A rugged landscape of the Chhotanagpur Plateau with red laterite soil and dense forests is seen in Purulia, West Bengal, India, on January 13, 2026. The region is marked by hills like Ajodhya and Panchet and is interspersed with water bodies and waterfalls. Agriculture is primarily rain-fed and mono-cropped, with Kharif paddy as the main crop, cultivated on smallholdings by marginal farmers. Limited water availability restricts multi-cropping, but maize, pulses (arhar, muskalai), and mustard are also grown, along with traditional rice varieties, which cover 83% of the net cropped area. The area experiences hot, dry summers and has a cropping intensity of around 114%. Financially insolvent rural indigenous communities in Purulia rely heavily on local private buses and informal rural transport (such as cycle-rickshaw and trekker networks). In Purulia, Hinduism is the predominant religion, followed by a significant Muslim minority.
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