Chhotanagpur is an area in Jharkhand state of India. It covers almost the whole area of Jharkhand. Therefore the History of Chhotanagpur is almost the ((History of Jharkhand)). During the age of vedas, the whole inaccessible tract was known as Jharkhand which included parts of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal and the present Jharkhand state. Tribals were the rulars of this area. During the rule of Madra Munda in fifth century, a boy was found beside a pond under the protection of a Nag snake. Since, the boy was found under the hood of the snake, he was named Phanimukut. Phanimukut was elected the first king and the dynasty was called Nagvansh. The entire area ruled by him and his dynasty then came to be known as Nagpur. How this Nagpur became Chhotanagpur is not yet exactly known. However, there are several theories. The most convincing theory is that the reign of this Nagpur when came under the hands of the successors of Phanimukut, it linguistically came to be known as Chhota Nagpur or Chhotanagpur. "Chhota" literally means "small" or "junior". Sons are called junior to their fathers. And thus Phanimukut's successors became Chhota Nag and their kingdoms Chhota Nagpur. Another theory says: Since Phanimukut was said to have established his kingdom at Chutia in Ranchi, the whole kingdom came to be known as Chutia nagpur which in later periods became Chhota Nagpur or Chhotanagpur. There are ruins of a Nagvanshi fort in Sisai block in Gumla district. There is a tradition there that the king was elected by people and therefore they called him Chhota Nag, and his kingdom Chhota Nagpur or Chhotanagpur.