Elephant, Koel, Palash and Saal: the four state symbols on the Jharkhand state portal

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Elephant, Koel, Palash and Saal: the four state symbols on the Jharkhand state portal

Background

The official state portal of the Government of Jharkhand lists four state symbols. The state animal is the Elephant (Elephas Maximus Indicus) and the state bird is the Koel (Eudynamys Scolopaceus). The state flower is Palash (Butea Monosperma) and the state tree is Saal (Shorea Robusta). The same portal records that forests and woodlands occupy more than 29% of the state, which it describes as amongst the highest in India. The name of the state bird is also carried by a river: the portal lists the Chota Nagpur Plateau as the source of the Koel, Damodar, Brahmani, Kharkai, and Subarnarekha rivers, whose upper watersheds lie within Jharkhand.

State animal: Elephant (Elephas Maximus Indicus) State bird: Koel (Eudynamys Scolopaceus) State flower: Palash (Butea Monosperma) State tree: Saal (Shorea Robusta) Forests and woodlands: more than 29% of the state

Why it matters for exams: State symbols are among the most frequently asked single-mark questions, and Jharkhand's set is unusual because the state bird's name is also the name of one of the rivers rising on the Chota Nagpur Plateau.

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8 October 2026 Source: Government of Jharkhand — About State

In plain words

Palash — A dry-forest tree with scarlet flowers, also called the flame of the forest.

Saal — A hardwood tree that dominates the dry deciduous forests of the Chota Nagpur Plateau.