Latehar is a town which is a headquarter of Latehar district of Jharkhand state, it is known for its natural environment, forest, forest products and mineral deposits. Latehar remained a part of Palamau District as a sub division since 1924. It was elevated from sub divisional status to a district on 4 April 2001, vide Jharkhand Government Notification No 946 dated 04.04.2001. Latehar is located on the north–west corner of Jharkhand in the Palamau Commissionary. It is surrounded by Ranchi, Lohardaga, Gumla, Palamu and Chatra district apart from Chhattisgarh state and district headquarters is situated at 84.51198 East Longitude and 23.741988 North Latitude. It’s a predominantly tribal district with almost 45.54% of the population belonging to the scheduled tribes. More than 66% of total population comprises SCs and STs. The total area of the district is 3,622.50 km2 and one of the block headquarters is more than 200 km away from the district headquarters. Jharkhand's second largest waterfall is situated in Latehar. Early history The early history of Palamu is shrouded in legends and traditions. Since the district consisted mostly of forest tracts the territory seldom engaged the attention of invading armies, and the area remained outside the pale of influence of empires which were established in other parts of modern Bihar. The area was probably inhabited by autochthonous tribes in the past. The Kharwars, Oraons and Cheros, three aboriginal races ruled over this tract. Inscriptions and other relics which have been found indicate a fairly developed civilization in spite of the jungles and comparative inaccessibility of the area. The Oraons had their headquarters at Rohtas Garh in the then Shahabad district (which included the present district of Kaimur and Rohtas) and there are indications that for sometime a portion of Palamu was ruled from the headquarters of Rohtas Garh. The Cheros reigned in Palamu for nearly 200 years. This included the Chero ruler Medni Rai, who according to tradition made himself lord Paramount of the southern portion of Gaya and of large portions of Hazaribag and Surguja (in Chhattisgarh). His son, Pratap Rai built a fort at Palamu separate from the fort that had been built by his father. Prior to the domination of Palamu by the Cheros, Rakshel Rajputs held sway over the district. They, in turn, had supplanted early Marhatta settlers of whom, however, no trace is to be found now. They have probably been assimilated in