Editorial photo #13942032 Human Interest

Purulia’s Landscape - Agriculture - Soil & Climate - Water

A landscape of the Chhotanagpur Plateau with red laterite soil and dense forests in Purulia, West Bengal, India, on January 13, 2026. The region features hills such as Ajodhya and Panchet, 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%. Hinduism is the predominant religion, followed by a significant Muslim minority. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)