Bitten by the wanderlust, and looking for the perfect weekend getaway? We have your destination: Jamshedpur. The Steel City may not be the traditional choice of many travellers, but the quiet town and its idyllic surroundings provide the ideal weekend destination for family holidays, romantic outings, road trips and even the lone wolf hike, to rejuvenate your soul. Situated in the East Singbhum district in the Chota Nagpur plateau, Jamshedpur is the gateway to the red-soiled beauty of Eastern India. The city was named after Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata, the founder of the Tata group, India’s largest conglomerate enterprise. The growing cosmopolitan city is home to people from all over the country, based there to work either in Tata Steel, which is responsible for a great deal of the infrastructures and public services offered in the country, or in one of the largest industrial zones in all of the India, known as Adityapur. The thriving town is also the base for many tourist destinations in and around the city. Read more to find out! How to reach: Jamshedpur is accessible via rail and road. Rail: Tatanagar is the city’s railway station. It is an important junction in the South Eastern Railway Network of India and is connected to all the major cities of India, including Kolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, the first two with superfast trains. It is also directly connected to other major railway junctions such as Barkakhana, Asansol, Purulia and Adra on the Howrah-Delhi Line, and Gua, Noamundi and Barajamda. Road: The city is well-connected by bus from other major cities in Eastern India, including Ranchi, Patna, Gaya, Hazaribagh, Asansol and Kolkata. A road trip by car is also feasible and promises to be an extremely enjoyable experience. NH-2, the national highway that connects Kolkata and Delhi, is linked to Jamshedpur by NH-32 and NH-33. NH-33 also connects to NH-6, which is the major arterial road that links Kolkata to Western India. Thus, Jamshedpur may be reached by car through both of these routes. Within Jamshedpur, many options are available for travel, depending on your budget and comfort needs. Car rental agencies are extremely common and easily provide the most luxurious way of getting around the city. Where to Stay and Dine at Jamshedpur: Accommodation and food are available aplenty in the city. The Bistupur locality is home to some of the higher-end hotels and restaurants in the city. These includes: Ginger Jamshedpur- Situated opposite the Voltas building, this high-end destination offers rooms within a tariff range beginning from 2,200 rupees per night. The hotel enjoys excellent patron reviews and is a comfortable and safe choice. Fortune Park Centre Point- One of the posh hotels in the city, it offers room from 3,400 rupees per night. It also plays home to Little Italy, one of the best outlets for Italian cuisine in the country. The Sonnet Hotel –This top-notch hotel provides rooms beginning from 4,000 rupees per night. Its amenities include Cinnamon, a round-the-clock facility that provides all meals of the day from 6 am onwards. Blooms – This suburban restaurant and bar is an excellent hang-out joint. Novelty- This is an upcoming high-end restaurant with great cuisine! Sukhsagar – The Yashkamal Complex houses this cost-effective vegetarian restaurant. Many others are situated in and around the Sakchi area. Some of these are: Appetite – Situated beside the Gurudwara, it is a great multi-cuisine restaurant with a beautiful night-time view of the Tata Steel Factory glittering in all its glory. Hotel Smita International – Amenities provided include the new restaurant Deep Purple that holds screenings of sports events. I’d probably go just for the name: wonder if they have Smoke on the Water on their playlists? Others include: Wave International – This is a modern resort, beautifully built, that is situated on the Jamshedpur-Ranchi highway, equipped for all your relaxation needs. The Citi Inn- Located on the NH-33, rooms may be found at 1500 rupees per night. The service quality has gained the reputation of being excellent. Information of other hotels is available through popular travel websites as well. When to Visit: Situated as it is on the Chota Nagpur plateau, in a non-coastal and mountainous terrain, Jamshedpur experiences quite extreme weather conditions. The temperature in summer can go up to 45 degree Celsius, and be as low as 12 degree Celsius in the winter. It also receives a healthy amount of rainfall in the monsoon months. All things considered, the best time to visit Jamshedpur is definitely in the winter months of October, November, December, January and February. This peak season sees an oncoming rush of tourists to the city, however, so you may want to book accommodation and travel means in advance for smooth going. Where to Visit: Jamshedpur is home to areas of great scenic beauty, cultural value and entertainment options. Here are some of the most fascinating spots. Around Jamshedpur: The Dalma Hills The picturesque Dalma Hills surround the city of Jamshedpur, offering opportunities for trekking, tracking wildlife and even staying atop the hills. Stretching for almost 16 kilometres and rising above the industrial colony, the hills are girdled by the Subarnarekha river. Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO) and the Forest Department both provide accommodation for tourists looking to escape to the pure air and panoramic beauty of the hills. The wild beauty of the land has been sustained in spite of the century-old development and urbanisation going on around it. The Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Inaugurated by Sanjay Gandhi in 1975, this sanctuary is home to the Indian Giant Squirrel, Sloth Bear, Barking Deer, porcupines, macaques and large herds of Asiatic elephants, amongst at least 84 other bird species, such as quails and coucals, and 300 separate species of flora, as well as a few of the most ancient tribes in India. On lucky days, amidst the deciduous forests that abound with mahua, sal, pindra and semal trees , one may also spot tigers, leopards, wild cats, hyenas, dholes and the elusive wild boar in the two buffer zones of the park open to the public. A Shiva Temple sits at Dalma Top, the highest point in the hills. Below this, the golden Subarnarekha snakes its way through the hills, through the remains of coffee, mustard and indigo plantations that bear witness to Dalma’s colonial past. Various bandhs crisscross the river at points where gold prospecting was done. The forest check-post at Makulakocha that indicates the entrance to Dalma also boasts a Museum and a Deer Rescue Centre. The Sanctuary is located a short way off the NH-33 and is easily accessible, especially by the numerous tourist vehicles prepared to take you there. Accommodations are available at the Forest Rest House, for which permits must be taken from the Range Forest Office in Ranchi. The mesmeric beauty of the forest, with all its romance and mystique, drums through your blood in Dalma. Let the forest close in and carry you away to all the half-remembered, magic lands of your childhood, where everything was one big adventure and anything could happen. Dimna Lake This vast artificial reservoir is nestled at the foot of the Dalma Hills. The natural beauty of the water body is stunning; whether under gloomy thunder clouds stacked in the heavens, a multihued sunset burning the western horizon orange or a clear sunny day under a periwinkle sky, the lake takes your breath away. In the mood for adventure? Grab a jet ski and head out onto the open waters; take your family for a ride in a rowboat or a canoe; go water scooting with your special one. The opportunities are enchanting. In Jamshedpur: Rivers Meet The scenic point of confluence of the rivers Kharkai and Subarnarekha is known as Rivers Meet. It sits to the north-west of the city and is a popular picnic spot. Set against the stunning backdrop of the hills rising majestically over the city, the area is worth a visit on a trip to Jamshedpur. Jubilee Park One of Jamshedpur’s landmarks, Jubilee Park was a gift to the citizens of Jamshedpur on the 50th Anniversary of Tata Steel. The beautiful park is a favourite amongst locals for activities as diverse as jogging, angling and cycling, and amongst tourist for its musical fountains and laser shows. The park now has a rose garden, a zoo (The Tata Steel Zoological Park, famed for its biodiversity), a lake and an amusement park. Talk about an all-round package! Other notable parks in the city include Bhatia Park and Sir Dorabji Tata Park. The latter is situated close to the renowned Keenan Stadium, the host of many international matches, and an annual flower show is held here every December when the Park comes alive with a riot of colours and fragrances. The Russi Modi Centre of Excellence Situated close to Jubilee Park, the Centre immediately stands out due to its unusual structural style. The entrance is shaped like a vast pyramid, elegantly towering above the surrounding cityscape. Designed by the architect Hafeez Contractor, the Centre holds the Tata Steel Archives, where, through historic documents and photographs, one can trace the rise of Asia’s first steel plant and the ascension of an entrepreneurial empire over the decades. Bhuvaneshwari Temple The calm, quite premises of the temple sit on the peak of a hill, at a height of about 500 feet, surrounded by a beautiful view of the city and rolling fields, with the river looping close by. The temple’s structure is remarkably close to the gopuram style found in South India, with stacks of sculpted tiers towering into the sky. The soothing spiritual air of the temple can breathe away the misery of the most troubled of minds. Definitely worth a visit and perhaps a pranam too! Hudco Lake An artificial lake situated in the Telco Colony area of the city, Hudco Lake boasts a waterfall and a surrounding picnic spot of terraced gardens. Activities such as rowing are frequent on the vast, serene water body. Festive Twist The cosmopolitan city celebrates most major festivals, but perhaps Teej, Chhat, Holi, Diwali and Makar Sakranti find Jamshedpur at its vibrant best. Additionally, a number of rather unusual events take place in the city throughout the year. Should you happen to look in then, these are some of the functions you should definitely visit: Jamshedpur International Film Festival The cinema lovers’ club Celluloid chapter organizes this annual event in April. The event celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015 and continues to inspire by bringing directors across nations onto its platform to discuss the beloved medium. Art-in-Industry Camp Held at the Russi Modi Centre for excellence, this is organized by Tata Steel around January or February. A host of works by artists from all across the country is exhibited for three days. An art-lover’s heaven! Gram Shree Mela The Mela highlights the work of rural and tribal artisans in the state. Held in March, this country mela gives the artists a chance to reach buyers directly. Santhali Film Festival The Santhali Film Festival is organized with the aim of raising awareness about one of India’s oldest cultural legacies: that of the now all but dead Santhali language. Films on various issues in the language of the Santhalis are screened. The popular medium of cinema makes a culture that seems inaccessible to today’s generations more approachable. It is popular event on the city’s annual calendar and is definitely worth a visit. Unwind Tired after a day of touring, and want to put your feet up with food, drinks and retail therapy? We’ve got you covered. Jamshedpur boasts of some of the most modern retail outlets India has to offer. The Bistupur area is once again the go-to spot for the best and most recent in youth culture. Amar Market in Bistupur provides one with fashion and footwear outlets, while Jawahar Market is the gadget shopper’s paradise. On the other hand, Sakchi Bazaar is the heart of the city and has a wealth of shops and showrooms for the most ardent of shoppers to choose from. Due to local laws, nightlife in Jamshedpur winds down by eleven pm, after which no alcohol can be served. But some excellent hang out joints can curb the party blues. Xing is the high-end bar at Fortune Centre Point, while Adda, at the Sonnet Hotel, rivals it as the best place to spend the evening. For all you athletic peeps out there, 60 ML is the sports bar you want to make a beeline for while in the city. What are you waiting for, then? One of the leading industrial townships in India, Jamshedpur is fast becoming one of the most promising tourist destinations in the east of the country. The town that has rightly been the pride and joy of its citizens for almost a century is now shaping up not only into a cosmopolitan city but also the perfect weekend getaway spots for all kinds of travellers out there. The locality of the city is such that it provides an entry spot to other tourist spots from there as well, the rugged terrain of Purulia and the serene sylvan township of Ghatshila being two of them. Easily accessible from most parts of India, Jamshedpur beckons the world-weary traveller to find their way to its doors. With its breath-taking scenic beauty, modern services and perfect balance between fast-growing urbanisation and preservation of its natural heritage, one can rest assure that they will not regret their decision to visit it.
