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.
Geography
Keonjhar is a land locked district with an area of 8240 km2. It is situated in the northern part of Orissa. It is surrounded by Singhbhum district of Jharkhand in the North, Jajpur in the South, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh in the West and Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak in the East. It lies between 21°1'N and 22°10'N latitudes, between 35°11' and 86°22' longitude and at 480 meter altitude.Baitrani river originate from keonjhar plateau
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[1] Kendujhar had a population of 15,61,990. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Kendujhar has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 67%. In Kendujhar, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
Following the integration of the feudatory states with Orissa on 1 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. The whole district of Keonjhar was a princely state before its merger with Orissa. The early history of the State is not adequately known. It was most probably a part of the old Khijjinga territory with headquarters at Khijjinga Kota, identified with modern Khiching. It became a separate state with Jyoti Bhanja as its ruling chief in the first half of the 12th century A.D. The then State of Keonjhar comprised only the northern half of the modern district for a long time prior to the installation of Jyoti Bhanja as King. During the latter part of the 15th century the southern half was occupied by King Govinda Bhanja under whose rule Keonjhar was extended from Singbhum in the north to Sukinda(a Zamindari in Cuttack district) in the South and from Mayurbhanj in the East to the borders of the States of Bonai, Pallahara and Anugul in the West. During the rule of Pratap Balabhadra Bhanja (1764-1792 A.D.) two small areas of Tillo and Jujhpada were purchased from the Zamindar of Kantajhari and were added to the State. These were recognised as parts of Keonjhar in the Sanad granted by the East India Company to Raja Janardan Bhanj in 1804. Since then there had been no territiorial changes of the State till its merger with the Province of Orissa. But after merger largely for the reasons of administrative expediency the areas of Tillo (7.51 km2) and Jujhpada (9.06sq.km.) were transferred to the districts of Baleshwar and Cuttack respectively, while a number of villages called Ambo group (14.84 km2.) of Balasore district were added to Keonjhar district.
Education
The colleges in Keonjhar include:
Dharanidhar(DD) Government College. Anandapur College
Government Women's College.
Orissa School of Mining Engineering(OSME).(Under Biju Patnaik University of Technology.)
Keonjhar School of Engineering(KSE).
Keonjhar Law College.
Kushaleswar Anchalika Mahavidyalaya, Rekutia, Keonjhar
The schools in Keonjhar include:
Dhanurjaya Narayana (DN) High School.
Green Field School
Nirmala convent School
Kendriya Vidyalaya
Govt Girls High School.
Police Line High School.
Tarimul High School.
Kushaleswar High School.
Janamangal High School, Keshadurapal, Keonjhar.
Aum Maa Saraswati Bidyapitha,Ganpur,Angarua,Keonjhar
