One of the best places to visit for wildlife aficionados and nature lovers, Jharkhand is famous for its mineral wealth, wildlife, forests, waterfalls, natural beauty, rolling hills, backwaters, mountains, rivers and lakes. Tourists can enjoy a variety of adventure activities such as scuba diving, rafting, kayaking, snorkeling, canoeing, sailing, parasailing, mountaineering, paddleboat, paragliding, trekking and jungle safaris.

It is ideal to visit Jharkhand between October to March as the climatic conditions are most suited for sightseeing during these months. One can pack light to Jharkhand as the weather is pleasant even during winters.

A typical Jharkhandi meal will contain roti, rice, sabzi and achar. It is the other foods, like the litti choka, pittha, rugra, chilka roti, bamboo shoots, dhuska and aloo choka that have given a unique flavor to Jharkhandi cuisine. If you have a sweet tooth, then you must taste the malpua, thekua, mitha khaja and til barfi.

List of famous things to buy from Jharkhand: Paitkar paintings, jadupatua /jadopatia paintings, khovar and sohrai paintings, terracotta crafts and tribal jewellery, dhokra crafts and tribal jewellery, bamboo crafts and tribal jewellery, stone crafts, wooden crafts and musical instruments.

Hindi is the official language in Jharkhand and is spoken by the people of the state, although different regions have their own languages. These include Nagpuri, Khortha, Kurmali, Magahi and Bhojpuri.

1. DEOGHAR

Deoghar, a popular religious destination in Jharkhand is blessed with one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples known as temple Baidyanath.

Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar becomes the most famous during the Shravan month of the Hindu Lunar Calendar, when millions of devotees bring holy water for the Linga in Pitchers called Kanwads, and hence known as Kanwariyas, to perform the holy ritual of Rudrabhishek [The Holy Bath] in this holy month. Deoghar is also known as ‘the cultural capital of Jharkhand’.

Places to visit in Deoghar: Baidyanath Dham, Nandan Pahar, Tapovan Caves and Hills, Naulakha Mandir, Basukinath

2. JAMSHEDPUR

Jamshedpur was the first industrial planned city in India set up by JRD Tata. This city has also been ranked as the cleanest one in India. There are a ton of activities to do in this city including visiting Jubilee Park, Dalma WildLife Sanctuary, Dimna Lake, Tata Steel Zoological Park, the Jamshedpur marine drives, Ghatshila, Jamshedpur Coin Museum and much more.

Places to visit in Jamshedpur: Dimna Lake, Jubilee Park, Tata Steel Zoological Park, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Hudco Lake, Jayanti Sarovar, Golpahari Temple, Amadubi Rural Tourism Centre

3. RANCHI

Ranchi is the capital of mineral-rich state Jharkhand. The city takes immense pride in accounting for the 40 per cent of the country’s total mineral reserves. The most popular places in this city include Ranchi Hill, Kanke Dam, Tagore hill and Hudru falls, Hatia Museum and Tribal Research Institute and Museum. The city has a wide variety of trees and wildlife, Maugha, Sal and Simul are some of the rare types of trees found here.

Places to visit in Ranchi: Dasham Falls, Johna Falls, Patratu Valley, Jagannath Temple, Birsa Zoological Park, Panch Gagh Falls, Tagore Hill, Ranchi Lake, Sun Temple

4. BETLA NATIONAL PARK

This park became one of the first parks to become a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1974. The trees usually consist of sal and bamboo and the animals include sloth bear, panther, wolf, jackal, hyena, large families of langurs, rhesus monkeys, Indian giant squirrels, mouse deer, sambar deer, porcupine, mongoose, etc. The birds over here include hornbill, peafowl, red jungle fowl, black partridge, white-necked stork, black ibis, swamp grey, quail, pied hornbill, etc.

5. NETARHAT

Known as the “Queen of Chotanagpur Plateau”, Netarhat is a hill station that provides a nice summer retreat to the local people. Netarhat is located in the Latihar district of Jharkhand and stands at a height of almost 1100 m. Netarhat is especially loved for its beautiful sunrise and sunsets during the summer months. The highest waterfall of Jharkhand- Lodh falls is present over here. In addition to that, the Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary is the only sanctuary in India especially made for the protection of wolves. Even the Netarhat Residential School is a popular place since it is one of the few modern ‘gurukuls’ remaining in India.

Places to visit in Netarhat: Betla National Park, Upper and lower Ghaghri Waterfalls, Pine forest, Magnolia Point

6. HAZARIBAGH

Located in the Chhota Nagpur plateau, 93 Km away from Ranchi, Hazaribagh is a beautiful place with dense forests and natural formations including rock formations and lakes. The forests in Hazaribagh are mostly unexplored and are in its best and purest form with full of greenery.

Places to visit in Hazaribagh: Hazaribagh National Park, Canary hills, Hazaribagh Lake, Narsimhasthan, Urban haat

7. GHATSHILA

Visiting Ghatshila means not only that you’re in for the opportunity of spending quality time in nature, by the side of mystical waterfalls and picturesque hills, but also that you get to pay heed to deities in old historical temples.

Places to visit in Ghatshila: Panch Pandav, Bhibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay’s Cottage

8. DHANBAD

Also, known as the ‘Coal Capital of India,’ Dhanbad is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, which offers a wide opportunity to tourists to explore the distinctive beauty of the state. It is a renowned mining city of Jharkhand, which has more attractions to its credit than just the coal mines. Surrounded by picturesque valleys and lush green forests, Dhanbad offers views of great dams, refreshing lakes, and temples, which remain a major point of attraction here. A lot of devotees visit Dhanbad to pay a visit to Dalmi, a religious site where the idols of Goddess Durga, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and Nandi are placed. The city has several Buddhist and Jain sites too that gives tourists a more enlightening holiday experience.

Places to visit in Dhanbad: Bhatinda Falls, Maithon Dam, Topchanchi Lake, Birsa Munda Park, Panchet Dam, Shakti Mandir

9. SHIKHARJI

Located on the Parasnath Hill, the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand, in an inland part of rural east India, of the Giridih district of Jharkhand, Shikharji is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Jains. It is believed that here is where twenty of the twenty-four Jain Tirthankaras had attained moksha (in other words, freedom from the cycle of rebirth), along with several other monks which makes it one of the most important and holy sites for Jain Tirthas. Shikharji rises to a height of 1,350m thus making it the highest mountain in the state.

10. MASSANJORE DAM

Massanjore is a city in the state of Jharkhand. The most popular tourist attraction here is the Massanjore dam, which lies just across the Mayurakshi River, in Dumka district of Jharkhand. This dam is sometimes referred to as ‘Canada Dam’ or ‘Pearson Dam’ because it was built with Canadian Aid way back in 1956. It is around 155 feet high and 2170 feet long, with an area of around 16,650 acres and a capacity of 500,000 acres.

Other than the famous Massanjore Dam, there are a few attractions near Massanjore, which you can visit. Ramrekha Dham, Chhinda Falls, Bhairo Baba Pahari and Bhanwar Pahar are a few spots you can visit near Massanjore.

11. SAHEBGANJ

Sahebganj is a stunning destination, the best hidden secret in the land of Jharkhand. This destination is replete with diverse attractions that offer a blend of picturesque locations, ancient temples, dense forests, trekking trails and a lot more to explore. People looking for a change of scenery or a visit to a destination that is away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Sahebganj is the perfect place to visit. Nestled amidst craggy Rajmahal Hills and River Ganges, it is a quaint town cocooned snugly within the verdant valley. Driving on a narrow road lined by tall, swaying trees on both sides add to its scenic charm. The place is also good for adventure enthusiasts who can engage in water-based activities, trekking, and more.

Places to visit in Sahebganj: Moti Jharna, Raj Mahal, Teliagarhi Fort, Shivgadi Temple, Bhagwan Kuan, Mangalhat

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