Despite certain political turbulence, Ranchi continues to attract nature lovers and anthropologists Text and photographs

Osama Manzar
When Edward Lear arrived in India in November 1873, he complained in his diary about everything, from the hotels to the people, accusing the place of conspiring against his attempts to draw.
Within a few days, however, he was converted. He wrote in his journal, “Utterly wonderful is the rainbow- like edging of the water with thousands of bathers reflect ed in the river. Then the colour of the temples, the strangeness of the huge umbrellas and the inexpressibly multitudinous details of architecture, costume, etc. I had always supposed this place a melancholy, or at least a staid and sober spot. Instead, I find it one of the most abundantly buoyant and startlingly radiant of places full of bustle and movement.
Constantinople or Naples are simply dull and quiet by comparison.”
Not surprisingly then, a century later, any place in India can still stir one’s emotions. Take for example Ranchi, a deemed city. It was a stroke of fortune for us to have discover ed Ranchi. It is undoubtedly the haven of hills and ridges, valleys and basins, plateaus and green forests, and silent lakes and turbulent waterfalls. The 14 wildlife sanctuaries and two national parks, located in and around the city, are a bonus for tourists.
Misconceptions and suspicions abound about this plateau. And reasons not to visit the subdivision—Ranchi in larger terms—tumble out of otherwise rational heads. The prevailing image of Ranchi is that of a town in Bihar where innumerable crimes are committed daily. It is also known to be the seat of the Jharkhand movement.
All this is no doubt partly true. At the same time it is essential to realise that a little planning, combined with a lot of practical tips, plenty of patience and a good dose of open- mindedness, will still make a trip to this plateau a thoroughly fulfilling experience.
Keeping in mind all the pros and cons and after going through a rarely available Chhotanagpur Tourist Guide, one may find Ranchi to be the sum total of all that is Chhota nagpur. It has Asia’s biggest. mental hospital, the Ranchi Mental Asylum, and hordes of aborigines—the Santhals, Hos, Mundas, Oraons, Bhumij Kols, Cheros, Kharias and Paharias, which form an interesting study for anthropologists and sociologists.
One of the lesser-known tourist spots, Ranchi has succeeded in retaining its ethnici ty and natural beauty. From atop the Tagore Hill, four kms from the city, one can enjoy a panoramic view of Ranchi. It is at a height of 2,140 ft above sea level, which is not so high after all, and yet clouds cover the hills like a wet blanket for most of the rainy season that is from June to August.
In the heart of the city there are a large number of churches and convent schools. Ranchi has the best schooling facility in Bihar. The Christi an influence has been there for years and any tribal who is fortunate enough to be educated invariably gets converted to Christianity.
The list of tourist spots is long: the Ranchi Lake, Kanke Dam, Dhurwa Dam, Ranchi Hill, Tagore Hill and the ancient Jagannathpur temple built in 1791 on a hillock, famous for its annual chariot festival. The sunset is best enjoyed from the Kanke Dam. Within a radius of 40 kms from Ran chi, there fall a number of rivers from a spectacular height—Hundru Falls, Dashamghagh Falls, Jonha Falls, and so on.
Hiundru is undoubtedly the most attractive of these falls. Forty-five kms from Ranchi, the Subarnarekha river falls here from a height of 320 ft.
In order to bathe in the pools at the base of the falls, one has to climb down the entire length of the falls which proves to be as difficult as trekking.
To reach Jonha, it requires a long walk, which can be treacherous for leather-soled shoes. The steps are steep until you reach the valley. This is an entirely different world, surrounded by undulating rocks and dense forests. Little rivulets flow over the rocky terrain and a small jhuggi of the chaiwala makes this valley a dream come true.
The journey towards Dashamghagh Falls is a rough one. This is, however, true of any journey by road in Bihar, for most of its roads are full of potholes and consistently under repair.
Dashamghagh is only 34 kms from Ranchi. Here River Kanchi falls from a height of 144 ft and bathing is dangerous. It is, however, a unique picnic spot where people come in large numbers to spend the day and return as soon as it gets dark. Sunrise from the Tagore Hill is a must for all visitors to Ranchi.
Ranchi is connected by regular air services from Cal cutta, Patna, Lucknow and New Delhi. It is one of the important stations on South Eastern Railway and is linked with Calcutta, Patna and New Delhi. The National Highway 16 has frequent bus services from Calcutta and a number of important towns in Bihar.
Accommodation poses no problem, for, besides a number of hotels belonging to reputed groups, there are plenty of economy lodges as well as the South-Eastern Rail way hotel.