town, northern Orissa state, eastern India. Keonjhar is a trade centre for the farm and forest products of the surrounding area. Hand-loom weaving is also important. The town contains an old raja's palace and is the site of colleges affiliated with Utkal University. The chief river of the region, the Baitarani, venerated in popular epics and legends, provides water for irrigation. Most of the potentially arable land in the area is not under cultivation. Rice is the principal crop, with timber, bamboo, and lac (used to produce shellac) obtained from the forests. A hilly region north of the town contains rich deposits of iron ore and other minerals. Before independence, Keonjhar was one of the princely Orissa states; it was incorporated into the present state in 1948. Pop. (2001) 51,845.