Jharkhandinc Bureau
HAZARIBAGH, March 20:
On the morning of March 21, as dawn breaks over Hazaribagh, a quiet astronomical event will unfold at Pankri Barwadih in Barkagaon. At around 5.51 am, the rising sun is expected to align with a set of ancient megalithic stones, marking the vernal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal.
At this site, the sunrise is not just a natural occurrence. The sunlight passes through a V-shaped arrangement of stones, creating a visible alignment that corresponds with seasonal solar movements.
Researchers say the site allows observation of four key solar events during the year: the two equinoxes in March and September, and the solstices in June and December.
The site was identified by researcher Shubhashish Das, who has studied it for over two decades. He said the alignment indicates a long-standing understanding of solar patterns.
According to him, the arrangement suggests that communities in the region may have tracked the movement of the sun using physical markers, well before the development of modern astronomical tools.
Similar alignments are seen at global heritage sites such as Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland, where ancient structures are linked to solar events.
However, Pankri Barwadih remains relatively lesser known and has received limited conservation attention.
Researchers and observers say the site represents a convergence of scientific observation and cultural practice. For local communities, the stones are part of a broader landscape connected to traditions and continuity.
Concerns have been raised about preservation of megalithic sites in Jharkhand, with some locations reportedly damaged over time due to neglect and human activity.
There have been discussions in the past about developing the site as an equinox observation point, but sustained conservation efforts have yet to take shape.
Experts say preserving such sites is important not only for archaeological value but also for understanding early knowledge systems related to astronomy and environment.
The equinox alignment itself lasts only a short duration. As the sun rises and moves beyond the alignment, the moment passes quickly.
But observers say the phenomenon offers a glimpse into how earlier communities may have interpreted time and seasons through direct observation of the sky.
