Visited in 2022
Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000, with the southern part of Bihar becoming the new state. It is bordered by West Bengal to the east, Uttar Pradesh to the west, and Bihar to the north.
Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand (means Forest Land), is known for its waterfalls, hills, and religious sites. The state is predominantly rural and faces challenges often described as a resource curse – although it contributes more than 40% of India’s mineral production, 39.1% of its population lives below the poverty line, and 19.6% of children under the age of five are malnourished.
We visited Ranchi as part of a 5–6 day trip that also included several towns in Bihar. We rented a car and a driver in Ranchi, and after exploring Ranchi, drove to Bodh Gaya followed by Rajgir – Nalanda – Patna.