Beauty of Tazna River near Ranchi.

Geological history and the importance of pegmatite veins.

Pegmatite veins are common in almost all the rock type in Ranchi city of India.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Pegmatite, meaning “joined together,” was first applied to graphic granite sometime before 1822. Subsequently, it has been extended to refer to any abnormally coarse grained rock of overall igneous character. The term “pegmatite” was first used by a French mineralogist René Haüy but he used this term as a synonym of graphic granite. Contemporary meaning was given to the rock type in 1845 by an Austrian mineralogist Wilhelm Heidinger.

Most of pegmatites are more than 1 centimeter across; grains up to a meter or two across are relatively common; and individual crystals up to several meters in greatest dimension have been reported. In any case, no matter how large the grains, most pegmatites have typical igneous rock textures.

Pegmatites are associated with plutonic or intrusive rocks and were evidently formed by slow crystallization at considerable depths below the surface.

Individual pegmatite masses may be classified as simple or complex. The simple ones have an overall homogeneity and consist almost wholly of microcline perthite and quartz plus or minus minor amounts of biotite and /or black tourmaline.

The complex pegmatites tend to be compositionally zoned and to contain, along with quartz and microcline, large quantities of clevelandite, noteworthy amounts of muscovite, and well formed crystals of such minerals as apatite, beryl, topaz, colored tourmaline, and spodumene, plus a number of less common minerals that contain elements such as lithium, niobinum, tantalum, cesium, uranium, and the rare earths.

Pegmatites consist of minerals which are found also in the rocks from which they are derived, e.g. granite-pegmatites contain principally quartz and feldspar while gabbro-pegmatites consist of diallage and plagioclase. Rare minerals, however, often occur in these veins in exceptional amount and as very perfect crystals. The minerals of the pegmatites are always those which were last to separate out from the parent rock. As the basic minerals are the first formed the pegmatites contain a larger proportion of the acid or more siliceous components which were of later origin.

Most simple pegmatites occur as dikes within large igneous masses or their surrounding country rocks. Most complex pegmatites occur as lenticular pods or irregularly shaped masses within the country rocks surrounding large masses or as apparently isolated masses within metamorphic rock terranes.

Pegmatites are not rare rocks but their overall volume is small. They form small marginal parts of large magma intrusions known as batholiths. They form as a late-stage magmatic fluid starts to crystallize. This fluid is rich in water, other volatiles, and chemical elements incompatible in main magmatic minerals.

This is the reason why pegmatites are so coarse-grained and why they contain so much unusual minerals. They are coarse-grained because of high volatile content which makes the magma less viscous and therefore enhances mineral growth (chemical elements are free to move to look for and join a suitable and already existing crystal). Unusual minerals form because the fluid is enriched in exotic chemical elements like lithium, boron, beryllium, rare earth elements, etc. These elements are forced to form their own mineral phases because they are rejected by major rock-forming minerals like quartz, feldspar, and others.

Pegmatites are very irregular not only in distribution, width and persistence, but also in composition. The relative abundance of the constituent minerals may differ rapidly and much from point to point. Sometimes they are rich in mica, in enormous crystals for which the rock is mined or quarried (India). Other pegmatites are nearly pure feldspar, while others are locally (especially near their terminations) very full of quartz. They may in fact pass into quartz veins (alaskites) some of which are auriferous.

This wealth of minerals makes pegmatites often valuable as a mineral resource. Pegmatites may be mined because of their high content of feldspars, clay (if weathered), mica, or many metal-bearing minerals. Pegmatite is also a source of gems like beryl, tourmaline, zircon, etc.

Most pegmatites are granites with or without exotic minerals but mafic pegmatites (gabbro, diorite) are known as well. Silica undersaturated (without quartz) magmatic rocks may be also pegmatitic.

Pegmatite intrusions in the rocks in Ranchi city of India.

Above pictures shows the pegmatite intrusions in the rocks of Ranchi city.

The Pegmatite veins are common traversing almost all the rock type of the area. Their width varies from few meters to tens of meters.  Coarse pegmatitic intrusive are quite abundant, though they tend to cluster at places and result in irregular distribution. They are mainly composed of feldspar (with potash feldspars being much more abundant than the plagioclase) and quartz. The other minerals which are present are tourmaline, muscovite and rarely garnet. At places, the pegmatite contains streaks and specks of pyrite.  

Rifle range- This is the highest point of Ranchi, situated in Bariatu, east of Bharamdih hills. The major rock type is granite gneiss with augen shaped crystals of felsic minerals. Large number of intrusions of pegmatites veins is very common in this part . These intrusions are very thick are in the form of sills and dykes, mainly dykes. Pegmatite contain large crystals of tourmaline and garnet. Muscovite is also present in some proportion.

The other hills where the intrusion of pegmatite is seen are Jagnnathpur hill, Tagore hill, Bharamdih hill etc.

Reference:

Dietrich, R.V. and Skinner, B.J. 1979. Rocks and rock minerals. John Wiley & Sons, U.S.A.

Priyadarshi, N. 1998. A handbook geology of Chotanagpur. Aoyushi Publication, Ranchi, India.

http://www.sandatlas.org/2012/09/pegmatite/

Soil colour has been inferred as an indicator of past climate.

With special reference to Jharkhand State of India.

By

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi.

Palaeoclimatology, the study of climates during the geological past, is one of the most topical areas research in the geoscience at present.

The threat of future climate change caused by higher levels of greenhouse gases, which would drastically alter many aspects of our environment, has prompted much research to try to understand how our complex climate system works. Only by understanding how climate has evolved over million of years can we identify important cycles with a frequency in excess of the short climate records we possess. These climate cycles have the potential to have a profound effect on our environment.

The determination of past climate parameters by the use of paleohydrologic conditions is an important phase of paleoclimatology. The present climate of any local area, on any continent, and around any lake basin, depends on the same factors which controlled Pleistocene climate. The study of present meteorological conditions is then a perfect application of the present being the “key to the past”.

The present climate for any area of the earth is controlled by innumerable and diverse variables, the same variables that undoubtedly controlled the paleoclimate of any particular area during any period of earth history. The earth’s temperatures and climates are basically controlled by the amount of solar radiation and the inclination of the earth to the sun.

Many methods exist which help in determining paleoclimatic conditions. The most popular probably concern the study of sand dunes, coal measures, soil studies, and spores and pollen although considerable attention is also devoted to the fossil plants, paleohydrologic conditions, and to the chemistry of lacustrine sediments.

Soil studies:

Much of the history of ancient lake basins, and particularly their past extent, may in many cases be quickly determined by soil studies.

Climate influences soil formation primarily through effects of water and solar energy. Water is the solvent in which chemical reactions take place in the soil, and it is essential to the life cycles of soil organisms. Water is also the principal medium for the erosive or percolative transport of solid particles. The rates at which these water-mediated processes take place are controlled by the amount of energy available from the sun.

On a global scale, the integrated effects of climate can readily be seen along a transect from pole to Equator. As one proceeds from the pole to cool tundra or forested regions, polar desert soils give way to intensively leached soils such as the Podzols (Spodosols) that exhibit an eye-catching, ash-coloured E horizon indicative of humid, boreal climates. Farther into temperate zones, organic matter accumulates in soils as climates become warmer, and eventually lime (calcium carbonate) also begins to accumulate closer to the top of the soil profile as evapotranspiration increases. Arid subtropical climate then follows, with desert soils that are low in organic matter and enriched in soluble salts. As the climate again becomes humid close to the Equator, high temperature combines with high precipitation to create red and yellow tropical soils, whose colours reveal the prevalence of residual iron oxide minerals that are resistant to leaching losses because of their low solubility.

The presence of specific minerals can also affect soil color. Manganese oxide causes a black color, glauconite makes the soil green, and calcite can make soil in arid regions appear white.

The development of a soil type depends greatly on climate, parent material, topography and time. Therefore, because parent material, time, and topography are well known for the Plistocene soils they are indicators of paleoclimate even though climate intensity still exists as an important variable. Basically pedalfer soils indicate temperate, forested areas, pedocal soils warm, dry grasslands, and the laterites a tropical environment.

Certainly red to yellow soils, because of their high concentration of iron oxides, suggest a warm, humid, oxidizing climate, and light gray to white, calcified soils indicate a warm, dry climate.

Red soils have been extensively developed in Singhbhum, Ranchi, Hazaribag, and Santhal Paraganas districts in Jharkhand State of India. The pH of the soils vary from 5 to 6.8. They are acidic in nature. The Jharkhand plateau consists of gneisses and schists. Many of these gneisses and schists contain a large proportion of biotite and hornblende and as they are highly ferruginous, the soils derived from them are deep red.  The red soils usually drain off quickly and can hardly retain moisture for any length of time.    

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. Tropical weathering (laterization) is a prolonged process of chemical weathering which produces a wide variety in the thickness, grade, chemistry and ore mineralogy of the resulting soils. The majority of the land areas with laterites was or is between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

Laterites are formed from the leaching of parent sedimentary rocks (sandstones, clays, limestones); metamorphic rocks (schists, gneisses, migmatites); igneous rocks (granites, basalts, gabbros, peridotites); and mineralized proto-ores; which leaves the more insoluble ions, predominantly iron and aluminium. The mechanism of leaching involves acid dissolving the host mineral lattice, followed by hydrolysis and precipitation of insoluble oxides and sulfates of iron, aluminium and silica under the high temperature conditions of a humid sub-tropical monsoon climate. An essential feature for the formation of laterite is the repetition of wet and dry seasons. Rocks are leached by percolating rain water during the wet season; the resulting solution containing the leached ions is brought to the surface by capillary action during the dry season.

Laterite soils are found in the ‘Pat’ region of west Ranchi and south Palamau in Jharkhand State of India. The typical red colour is due to a high percentage of iron oxides. The soils are generally poor in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and organic matter, the pH ranging between 4.5 to 6.0.  

The location of the Jharkhand state is just near the Tropic of Cancer which has imparted to it a typical tropical climate. The average temperature is 22 degree C. As the area is situated in a zone of transition between Arabian Sea branches and Bay of Bengal branches of south-west monsoon a moderate rainfall of 1200 to 1400 mm. is experienced.  

However, caution must be exercised when using soils for the deduction of past climate events because development results from the intricate variability of innumerable factors such as topography, groundwater, time, rainfall, and temperature to mention only a few. Soil colour has been inferred by many investigators (Simonson, 1954; Carter, 1956) as an indicator of either past climate or soil age, the reds and yellows indicating a warm, dry climate with the soil becoming redder with age. Such generalizations may be adequate for local areas and restricted use, but are obviously dangerous for proper scientific evaluation.   

Reference:

Carter, G.F.,1956. On soil color and time. Southern J. Anthropol., 12: 295-324.

Simonson,R.W., 1954. Identification and interpretation of buried soils. Am. J. Sci.,252:705-722.        

Bats dying in Ranchi city of India.

Heat waves are killing them.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Below are the pictures of the dead bats taken by me.

Yesterday it was very unfortunate day for me. I got the news that dozens of bats are dying in Morhabadi field in Ranchi city. When I visited the spot I saw dozens of bats killed and few were fighting with death in front of me. Immediate cause may be the heat waves coupled with some types of virus. As there is no shelter from the direct Sun rays these bats were direct affected with Sun's heat. In winter it was with crows and now it is the turn of bats. Ranchi has not witnessed constant high mercury for more than a fortnight. The mercury used to go up in past but it used to dip in four to five days time.

Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight.Bats are present throughout most of the world, performing vital ecological roles of pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds. Many tropical plant species depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds. Bats are important in eating insect pests, reducing the need for pesticides. 

Ranchi once a summer capital of undivided is witnessing blistering heat waves for last one fortnight. 

The mercury of Ranchi was registered 42 degree Celsius Saturday. The mercury is constantly remaining 40 to 42 degree in Ranchi. The heat waves and rise in the mercury seems to causing lives of bats. 

Beautiful Weathering structure on the rocks around Ranchi city, India.

Around Ranchi city typical structures are encountered on the rocks.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Below are the pictures of the typical weathering structures on the Rocks of the Ranchi city.

Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters. Weathering occurs in situ, or "with no movement", and thus should not be confused with erosion, which involves the movement of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, snow, wind and gravity.

Two important classifications of weathering processes exist – physical and chemical weathering. Mechanical or physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks and soils through direct contact with atmospheric conditions, such as heat, water, ice and pressure. The second classification, chemical weathering, involves the direct effect of atmospheric chemicals or biologically produced chemicals (also known as biological weathering) in the breakdown of rocks, soils and minerals.

Rocks (mainly granite gneiss and schist) around Ranchi city of Jharkhand State are covered with different types of weathered structures. Many people sometimes confused these structures with some man made rock cuttings or some ancient Archeological sites. 

In a small hill north of Ranchi city a  granite peak  was formed through a long-term differential weathering process due to the developed vertical joints and fissures in granite body. The wind erosion shaped these peak perfectly round, just like Buddhist images of different gestures.

Some of the hills also contain small caves. Lots of mythological stories are told about such caves. But according to geology all such caves are the products of different types of weathering. Some of the caves near Ranchi follow the patterns of joints in the rock; that they are "joint controlled".   

These caves may classify under Corrasional cave or erosional cave. Corrasional or erosional caves are those that form entirely by erosion by flowing streams carrying rocks and other sediments. These can form in any type of rock, including hard rocks such as granite. Generally there must be some zone of weakness to guide the water, such as a fault or joint.

In and around Ranchi city typical structures are encountered on the rocks. Sometimes it resembles to hood of the king cobra, some times foot prints of giant animals or man made structures of Archaeological importance. It may be good example of differential weathering. Differential weathering is the difference in degree of discoloration, disintegration, etc., of rocks of different kinds exposed to the same environment. 

Sometimes many outcrops contain more than one rock type. Typically, the different  rock types will weather at different  rates. This is also known as differential weathering.

 Such types of weathering occurs due to chemical weathering. 

Dolphin like structure 

Small cave formed due to weathering on the top a hill south of Ranchi city.

 Structure similar to Buddhist images of different gestures in Sutiambe hill north of Ranchi.

 Alternate weathering of rocks.

Weathering along the joints.

Alteration of hard and soft rocks due to differential weathering on  Rifle range, Bariatu.

Formation of Pot hole on top of the hill near Ranchi.

Small cave on the hill near Ranchi.

 Type of differential weathering similar to pillar like structure.

Another example of differential weathering north of Ranchi city.

Isolated Fort attracts lightning near Ranchi city of India.

Lightning Strikes every year on the Fort of Jagatpal Singh near Ranchi city.

by 

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Below are the photos of the ruined fort of the king Jagatpal Singh  which is 20 km North of Ranchi city. This area was known to center of the business trade some 500 to 200 years back. Jagatpal Singh was given the title of Raja Bahadur from the British rulers in India. Fort is believed to be some 200 to 250 years old. According to local people lightning strikes every year on these forts and has gradually destroyed it. Lightning has emerged as a big killer in the state.  When I reached the area to know the truth I came to conclusion that due to its isolation, height and covered with long trees it may attract lightning. All the forts around this area need special care. All the forts should be protected and should be given importance as historical sites.     

According to local people the above fort is struck by lightning every year. 

 Ruins of the historical fort.

Migratory birds quenching their thirsts in the pond constructed by the king.

These are typical old structures very common the area. These structures are also very old.

Children playing in pond constructed by Jagatpal Singh some 200 years ago.

Remains of the Shiva Temple also constructed by King Jagatpal Singh.

Climate change do affect our mind and body.

Are the people of Ranchi suffering from SAD Syndrome?
By.
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Recent increase in suicidal incident in Ranchi city reminds me of an old research which says that it is not only the social issue which instigates people to commit suicide but also the climate change affects our mind and body. According to the research the changes in weather sharply affects our mind it may be peak winter season, summer season or rainy season. This theory is commonly known as SAD. SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. Ranchi city is famous for its sudden change in weather.

SAD is a syndrome characterized by depression during winter months when there is less daylight. Seasonal Affective Disorder is directly related or even caused by too little sunlight, which causes the body's time clock to go out of sync, thus upsetting the body's routine, and may even affect certain hormonal levels in the body. The symptoms of SAD are depression, sadness, lethargy, fatigue, excessive sleeping, difficulty getting up in the morning, loss of appetite or increased eating of carbohydrates, thus increase in weight, decreased activity and socialization, apathy, irritability. The disorder may begin during the teen years or in early adulthood. Like other forms of depression, it occurs more often in women than in men.

There are studies that link weather with long periods of high temperatures to increase in crime. It is believed that people get irritable and hostile when it is extremely hot. Several law enforcement agencies have statistics that shows the correlation of the two. Think about how you felt if ever you had experienced a heat wave: hot, irritable, frustrated, may be even angry.

The weather can affect your mood more than you realise. "The human body, its metabolism and hormones react to the changing season resulting in changes in mood and behaviour. Just as you find yourself getting irritable and aggressive during summer, you may find yourself feeling low and lethargic in monsoon and winter.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues, or seasonal depression, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer, spring or autumn year after year.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that "some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel depressed. People who experience spring and summer depression show symptoms of classic depression including insomnia, anxiety, irritability, decreased appetite, weight loss, social withdrawal, an increased sex drive, and suicide. Additionally, many patients are unable to cope with the increased temperatures during spring and summer.

SAD was first systematically reported and named in the early 1980s by Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., and his associates at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Rosenthal was initially motivated by his desire to discover the cause of his own experience of depression during the dark days of the northern US winter. He theorized that the lesser amount of light in winter was the cause.

Some natural disaster like earthquake, floods and drought also affects our mind. People become depressed for several months after the disaster forcing few of them to commit suicide like farmers of India who were forced to commit suicide due to continued drought in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh states etc.

Not only weather change but also the pollution in atmosphere especially heavy metal pollution like Lead etc. affects our body and mind. Lead increases blood pressure which gradually affects our mind and increase irritation.

After becoming the capital Ranchi city is facing acute changes in atmosphere. Earlier it was the summer capital of united Bihar Jharkhand State famous for its pleasant climate but now the atmosphere is gradually becoming worse day by day. People of Ranchi are definitely going to be affected with such syndrome.

Effects on national highway in Jharkhand State of India due to 19th September Earthquake.

The tremor left a 200-foot long/10-foot deep crater on the road.

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

It is for the first time in earthquake history of Jharkhand that the earthquake, which jolted North and Eastern India on 19th September, left a 200-foot long crack on the NH-75 in Latehar district, disrupting traffic. The tremor left a 200-foot long/10-foot deep crater on the road disrupting traffic near Sikni Colliery. It came as surprise as the area is treated geologically as the most stable cratonic block related to tremors.

According to the local administration it was due to Sikni coal mines near that highway. They said that the mining has created instability of the upper surface of the earth of near by areas and the cracks were the multiple effects of both mining and tremors. If it is true then most of the areas of the Jharkhand State where the coal mining are rampant are under tremendous threat in future.

Geologically Jharkhand state represents a part of the Indian Peninsular shield, which is a stable cratonic block of the earth’s crust. Though it is a part of the stable block it is being rocked by mild to medium tremors. Jharkhand plateau has faced lots of tremors and geological movements in the geological past and now it is assumed that the plateau is free from any type of tremors or cratonic movement. Evidences of the regional tectonic movement in the plateau area are preserved in the form of faulting, folding, joints etc in the rocks.

Earthquakes of Jharkhand may be placed in one broad categories. Earthquakes originate from stress fields built up in the Precambrian shield, supporting the Vindhyan, Gondwana and younger basins.

Several events such as the 1868 Hazaribagh, 1963 Ranchi and 1969 Bankura were generated by release of stress built up in the relatively more stable Jharkhand Plateau region underlain by Precambrian formations. These, by analogy with other Peninsular Shield events such as Latur and Jabalpur earthquakes,may possible belong to the class of Stable Continental Earthquakes.

Possibilities of major earthquake in this stable region cannot be ruled out. Different researches has shown that ancient fault line can be re-activated. Old continental crust contains a billion-year record of past tectonic activity. This area was once a seismically active. "We don't yet understand how faults are reactivated, but it appears that some pre-existing faults are more likely to break than others. Regarding Jharkhand the possibility of reactivation of a pre-existing fault can happen under the influence of the ambient stress field due to the India–Eurasia plate collision forces.

Ruins of an ancient structure found near Ranchi in Jharkhand state of India.

Is it Geological weathering or remains of ancient structure?

by

Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

We live in a highly advanced, technical world, but there are nevertheless a great many mysteries all around us. Ancient places and mysterious beings, sunken worlds and cultures, landscapes imbued with symbolism, unexplained apparitions, and unbelievable finds from ancient times- all of these remain mysteries for human kind, despite intense investigation. Legendary ancient places tell stories that provide archaeologists and historians with information that is essential for the study of culture.

In the past, we have often been less than careful with old buildings and religious sites, many of which were left to fall to pieces after their abandonment. Lack of repair and natural forces take care of the rest, leaving the large part of most ancient sites in ruins. These ruins can still give us a lot of information about the production, form, and quality of building materials. They can also tell us what led to their destruction. The location and function of the structures can be used to help interpret past cults and cultures. Sometimes problem does arise to interpret such structures as some of it very much resembles with typical geological structures or weathering.

We have to be very careful in studying such structures or rocks. This report unreels the unsolved mysterious rock structures and cuttings, on the hills some 25 km north of Ranchi city, capital of Jharkhand State of India. These structures have recently been exposed due to expansion of road construction, and now are being continuously destroyed due to on going construction.

Ranchi possesses remnants of numerous pre-historic stone implements. Its monuments, some of which are credited to the Asuras by the Mundas, yielded such a mixed assortment of finds as polished stone stools, Carnelian beads, wheel-made pottery, copper and bronze objects, copper and gold ornaments and even iron slags, that it is impossible to date them to any one age.

Credit goes to my senior friend Mrs. Elizabeth Borde who told me about these mysterious unsolved rock structures. She used to visit that area from her childhood. When I visited the area with her, I was surprised to see that some weathered structures which very much resemble to ancient rock pillars were lying at the road side. Many were still found intact with rocks of that area.

The way the rocks are carved, it clearly indicates that people at that time in this area were perfect in making such structure. The rock cuttings and stone blocks fitting snugly together were probably hewed from granite rocks.

At first instance it very much resembled with that of typical geological weathering or different layered rocks. As a geologist I looked on the structures that showed a typical pattern of weathering which are not common in other parts of these state. Though it was a weathering but not of usual local hard rocks but that resembling to some ancient structures like stratified pillars.

I was also surprised to see some geometrical lines and angles, rock cuttings and even plant imprints and radiating lines on the rock surface.

Ranchi rocks are mainly Chotanagpur Granite gneiss with Quartzite, Amphibolites etc. Chotanagpur Granite Gneiss forms the country rock of the district and is a part of the enormous intrusive mass. It shows wide variations from fine to coarse grained and porphyritic types, and form massive to highly gneissic types. Weathered structures seen here are not common in Granitic rocks.

Geologists may feel that structures are the outcome of natural weathering, but the pattern of weathering is peculiar. It seems that in ancient days there must have been huge structure, may be of Buddhism, build up on the top of the hills, which finally collapsed either due to natural disaster or some invasions.

Some scholars feel that Buddhism influenced this area in Early History. There are several ruins of the Buddhist monuments and statutes in different places of Jharkhand. Apart from Buddhism, Jainism also makes its presence in Jharkhand.

In early history this inaccessible region full of dense forest and treacherous terrain coupled with its wild inhabitants, appears never to have been completely subdued. It is said that the “Atavi” (or forest states) too acknowledged the supremacy of Magadh during the reign of Maurayas.

Road construction is going on putting threat on these mysterious rock structures. Early destruction took place in 1960 when rocks of these structures were used for constructing wall guard along the road side. Even today villagers used these rocks for constructing their houses. The ruins of these pillars, rock cuttings may be vital clue to ancient civilizations developed and gradually vanished from this area. More research is needed to reveal the age and the mystery of the structures and rock carvings.

Subarnarekha river in Jharkhand State of India is drying up.

Origin source is under threat.by
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi

Fig.1 In year 2009 the origin source was emitting full of water. Fig.2. In year 2011 source is completely dried.
Fig.3. In year 2009 area near the source well was filled with water and vegetation.

Fig.4. In year 2011, only small rivulet is left. Green vegetation has vanished.
Few days ago I with my three friends decided to visit the origin place of the famous Subarnarekha (Swarnrekha) River of Jharkhand State in India. This was my third visit. My friends were more curious to see how Subarnarekha originates from the place. This place is 30 kms form the Ranchi city, the capital of Jharkhand State. My friends were imagining that area must be full of greeneries and water. As we were approaching the area our excitement was mounting up. Our car stopped few hundred meters before the spot. We came out of the car and looked around in the clean atmosphere. But what we saw was only dry soils and rocks with very less surface water which was also contaminated with iron. Iron contamination was seen the form of thin oil film on the surface water. Source of iron to the water is from the laterite rocks of that area. Laterite rocks contain high amount of iron which is visible in the form of red colors of the rocks.

My friends were more depressed to see the area as it was just opposite to their imagination. No green luster, no water only desert. Two years ago when I visited the area, different origin spots were emitting clean water and vast area was under flowing water. Today except one or two spots all were dried up.

From last two years Jharkhand is not receiving sufficient rainfall which has adversely affected the river flow and its source. The rain water percolates downwards to recharge the groundwater in the catchment areas of Subarnarekha river. Due to lack of rain water the area has gone dry affecting the flow.

The basin of the Subarnarekha is smaller amongst the mutli-state river basins in India. The rain-fed river covers a drainage area of 1.93 million hectares.

After originating near Piska/ Nagri, near Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, the Subarnarekha traverses a long distance through Ranchi, Seraikela, Kharsawan and East Singhbhum districts in the state. Thereafter it flows for shorter distances through Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal for 83 kilometres (52 mi) and Balasore district of Orissa. There it flows for 79 kilometres and joins the Bay of Bengal near Talsari. The total length of the river is 470 kilometres.

The name Subarnarekha means “the thread of gold” and the sands of the river and some of its tributaries are auriferous, but without any prospect.

The largest river in Jharkhand, the Subarnarekha flows eastward upto Muri, galloping down the Hirni, Dasam, Johna and Hundru falls. It then takes a sharp turn to the south and flows into the gap between the Ajodya (Bhagmundi) hills on the east and the Ranchi uplands in the west.

The prominent tributaries of the Subarnarekha are Kharkai, Raru, Kanchi, Damra, Karru, Chinguru, Karakari, Gurma, Garra, Singaduba, Kodia, Dulunga and Khaijori.The Kharkai meets the Subarnarekha at Sonari(Domuhani), a neighbourhood of Jamshedpur.


If this river really goes dry it is not only going to affect the different falls but also two big dams Hatia and Rukka. These two dams are used to quench the thirst of half of the population of Ranchi district. These two dams are already under threat of depleting water level.

The declining water levels in major rivers of Jharkhand State much ahead of the dry season is lowering the underground water levels and also affecting cultivation in State. Environmentalists fear negative changes in overall climate will make the region more prone to calamities.

The adverse impacts of global climate changes (CC) have forced the Subarnarekha River to dry up abnormally much ahead of the dry season now like every year in recent times.
Reduced run-off is increasing the pressure on freshwater resources in much of the state, especially with more demand for water as population increases. Freshwater being a vital resource, the downward trends are a great concern.