HAZARIBAGH  , a

town and district of British India, in the Chota Nagpur division of Bengal . The town is well situated at an elevation of 2000 ft . Pop . (tool) 15,799 . Hazaribagh has ceased to be a military cantonment since the European penitentiary was abolished . There are a central jail and a reformatory school . The Dublin University Mission maintains a First Arts college . The DISTRICT comprises an area of 7021 sq. m . In 1901 the population was 1,177,961, showing an increase of I%o in the decade . The physical formation of Hazaribagh exhibits three distinct features: (I) a high central plateau occupying the western section, the surface of which is undulating and cultivated; (2) a lower and more extensive plateau stretching along the north and eastern portions; to the north, the land is well cultivated, while to the east the country is of a more varied character, the elevation is lower, and the character of a plateau is gradually lost; (3) the central valley of the Damodar river occupying the entire southern section . Indeed, although the characteristics of the district are rock, hill and wide-spreading jungle, fine patches of cultivation are met with in all parts, and the scenery is generally pleasing and often striking . The district forms a part of the chain of high land which extends across the continent of India, south of the Nerbudda on the west, and south of the Sone river on the east .

The most important river is the Damodar, with its many tributaries, which drains an area of 2480 sq. m . The

history of the district is involved in obscurity until 1755, about which time a certain Mukund Singh was chief of the country . In a few years he was superseded by Tej Singh, who had gained the assistance of the British . In 178o Hazaribagh, along with the surrounding territory, passed under direct British rule . The district contains an important coal-field at Giridih which supplies the East Indian railway . There are altogether six mines . There are also mica mines which are gaining in importance . Rice and oilseeds are the principal crops . Tea cultivation has been tried but does not flourish, and is almost extinct . The only railways are the branch of the East Indian to the coal-field at Giridih, where there is a technical school maintained by the railway company, and the newly-opened Gaya-Katrasgarh chord line; but the district is traversed by the Grand Trunk road . Parasnath hill is annually visited by large numbers of Jain worshippers .