JUNGLE TERRY

Before the creation of Bihar as a separate entity, it was part of the Bengal Presidency and Bengal Province. And within that, the districts of Monghyr (Munger), Bhagalpur, Santal Parganas and Birbhum were created much later in the 19th century. But in the early part of the 1800s, there existed a district under Bengal that consisted the tribal regions and lush green forests that are now in Bihar and Jharkhand states. This district was named by the British as Jungleterry or Jungle Terry.

Having obsolete boundaries that changed drastically after the reorganization of the province, names that were heavily Anglicized on international maps, Jungelerry consisted of Monghir (Munger), Boglypour (Bhagalpur), Birbhoom (Birbhum), Raujeshy (Rajshahi), Rajemal (Rajmahal), Choy, Futtasing and Furkyah regions. Among the above, Rajshahi is in Bangladesh but at one time the Rajshahi division stretched from central West Bengal to Dhaka. In today's geography, Jungleterry stretched from Munger in the west to Murshidabad in the east, and Kosi division in the north to Santal Pargana division in the south (which is in Jharkhand).

Geographically, this area is known as Chota Nagpur region and is a hub of Santhal tribe of India. The creation of Santal Pargana district took place in 1855, a nomenclature still in use in modern Jharkhand. On the map here, a region in Rajemal (Rajmahal) region is shown 'unexplored'. It was actually unexplored by the Europeans as it consisted dense thick forests. There is one more name mentioned 'Bahar' that was the Anglicization of Bihar.

The name 'Jungleterry' or 'Jungle Terry' ceased to be in use since 1805 when the district was converted into Jungle Mahals. The name disappeared soon after the creation and reorganization of Monghyr, Bhagalpur, Santal Parganas, Murshidabad and Malda districts in later part of the 19th century.