Jharkhand

• 15 Apr 2024

National Word Power Championship

Why in News?

Recently, the National Word Power Championship was held in Mumbai. In this nationwide contest, participants from eight states showcased exceptional skills. Among them, four students from Jharkhand excelled in classes 2, 3, 4, and 5, earning the prestigious title of overall champions.

Key Points

• Eight states that participated in the competition were Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Jharkhand secured the top spot in the Class 2 category, came fifth in Class 3, took the fourth spot in Class 4, and clinched second place in Class 5.
• The state won the competition by a margin of 0.23% against Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, who secured second and third places respectively.
• The Word Power Championship competition is organized on the lines of America's popular 'Spelling Bee Competition'.
  • It is the only English competition in India conducted exclusively for students of regional linguistic schools.
  • The objective of which is to provide an exclusive platform to regional language school students to showcase their newly acquired English talent after participating in a highly rigorous 'English Literacy Programme'.
  • This develops a sense of enthusiasm and purpose for the English language among teachers and students alike.
  • This competition is organized every year by an organization called Leap for Word and Mariko.

Manda Festival in Jharkhand

Why in News?

On the last day of the week-long 'Manda' festival in Jharkhand, a large number of devotees gathered on the streets to take part in the celebrations.

• A special person known as a 'Bhokta' stood at a height of 25 feet and showered flower petals on the crowd below.

Key Points

• Tribals celebrated Manda Puja, an age-old annual ritual to appease gods for good rainfall and bumper crops.
  • It typically occurs during the spring season and marks the culmination of the agricultural cycle.
• In Chutia region of Ranchi, the Manda Puja Samiti held the festival at the Shiv temple which was attended by Ranchi Municipal Corporation deputy mayor.
  • During the celebration, followers participate in walking on fire and suspending themselves upside down from a bamboo structure connected to their backs after observing a fast for seven to nine days.
  • A distinctive aspect of the Manda festival is the role of the 'Bhokta,' typically male devotees who observe strict fasts throughout the festival.
  • These Bhoktas hold a revered position within the community and play a central role in the festival's ceremonies.
• After Chutia, the festival is observed across the state in 500 locations including in Rajaulatu, Sidroll, Tetri and Hundru Basti.

Tribes of Jharkhand

• The Scheduled Tribe (ST) population of Jharkhand State is 7,087,068 as per the 2001 census, constituting 26.3% of the total population (26,945,829) of the State.
• The Scheduled Tribes are primarily rural as 91.7% of them reside in villages.
• District wise distribution of ST population shows that Gumla district has the highest proportion of STs (68.4%).
• The STs constitute more than half of the total population in Lohardaga and Pashchimi Singhbhum districts whereas Ranchi and Pakaur districts have 41.8 – 44.6% tribal population.
• Kodarma district (0.8%) preceded by Chatra (3.8%) has the lowest proportion of the STs Population.
• Jharkhand has 32 tribal groups:
  • Munda
  • Santhal
  • Oraon
  • Kharia
  • Gond
  • Kol
  • Kanwar
  • Savar
  • Asur
  • Baiga
  • Banjara
  • Bathudi
  • Bedia
  • Binjhia
  • Birhor
  • Birjiali
  • Chero
  • Chick-Baraik
  • Gorait
  • Ho
  • Karmali
  • Kharwar
  • Khond
  • Kisan
  • Kora
  • Korwa
  • Lohra
  • Mahli
  • Mal-Paharia
  • Parhaiya
  • Sauria-Paharia
  • Bhumij