Santhals are the most predominant and prosperous among the tribes of Jharkhand. The Asurs and Lahars are given to the fast disappearing trade of iron smelting amid black smithy. The Asurs are believed to be the Subcontinent's first iron smelters who were driven from the Gangetic plains to the plateau of Chotanagpur. A number of Dravidian tribes like Gonds, Khonds and Koras are believed to have migrated from the neighbouring states.
Mundas are the most ancient among the tribes of Bihar, who love to live in association with other tribe is Birsa Munda, who was behind the Ulgulan movement of 1900 which gave expression to the tribal anguish and resentment against the English rule and fuelled the Agrarian Crisis.
The oldest geological formation of India are found in Chotanagpur plateau that also stores a vast deposit of a variety of minerals and caters to national and international needs.
Chotanagpur plateau is a region of great unevenness and consists of a succession of plateaus, hills and valleys. Most of the plateau has an elevation exceeding 1,000 feet, while the hills rise to 3,000 feet or more. In the heart of Chotanagpur there are main plateaus those of Hazaribagh and Ranchi.
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