Ranchi district General information
Ranchi district is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state, India, and Ranchi (city) is the district headquarters and also the capital of the Jharkhand state.
Origin of Name
The geographical area now comprising Ranchi district was formerly part of old Lohardaga district of the British India. In the year 1831-32, a part of old Lohardagga district was carved out and given the name of the Non-regulation South-West Frontier, and in 1899 the name of the district was changed to Ranchi district. Ranchi was the name of a small tribal village which has since been assimilated into the city of Ranchi.
History
The geographical area currently comprising the district of Ranchi had remained under the control of the Munda and Oraon tribes since antiquity, and is believed to be even beyond the direct control of the kings of the epic period of the Mahabharata such as Jarasandh, the king of Rajgir. However Lord Krishna was believed to have a loose control over the territory.
Rock art of Ranchi.
Magadha Empire exercised indirect control over the territory, which lasted until the reign of the Ashoka. Kalinga rulers are believed to have passed through the region during their expeditions to Rajgir and Pataliputra. Armies of Samudra Gupta must have passed through the region on their expedition to Deccan. After the decline of the Guptas, Phanimukut established the Kingdom of Chhotanagpur. The legendary Phanimukut, which literally means the crown of the cobra, was found by the side of a cobra (Nag in Hindi), and grew to be an industrious king, and founded the Nag Dynasty, which ruled Ranchi district and a larger part of Chota Nagpur Plateau as a sovereign king for almost next 1000 years.
With the expansion of the Mughal Empire, the sovereign status of the Nag Dynasty was technically affected, but they continued to rule and administer independently until the advent of the East India Company. During the period of the British Raj, adivasis and the local population of other ethnic backgrounds of Ranchi and other regions currently comprising the State of Jharkhand continued to oppose the subjugation by the British, and the region witnessed a number of uprisings and revolts.
Overview
The geographical area currently comprising the district of Ranchi had remained under the control of the Munda and Oraon tribes since antiquity, and is believed to be even beyond the direct control of the kings of the epic period of the Mahabharata such as Jarasandh, the king of Rajgir. However Lord Krishna was believed to have a loose control over the territory.
The city of Ranchi is situated in a valley of Chotanagpur at an altitude of 2140 feet. Ranchi is one of the best places to study the tribal ways of life in India. This capital is always under some kind of political influence with this part of India being an important part of the India constituency. The city of Ranchi surrounded by some of the most popular waterfalls in India.
Tourist Place
Gonda Hill and Rock Garden : is situated at a distace of about 4 kms from Ranchi town on Ranchi Kanke Road . Rock garden is carved out of the rocks of Gonda Hill. At the base of the Hill is Kanke dam. The Rock Garden is a picturesque picnic spot.
Machli Ghar : There is a fish aquarium in front of Governor House. It has many species of fishes.
Muta Crocodile breeding centre : is situated at a distance of 23 km from Ranchi on Ranchi Ramgarh Road near Ormanjhi. There are around 50 crocodiles.
Birsa Jaivik Udyan : is situated at a distance of 16 km from Ranchi in Ranchi Ramgarh Road near Ormanjhi. Many species of animals,trees and plants can be seen here.
Tagore Hill : The Morhabadi Hill famous as Tagore Hill is an important tourist spot. The elder brother of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore has built a house (Shantidham) on the hill.
At the bottom of the hill is Ramakrishna Mission Ashram.
McCluskigunj : It is famous for European style bungalows and a tribal museum.
Tribal Research Institute and Museum : Located in Morhabadi . It shows tribal culture of Chotanagpur plateau.