Ranchi –the capital city of Jharkhand and the former summer
capital of Bihar is one of those places where the warmth of
tribal culture can still be felt, even as the city aspires to become
a metro albeit on its own terms. Having derived its name from the
Nagpuri word “Archi” which means bamboo forest, it is one of
those places where the resplendent beauty of nature
manifests itself together with contemporary urbanization.
Rich in natural resources, Ranchi has a number of large
industrial houses like Usha Martin, Garden Reach, and
CMPDI etc. co-exist with lovely waterfalls like the Jonha,
Hundru and Dassam Falls in this “City of Waterfalls”.
Located in the Chotanagpur plateau at an altitude of 2140 feet,
Ranchi was the place where Bhagwan Birsa Munda,
the “Dharthi Aba” (father of the earth), as he was known amongst
tribal populace, waged a massive war against the British rule in
mid 1890’s. After the suppression of the first rising, Birsa gave
a clarion call to the mundas (his followers) for a decisive war
against the British – “the ulgulan”. In fact Ranchi has historically
been an administrative as well as military base for eastern India
which is why trade and commerce flourished here. The district
of Ranchi is divided into the three subdivisions of Ranchi, Khunti
and Bundu. These subdivisions are further divided into administrative
blocks, panchayats and villages. There are 24 Educational Blocks
with Kanke topping the list in terms of highest literacy rate whilst
Arki is the block with least literacy rate. The average literacy
rate of Ranchi is at 74% higher than the national average. With a
network of more than 150 high schools and 28 colleges Ranchi is
an educational hub offering quality learning in top ranking institutes.
With 2 National Highways passing through it, great railway
connectivity through the South Eastern Railways and daily flights
to Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta and Patna, Ranchi is well connected
to the rest of the country. The cosmopolitan environment of
Ranchi has seen a considerable influx of people since it became
the Capital of Jharkhand in 2000. This fast growing, scenic city
attracts many visitors as a place to study tribal culture as much
as for its pleasant salubrious climate.