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INTRODUCTION
Pakur, famous for stone and Beedi (Biri) making industry, is one of the important revenue-earning districts of newly created Jharkhand State. Its black stone chips have got Asiatic fame in constructional qualities. Pakur got elevated from sub-divisional Status to a district on 28th January 1994 vide Govt. of Bihar's notification no 19 (Personnel) dated 28.01.1994. Originally it was a Sub-division of Santhal Pargana District since 1868. When Santhal Pargana was divided into four districts i.e. Dumka, Deoghar, Godda and Sahibganj, Pakur was tagged with Sahibganj. It remained a Sub-division of Sahibganj till it was upgraded as district in the year 1994. It is surrounded by Sahibganj district in the north, Birbhoom District of West Bengal in the south, Murshidabad & a part of Birbhoom district of West Bengal in the east and Dumka & Godda Districts in the West.
GEOGRAPHY
There are three main rivers in this district namely Bansloi, Torai & Brahmini. Bansloi & Torai Rivers flow in the middle and Brahmini flows in the southern part of the District.
Owing to natural drainage, the floods are not possible in this area. However a considerable portion of district lying between the Ganges feeder canal and loop line of eastern Railway is liable to water logging when sudden rains swell the rivers and its subsidiary branches. Although localised Floods in the form of water logging are annual features but they make the soil fertile.
Thus the damage is considerably compensated by higher yield
CLIMATE
The climate of the major portion of the district has a hot dry summer, a good rainy season and cool winter. However the climate conditions of Pakur are like West Bengal with the characteristics of damp heat. Summer begins from the middle of March here and extends up to June. Maximum temperature in may and early June is as high as 46.70 C. December & January are cool months.
The year is divided into three main seasons. The winter season is from November to February, the summer from March to May and the monsoon from June to September. October is a month of transition from monsoon to winter.
DEMOGRAPHY
There are two main tribal groups in Santhal Pargana i.e. the Santhals and the Paharias. The Santhals are much in number than the Paharias. The ratio of Santhals and Paharia is 42% & 15%.
Historically the paharias seem to have been the original inhabitants of the Rajmahal hills.
CULTURE
The Santhals are relatively a progressive tribe and practice settled cultivation. They live in close-knit communities and maintain traditional leadership pattern. A section of Santhals has become Christians and has adopted relatively modern way of life. Due to the introduction of modern political system non-traditional leadership pattern has also emerged. The Santhals are hard working people and migrate in off-season to West Bengal and even to Assam.
The Paharias as a community have gone in to shell. They lost heavily in the past in their struggle with the Santhals and the British and have not recovered from the shock. They live mainly on the hills away from the Santhals and the plainsmen and are inaccessible to the administration. A section of them live on the foothills and are known as Sauria paharias. They are also called high landers, Hillman or hill race. In earlier correspondences they are also known as freebooters & cattle lifters. Very little is known about Paharias from the authentic sources.
PLACES TO SEE
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