanumanHanumanHanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
. - Baghmunda - It is famous for religious stone idols (Ajanta caves stone idols).
- Rajendra - It has great scenic value. It is surrounded by hills on all sides. It is as beautiful as any other famous hill stations in India.
- Dewaki - It is a place of religious importance. It is famous for a Shiv-Parvati temple. During SawanSawanSawan is a fifth month in the traditional Vikrama as well as the Nanakshahi calendar, which governs the activities within Sikhism. This month coincides with July and August in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 31 days long, like the Gregorian and Julian calendars.-July:* July 16 - The...
month devotees from every corner visit here to offer water to the ShivaShivaShiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
Linga and the place becomes a fair ground. - Hapamuni - Famous and ancient village Mahamaya templeTempleA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
that is the identity of this village. - Palkot
- Nagfeni - It is famous for the JagannathJagannathJagannath is a transcendental non-anthropotheistic Hindu god worshiped primarily by the people of Indian state of Orissa, and, to a great extent, West Bengal...
templeTempleA temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
and there is a big rock in the shape of snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
'Nag'. It has its own natural beauty. - Tanginath
- Birsa Munda Agro Park