Stone Slabs to Megaliths: A Study of Hargarhi at Agra and Baru, Jharkhand

Ankit Oraon

The megalithic complexes of Jharkhand represent one of the most significant yet under-researched cultural phenomena in the Indian subcontinent. The state of Jharkhand, situated in eastern India, occupies the heart of the Chotanagpur plateau, a region defined by its rugged terrain, dense forests, rich mineral deposits and various tribal groups. Among all the tribal communities, the Munda community’s evidence of practicing megalithic culture, locally called hargarhi, can be found in large numbers in different scattered sites of Jharkhand. Likewise, there are stone slabs identified as megaliths in archaeological parlance at Agra and Baru in the central east region of Jharkhand. Some questions arise in curiosity such as - what are these stone slabs and why are these stone slabs kept in that particular place? Who made these and from when? Is there any change in the practice as it is a tradition passed down from generation to generation among the Mundas? Unlike the megalithic sites of Western Europe or south India, which are largely viewed as archaeological relics of a vanished past, the stones of Jharkhand are active participants in the socio-religious life of its indigenous peoples. The present ethnoarchaeological study focuses on understanding the belief system reflected in these stone arrangements and gathering which serves as living archives of lineage, ritual and history. The study also focuses on the continuity and contemporary changes in the practice of hargarhi as these structures serve as a vital link between the prehistoric period and contemporary tribal identities.