Ranchi is the capital city of the newly formed state of Jharkhand. Located on the Chota Nagpur Plateau, Ranchi overlooks lush, rolling hills and valleys, sporadic forests, countless natural falls and Suvarnarekha River. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern Orissa, western West Bengal & the eastern area of what is present-day Chhattisgarh. On 15 November 2000, the state of Jharkhand state was formed by carving out the Bihar divisions of Chota Nagpur and Santhal Parganas. Situated about 338 km from Patna, Ranchi was the former summer capital of Bihar. Also called as the ‘city of waterfalls’, Ranchi is well-known for its large mineral contents, which forms 18% of the total mineral content of India and owing to the presence of huge amount of mineral resources, the city has developed into a prominent industrial town and is also named as ‘Manchester of the East’. Geography and Climate Covering an area of 7574 sq. km, Ranchi lies at an altitude of 2140 feet above sea level. The city is located at 23°21′N 85°20′E on the in the southern part of the Chota Nagpur plateau, which is the eastern section of the Deccan plateau. Ranchi is known as the "City of Waterfalls" because of its numerous waterfalls, namely Dassam Falls, Hundru Falls, Jonha Falls, Hirni Falls and Panchghagh Falls. Although Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate, its location and the forests surrounding it combine to produce the unusually pleasant climate for which it's known. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar and was designated a preferable "hill station". Summer temperatures range from 20 °C to 42 degrees, winter temperatures from 0 °C to 25 degrees. December and January are the coolest months and in some areas the temperature goes down to the freezing point. The annual rainfall is about 1430 mm (56.34 inches). From June to September the rainfall is about 1,100 mm. Demographics As per latest 2011 India census,[8] Ranchi city has a population of 1,073,440, making it the 37th largest urban city in India and third largest city in Jharkhand after Jamshedpur and Dhanbad. Males constitute 51.3% of the population and females constitute 48.7%. Ranchi is the second most populous district of Jharkhand after dhanbad. Ranchi city has an average literacy rate of 87.68% of which 92.48% constitutes male and 82.48% constitutes female. Hindi, Nagpuri, Oraon, Mundari and Kurmali are the major languages spoken in Ranchi. History of Ranchi The city of Ranchi got its name from a mountain bird called 'Ranchi'. However according to some, the name Ranchi is derived from the previous name of the Oraon village at the same site, Archi. "Archi" derives from the Oraon word for bamboo grove or stave. According to legend, after an altercation with a spirit, a farmer beat the spirit with his bamboo stave. The spirit shouted archi, archi, archi and vanished and Archi became Rachi. The origins of the city stretch back to the tribes belonging to the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The Munda and the Oraon are the two aboriginal settlers that lived and ruled in this region. The city finds its mention in the Great Indian Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata and according to which a powerful Kshatriya emperor named Jarasandh ruled this place. Later Ranchi became a part of the Magadha Empire before the Mauryan Empire usurped it. The decline of the Mauryan Empire gave rise to the leadership of the Gupta. Eventually, Ranchi came to be ruled by legendary king Phanimukut, who belonged to the Nag Dynasty. During this time, native tribal people from Munda and Oraon community dominated the district of Ranchi. The city continued to remain free from external intrusions until the invasion of the Mughal dynasty. The Mughal Empire was the first external power to seize the throne of Chota Nagpur plateau. In 1585, the mighty warriors under the guidance of Akbar demolished the forces of Raja of Kokrah; however, with the demise of Akbar, the place became independent again. A few years later, the city was recaptured by the Mughal Empire under the administration of Jahangir, the then governor of Bihar; Ibrahim Khan was asked to recapture the region. Later the place came under the rule of East India Company. The region including Ranchi and the neighboring areas came under the rule of British Government and the Maharaja of Ramgarh was responsible for the administration of the district. The change in governance was unaccepted by the autochthon residing in the area, which led to the further revolution in the province. In the year 1833, the English came up with a peace treaty by forming a realm called as the South-Western Frontier Agency, which included Ranchi and other bordering districts. Lohardaga became the capital of the new region and later the capital of this newly created region was relocated to Ranchi, which was managed by a representative of the Governor General until 1854. The beginning of 1857 brought about a major chaos in the province as during the Indian Mutiny, Ranchi was the epicenter of anarchistic activities. The city became the main milieu for several revolutionary campaigns, riots and was also regarded as a popular assembly ground by prominent leaders. After India attained Independence in the year 1947, Ranchi constituency was merged into the state of Bihar and it was only on 15 November 2000, when the new state of Jharkhand was formed and Ranchi rose to the status of being the capital city once again. Culture of Ranchi The culture of Ranchi is a good assimilation of various contrasts that are prevalent in the city. Predominantly Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity are the religions followed here; however due to the dominance of tribal population Sarna is another religious belief, which is followed in the city. Jharkhand has been known as home for several tribal communities and these communities are known for developing and outshining in art and culture of the place. The folk music and dances of Jharkhand are very popular and traditional dance and music is played on many occasions in Jharkhand or also at the time of any community celebrations. In addition to the traditional dance and music, the culture of art is also very popular from this area, and there are many reputable artists that have their roots truly grounded in the Ranchi. Tourist Attractions in Ranchi Set amidst the beauty of nature, Ranchi attracts a horde of tourist from various parts of the World, making it a famous tourist destination of India. The city offers numerous tourist attractions that lures the tourists to the place. Some the famous travel destinations are: Rock garden & Kanke dam (Gonda hills) Hundru Falls Jonha Falls Panchghagh Falls Dassam Falls Hirni Falls Sita Fall Pahari Mandir Deer Park Birsa Jaiwik Udyaan Dhurwa Dam Fun Castle Sidhu Kanhu Park Zakir Hussain Park Nakshatra Van Tagore Hill Rukka Dam Muta Crocodile breeding centre Ratu Fort Jharkhand War Memorial Ranchi Lake McCluskigunj Tribal Research Institute and Museum Jagannathpur Temple Transportation Airways Birsa Munda Airport (IXR) is the airport in the city of Ranchi, which offers direct flights to almost all the major cities of the country. Air India, GoAir, Indigo and Jet Airways are some of the airlines that offers their services. Railways Ranchi is well connected with major cities of India via rail routes and one of the most beneficial station in South Eastern Railways. Ranchi Railway Station is main station of Ranchi apart from Hatia Station, Tatisilwai Station and Namkom Station. Many important trains start from Hatia station as well and about 16 trains starts and ends in Ranchi Railway station and 20 trains pass through it. Roadways The city is connected to major cities of the country via roadways and NH 33 and NH 23 passes through Ranchi. Buses of the Jharkhand State Road Transport Corporation and private buses ply regularly to connect Ranchi to the other parts of Jharkhand. Also, Bihar State Road Transport Corporation run regularly for major cities (Patna, Gaya, Purnea etc.) of Bihar. Luxury Mercedes buses are also available from Ranchi to Gaya and Patna. Auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are the common means of transportation within the city.
