Asia’s Hidden Gem and Jharkhand’s Pride – The Saranda Forest

Jharkhand, a pristine state with a plethora of experiences ranging from cultural to culinary delights, waterfalls, temples, and parks, is a gem slowly being unearthed in the Indian tourism circuit. Despite its push for modernization, Jharkhand retains a rural, almost emotional attachment to its roots. With a huge potential for delight and amazement, the state is now on the map and in the minds of travellers looking for a new adventure. It is blessed with a divine natural landscape, and is a sight for sore eyes, with its lush forests teeming with flora and fauna. During the monsoon season, rivers roar with gushing streams, trees glisten with newfound colours, fruits and flowers bloom in the drenched forests and fields, and among them resides the mighty Saranda Forest.

Saranda is Asia’s largest Sal Forest and the pride of Jharkhand. It is located on the border between Odisha and Jharkhand, encompassing both states. Saranda, which means “elephants” got its name from the presence of a large number of elephants within this dense forest and because of the presence of iron ore mines governed by SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited), Kiriburu, and Meghahatuburu in Jharkhand are the most well-known destinations along the Saranda Forest.

It is the home of the endangered flying lizard, and in the local Ho language it means “the land of seven hundred hills.” It is located in the West Singhbhum District, 60 kilometres from Jamshedpur. Saranda has diverse and colourful flora and fauna. It is well-known for its magnificent Sal trees. Aside from Sal, the main and dominant tree species, a plethora of trees, herbs, and shrubs adorn this lovely forest. It is a gold mine of wildlife, with everything from mammals to birds and reptiles. Its beauty is simply unprecedented.

The best option for getting there from Kolkata is to take a train to Manoharpur or Barbil. We arrived in Barbil by train on 29 December 2021 and were greeted by the hotel staff who provided transportation. Upon reaching the station, the economic situation in Barbil was something that was very surprising. The economy of the whole city is mainly sustained by mining, painting the city a whole different shade of red. The city houses a few hotels as it mostly gets seasonal tourists. We spent a total of 4 days in Barbil, ringing in our new year with mother nature. The entire journey was eye-opening because I got to witness nature’s beauty up close.

The forest of Saranda is arguably nature’s most exquisite gift. Its grandeur, bewitching charm, and splendour cast a spell. Nature may have been a little more generous in adoring the contours of its seven hundred hills and an observer looking out from one of the many hill peaks will readily agree. The scenery is breathtaking, with hills upon hills, densely forested valleys, and meandering live streams. There could not have been a more significant moment in one’s life than being able to visit this kingdom of Sal trees with its natural diverse biodiversity.

The forest supports a large number of people, particularly those from the Ho, Munda, Orion, Santhal, and some primitive tribe communities. Almost every household gathers forest products such as honey, mushrooms, Mahua flowers and seeds, Sal leaves, Ciyal leaves, medicinal plants, forest wood, firewood, poles, and thatching grass, among others. The number of streams that lead to rivers is also the lifeline of the people who live in villages and support their agricultural activities. The preservation of these areas will ensure the people’s livelihood.

Upon interacting with some local families, we got a glimpse of their culture and history that ties them with the forest. For centuries, the tribal communities have lived sustainably within the forests and they have played an important role in forest maintenance and protection. The ecology of the forests is inextricably linked to the tribe’s spiritual and cultural practices. The cultural integration and significance of the forests to tribal communities extends from birth to death, for example, the Ho community custom requires burials to take place under the shade of trees within the Saranda forests.

The hills also have significant deposits of high-grade iron ore and special permits are required to enter the land as active mining and blasting zones are present. The whole mining area is heavily guarded and photography is strictly prohibited during mining hours. Although mining serves as an important economic source it has its own downfall. Until 2016, 85 companies were granted nearly 1,200 hectares of land within the forests for iron ore mining. Large stretches of forest land that served as an elephant corridor, as well as agricultural land belonging to and supporting villagers’ livelihoods, have been destroyed as a result of mining operations. Not just the livelihood, streams that serve the villagers’ domestic and agricultural needs are getting polluted with mining waste, reducing agricultural productivity. Forests and mountains sacred to the Adivasis have been degraded as a result of iron ore mining operations.

Forests such as Saranda make us realise the importance of nature and the need to conserve them for future generations. This brings us to reflect on the importance of forest conservation movements in the past, which left a significant effect on wildlife. One such big movement that comes to mind is the Chipko movement. The movement’s main goal was to protect trees and forest areas because they were the primary source of income for the tribal people of the region. They were extremely reliant on forest resources for survival. It was one of India’s most significant movements against deforestation in order to preserve the environment.

The original Chipko movement is, however, linked to Rajasthan. The king of Jodhpur ordered the cutting of trees in the 18th century to build a beautiful palace. The andolan began in Rajasthan’s Khejarli village, where 363 people gave their lives to protect khejri trees. Today when we are getting the chance to enjoy wildlife and understand its importance, it’s because of such movements which shaped the future.

When we relish nature afront, and experience waterfalls making their way through the dense vegetation without pausing for anything, it gives us a reality check that no matter how much human beings develop or find loopholes to control the tide of nature, it will always listen to its own tune and make the path for its journey. That being said, my journey to Barbil was momentous and the day we departed from the iron city, I knew a piece of my heart will forever live among the trees.

Ankita Sen,

Intern, Asia in Global Affairs

References

• The ambiguous future of Jharkhand’s Saranda Forest, 27 September 2019, Dipak Anand, Syed Ainul Hussain
• Mining devours Saranda, the largest Sal Forest in Asia, 5 December 2018, Gurvinder Singh
• Incredible India, Saranda Forest