Kendujhar

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?Kendujhar Orissa • India
Kendujhar
Coordinates: 21°38′N 85°35′E / 21.63, 85.58
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
District(s)	Kendujhar
Population	51,832 (2001)

Coordinates: 21°38′N 85°35′E / 21.63, 85.58 Kendujhar is a city and a municipality in Kendujhar District (also spelled Keonjhar District and Kendujhargarh District) in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kendujhar district.

The district of Keonjhar, lying between 21o1'N and 22o10'N latitude and 85o11' E to 86o22' E longitude presents a panorama of many millennia, both from the geographical and anthropological point of view. Spread over an area of 8,240 km², it is as varied as the whole of Orissa with water-falls of various sizes and roaring gorges with rolling boulders spreading onwards to the plains of Anandapur which are a rare combination to be found else where.

Keonjhar has the distinction of containing one of the oldest rocks of the world, approximately 38,000 millions year old, covering an area of 100 km² at Asanpat. It also bears the oldest stone inscription found in Orissa palaeogeologically belonging to the Gupta period. In Sitabinj, we find the fresco paintings in the cave shelter of Ravana Chhaya dating back to 5th century A.D.

Anthropologically, its two main tribes, the Juangs and the Bhuyans, carry a distinct and interesting past. The Juangs say they are the most ancient tribe of the world and though they have acquired some modern ways of living, we find traces of many aboriginal practices still prevalent among them.

The district of Keonjhar is highly rich in mineral resources and has vast deposits of iron, manganese and chrome ores. About 30% of its total area is covered with dense tracts of forests. But, despite its immense mineral and forest wealth, the district remains economically undeveloped.

Following the integration of the feudatory states with Orissa on 1st January, 1948 the erstwhile princely state of Keonjhar emerged as one of its districts with its head-quarters at Keonjhargarh and since then it is continuing as such.