| Ajodhya hills | |
|---|---|
| অযোধ্যা পাহাড় | |
 | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Chamtuburu |
| Elevation | 720 m (2,360 ft) |
| Listing | Hills of West Bengal |
| Coordinates | 23°17′12″N86°06′56″E / 23.28667°N 86.11556°E /23.28667; 86.11556 |
| Geography | |
  Ajodhya hills Ajodhya hills (India) Show map of India | |
  8km 5miles J H A R K H A N D △ Chandni Hill △ V Ajodhya Hills △ Chamtuburu T Subarnarekha River T  T Bamni Falls T T Ajodhya Hill top X H R R Patardi R R R R R R R M C C C Places in Jhalda subdivision in Purulia district. Key: M: municipality, C: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical/ religious centre, X: craft centre, T: tourist centre, △: hills Owing to space constraints in the small map, the locations in the larger map on click through may vary slightly. | |
| Parent range | Chhotanagpur Plateau |
Ajodhya Hills (Bengali:অযোধ্যা পাহাড়), is a small plateau with hilly surroundings located in thePurulia district of the stateWest Bengal,India. It is the easternmost part of theChhotanagpur Plateau and extended part ofEastern Ghats range. Highest peak of Ajodhya Hills is Chamtuburu (720 m).[1] The nearby populated town area isBagmundi.
Purulia is situated in the westernmost part of the Indian state of West Bengal and forms the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The district features a rugged and undulating landscape, marked by scattered hills, ridges, and plateaus. The soil is predominantly lateritic, supporting dry deciduous vegetation.
Major rivers flowing through the region include theKangsabati,Subarnarekha, andKumari, which play a crucial role in the district's irrigation and ecology. TheAjodhya Hills, located in the southern part of the district, are part of the extended plateau region and serve as an important ecological and tourist zone.
The climate of Purulia is classified astropical savanna (Aw) under theKöppen climate classification. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are cool and pleasant. Rainfall occurs mainly during the monsoon months from June to September. The district is known for its scenic beauty, tribal villages, and potential for eco-tourism development.
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It is a popular place for young mountaineers to learn the basic course in rock climbing. There are three routes available to reach Ajodhya Hills. ViaJhalda, viaSirkabad and viaBaghmundi. There are two Forest Rest Houses here, one at Ajodhya hill top and the other is at Matha range office.Gorgaburu with a height of 677 m (2,221 ft),[2][3] Mayuri etc. are some of the peaks of Ajodhya hills range.[4] Chamtuburu 699 m (2,293 ft)[1] is also the highest peak of southern West Bengal.
The area forms the lowest step of theChota Nagpur Plateau. The general scenario is undulating land with scattered hills. The area around Baghmundi or Ajodhya Hill is an extended plateau.[5]
| Name | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chemtaburu | 699 m (2,293 ft) | [1] |
| Gorgaburu | 642 m (2,106 ft) | |
| Chandni Pahar | 620 m (2,030 ft) | |
| Ganjaburu | 602 m (1,975 ft) | |
| Mayur Pahar | 598 m (1,962 ft) | |
| Gojaburu | 585 m (1,919 ft) | |
| Jajahatu | 575 m (1,886 ft) | |
| Pakhi Pahar | 480 m (1,570 ft) | |
| Mathaburu | 478 m (1,568 ft) | |
| Kuhuburu | 468 m (1,535 ft) |
During Mughal times the area was a part of Bengal Subah. Later on after defeat of Mughals, the area became a part of Manbhum district under the British Raj. After the independence the area became a part of Bihar state. After states were reorganised in mid fifties the area came under West Bengal.
Famous Deulghata Jain temples (11th cent AD) lies about 15 K.M. north of Ajodhya Hills. Charida the village of Chhau mask makers, lies just south of the southern boundary of the hills. It is said that the mask making for famous ‘Chhau’ dance started under the auspices of king Madan Mohan Singh Deo of Banghmundi.
According to Hindu mythology,Rama andSita had come to Ajodhya Hills and stayed during their exile. Sita was thirsty and Ram pierced an arrow through the Earth's soil crust and through that water gushed out. Sita quenched her thirst. The place is known as Sita-kunda. During the full moon day inBaisakh every yearSanthal,Bhumij andMunda tribals of nearby areas come and join in the game of hunting wild animals, calledDisum Sendra.[4][6]
Rocks that make up Ajodhya hills belong to a group of rocks called Chhotanagpur Granite Gneiss Complex. Investigations have revealed that they formed more than a billion years ago in Mesoproterozoic era.[7] Since then the area underwent multiple phases of tectonic movements, and witnessed metamorphic and magmatic episodes, thus forming varieties of rocks that we see today. Prolonged erosion through ages sculpted the area and formed its admirable river valleys, residual hills, lakes, springs and waterfalls that make the area a major ecotourism hot spot. There are at least 37 locations where tourists can see and admire these rocks and landforms.[2] They are called geosites which are known for their distinct aesthetic appeal as well as for being archives that record the history of Earth. They are popular among geotourists.
Apart from being geodiverse, the area is also biodiverse. Many species of mammals, amphibians, insects etc can be spotted in the dry, deciduous forests of the region. One such species is theMadras treeshrew which is small mammal, not common in West Bengal.[citation needed] Among the trees, Sal, Palash, Kusum, Mohua, Kend, and various bamboos are commonly observed.
Purulia Pumped Storage Project with an installed capacity of 900 MW (4 X 225 MW) has been set up in Ajodhya hills under Baghmundi police station with the loan assistance ofJapan Bank for International Cooperation.[8]
Near Ajodhya Hills, there is Turga Dam and the Lake, and the pleasant waterfall formed by the River Bamni. The Turga Dam site is a tourist spot, where the visitors can spend their day.[4]
