Ranchi (IANS): Jharkhand’s ancient megalithic heritage is set to gain global attention as the state government prepares to showcase its millennia-old stone structures, cave paintings, and unique landscapes at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
A government delegation led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren will represent the state at Davos later this month. The team will present detailed documentation on Jharkhand’s megalithic sites before the international community, with the aim of initiating concrete steps towards their global recognition and long-term conservation as world heritage sites.
According to the official programme, the delegation will leave Jharkhand on January 18 and remain abroad until January 26. This marks the first-ever participation of the Jharkhand government at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.
Following the Davos visit, the delegation will travel to the United Kingdom, where it will hold engagements in London and Oxford. These meetings will focus on investment promotion, policy cooperation, and institutional partnerships. During the UK leg of the tour, Chief Minister Soren will also deliver a special lecture and take part in an interactive session at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
As per information released by the state’s public relations department, Jharkhand will project itself at Davos under the theme “harmony with nature and development.” The delegation is scheduled to participate in multiple sessions centred on investment opportunities, mineral resources, industrial infrastructure, energy transition, tourism and sustainable development.
Alongside economic discussions, Jharkhand’s cultural and natural heritage will be a key highlight. The megalithic structures found across Singhbhum, Hazaribagh and nearby regions are regarded as historically significant and are believed to be associated with astronomical knowledge, including observations of the sun’s movement and calculations of day and night.
In particular, the megalithic sites of Pakri Barwadih in Hazaribagh are often compared to Stonehenge in England due to their structural similarities and possible astronomical alignment. Experts believe these ancient monuments reflect a shared understanding of early human civilisation, where nature, time, and the cosmos were expressed through stone architecture.
The Jharkhand government hopes that this international outreach will not only open new avenues for investment and development but also help secure global recognition for the state’s unique and ancient megalithic heritage.
