The upland country, which is full of cultivation, is not devoid of hills, but there are either isolated peaks like Phuljori or small ranges like Teor. Their isolation breaks the monotony of the landscape with Phuljori stretching up to 2300 ft and Teor to less than 2000 ft.

The Pahariyas are believed to be the earliest settlers in this region. This race found refuge in the Rajmahal hills and they have to this day retained their peculiarity and customs. The total population is around 130 thousand, about two-third of who are situated in the villages of the villages of the Rajmahal hills where any sign of development is elusive. There are no proper roads, no electricity and no arrangement even for drinking water. There are a handful of schools and health centres but they are inadequate and in miserable condition.

The Pahariyas interact rarely with outsiders, tending to be very timid in nature. Communication gap is another hindrance as most of them can not understand nor speak Hindi.

Mostly the Pahariyas are emotional and religious in nature. They worship thousands of gods and spirits, but have no fixed day for worshipping. Most religious observations are geared towards satiating the spirits of the forefathers and avoiding their displeasure. In this tribal community there is a deep belief in unseen forces like bad spirits and ghosts whom it is thought intervene in human affairs.

Diseases or misfortune are often attributed to hostile spirits. The "pahan' (priest) in addition to his religious functions, is supposed to save his devotees from natural calamities.

Though these people are patriarchal minded, dowry is not practised as a rule. On the other hand, just like the Muslim community, the groom has to pay something, either in cash or in kind, to the father of the bride. The village "sittu", the middleman, mostly settles marriages. The sittu negotiates the marriages and also fixes the price what the groom has to pay to the father of the bride.

Pre-marital sexual relationship is not a taboo. But, if an unmarried girl becomes pregnant, her lover has to marry or any other person, who has to take the permission of her lover. And abortion of child if not in natural course, is a taboo and punishable in Pahariya community.

Interestingly, in the Pahariya community a girl can marry more than once, for any reason without any divorce, but a man does not possesses that permission. He can marry second time only after the death of his first wife. A Pahariya woman is also free to have sexual relationship with more than one person apart from her husband. This is not taboo in their community.