Ranchi is also one of the oldest cities in Jharkhand. Jagannath Temple and Ratu Palace are some sights which witnessed the history of Ranchi.[8] Ranchi is also nicknamed theCity of Waterfalls.[9]
Ranchi is rapidly growing its economy, and certain parks, special economic zones and industrial areas are being developed. Of late, new sectors and modern areas have been built for the city's development.[10]
Etymology
According to one popular tale, Thomas Wilkinson, a British captain, choose Archi (an Oraon tribal village) as headquarters.Archi meansbamboo forest in localNagpuri dialect. The British inadvertently named Archi as "Ranchi". Captain Wilkinson renamed Kishunpur village as Rachi. Up to 1927, the place was known as Rachi.[11][12][13]
In his bookThe Mundas and Their Country, anthropologistSarat Chandra Roy writes that the name of the city is derived from theMundari wordaranchi, referring to a short stick used in driving cattle,[14] whereas others have opined thataranchi refers tobi-weekly market.[15]
According to another local story, Ranchi's name comes from a local bird namedrici that was found mostly in thePahari Mandir premises.[citation needed]Rici is the name for the black kite(Milvus migrans) in the Mundari language, the modern-day landmark of Ranchi city, the Pahari Mandir, is also known asRici Buru (रिचि बुरु) — the hill of the kites[16] — and the city originated on the foothills of Rici Buru with the construction ofBada Talab by Commissioner Thomas Wilkinson at the same site.
The earliest evidence of use of several iron slag, pot sheds, iron tools found inChota Nagpur region around 1400 BCE.[17]Magadha Empire exercised indirect control over the territory, which lasted until the reign of theAshoka. Armies ofSamudra Gupta passed through the region on their expedition to theDeccan. In the 4th century CE,Nagvanshi king Raja Pratap Rai chose Chutia as his capital which is now a place in Ranchi. Few ruins of Chutia trace back to the 2nd century CE.[11][18][19][20] With the expansion of theMughal Empire, the sovereign status of the Nagvanshi dynasty was technically affected, but they continued to rule and administer independently. ThakurAni Nath Shahdeo made Satranji as capital ofBarkagarh estate nearSubarnarekha river. He builtJagannath Temple in 1691.[21][22]
After theBattle of Buxar, Nagvanshi became a vassal of theEast India Company. The British reduced Nagvanshi rulers toJamindar in 1817 due to rebellion ofJagirdars under Nagvanshi against tax imposition by East India Company and directly ruled Chotanagpur.[23] In 1833, Captain Wilkinson established headquarter of theSouth-West Frontier agency in Lohardaga but in 1843 they moved the headquarters to the village of Kishunpur, which he renamed into Ranchi after the hamlet located at the foot of the Hill.[24][25][26] In 1855, ThakurVishwanath Shahdeo declared independence from British rule. British attacked Satranji but he defeated British forces. He ruled independently for two years.[27] In theIndian Rebellion of 1857, Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo led soldiers of Ramgarh Battalion with Madhav Singh who was Jamadar of Ramgarh Battalion.Pandey Ganpat Rai,Tikait Umrao Singh andSheikh Bhikhari also joined the rebellion. They attacked the British in Ranchi and compelled to flee them. But later they were defeated by East India company forces in Chatra and in Pithuriya with the help of the king ofPithuriya,Jagatpal Singh and hanged.[27][28][29] British made Ranchi as municipality in 1869. Ranchi was first termed as a town in the census of 1872,[30] when entireRanchi thhana has 116,426 inhabitants.[31] Nagvanshi shifted their capital toRatu from Palkot in 1870.Udai Pratap Nath Shah Deo built Ratu Palace in Ratu in 1900. He donated large tracts of land to build the infrastructure of the city.[32] Freedom fighterBirsa Munda died in the Ranchi jail on 9 June 1900.[33] In 1912,Jyotirindranath Tagore, the eldest brother ofRabindranath Tagore, settled in Ranchi.Tagore Hill, where his house was located, has been named after him in remembrance.[34] The last ruler of the Nagvanshi dynasty wasLal Chintamani Sharan Nath Shahdeo (1931–2014).[35]
After independence, Ranchi saw significant increase in its population. Its population rate of growth was 3.5% in 1901 to 1941, which increased to 14% in 1951–1971.[30] This was because of increased industrial and educational institutions being set up, as well as the arrival of post-partition refugees. Ranchi became an 'administrative-cum-industrial' town in 1958 whenHeavy Engineering Corporation was set up.[30] The succeeding years saw Ranchi becoming the headquarters for theSteel Authority of India Ltd andCentral Coalfields Ltd.[24] The city remained the summer capital of Bihar till the creation of Jharkhand in November 2000, when Ranchi became the capital of the new state.[36]
Ranchi has a hilly topography and its dense tropical forests a combination that produces a relatively moderate climate compared to the rest of the state. However, due to the uncontrolled deforestation and development of the city, the average temperature has increased.[37]
Although Ranchi has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen Climate Classification:Cwa), its location and the forests surrounding it combine to produce the unusually pleasant climate for which it is known. Summer temperatures range from 20 to 42 °C, winter temperatures from 0 to 25 °C. December and January are the coolest months, with temperatures dipping to the freezing point in some areas (Kanke). The annual rainfall is about 1,430 mm (56.34 inches). From June to September the rainfall is about 1,100 mm.[38]
Climate data for Ranchi (1991–2020, extremes 1951–2020)
As of 2011[update] India census,[44]Ranchi Municipal Corporation has a population of 1,073,427, The urban agglomeration had a population of 14,56,528 making it the 32nd most populous urban agglomeration in India. Males constitute 52.1% of the population and females 47.9%.[45] Ranchi has an average literacy rate of 87.68%.
The city witnessed a sudden surge in population after the creation of the new state of Jharkhand in 2000. Owing to the rising employment opportunities and opening of numerous regional and state level offices, banks and FMCG companies, the city witnessed a rapid influx of employment seeking migrants. As per a study done byASSOCHAM in late 2010, Ranchi was one of the highest employment generating Tier-III cities in India with a share of 16.8%, followed byMangalore andMysore.[46]
Hinduism is the prominent religion of Ranchi followed by 64.31% of the population.Islam is the second most followed religion in the city by 16.42% of the people. Minorities areChristians 8.52%,Sikhs 0.39%,Jains 0.22%,Buddhists 0.06%, those that did not state a religion are 0.35%, andtribal religion– primarily theSarnaists are 9.72%.[48]
Governance and politics
Civic administration
The municipal corporation covers an area of 175 km2 (68 sq mi) and is divided into 55 administrative wards, each represented by an elected corporator.[1]
At the time of the creation of the state of Jharkhand in 2000, the Bihar Municipal Act, 1922 was adapted as theJharkhand Municipal Act, 2000 to govern all ULBs in the new state. Ranchi Municipal Corporation was governed by its own municipal act, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation Act, 2001. With the enactment of the Jharkhand Municipal Act 2011, these two ceased to be in effect and the 2011 became the only governing legislature for all city governments in Jharkhand.[49]
Under section 26 of the Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011, the positions of mayor and deputy mayor are elected directly i.e. the position holders are voted in by the people themselves.[50] The last municipal election was in 2018 with a voter turnout of 49.3%, up from 38% in the last election in 2013.[51][52] Asha Lakra and Sanjiv Vijayawargia – both from theBharatiya Janta Party – won the mayoral and deputy mayoral seats.[53] The 2018 municipal election was the first time the mayoral and deputy mayoral candidates in Jharkhand could use political party symbols, while the candidates for councilor seats continued to use symbols allotted to them by the Jharkhand State Election Commission.[53][54] The next municipal election will take place in 2023.[55]
The Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011 mandates the establishment of ward committees for each ward in the municipality.[50] Though ward committees have been formed in Ranchi, they are not active.[56]
The various infrastructure and civic services demands of the city are met by different entities, including Ranchi Municipal Corporation, state government departments, and parastatal organisations. The Ranchi Master Plan 2037 was created by a private consultant firm under the clientship of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, Urban Development and Housing Department, and Ranchi Regional Development Authority.[59][60] Roads in Ranchi are developed and maintained by the municipal corporation,Jharkhand Government, Ranchi Regional Development Authority, andNational Highways Authority of India.[61] The Water Supply Section of the municipal corporation is responsible for issuing water connections, maintaining hand pumps in wards, collecting water usage charges and fines, whereas the state government Drinking Water Supply and Sewerage Department supplies the water.[62][63] Ranchi is served byDhurwa Dam. The Health Department of the corporation is responsible for theSolid Waste Management of the city. RMC operates buses in the city and has outsourced this to a private agency.[64]
Roadways - Ranchi is well connected with all the major cities of india as and its neighbour states withNational Highways Authority of India all districts of Jharkhand is well connected through road network.
Buses - There are two bus terminals Khadgarah Bus Station and Railway Bus Terminal majority of buses operate from these terminals and several bus stops are built within the city.
Economy
Ranchi is one of the major industrial cities ofEastern India and located in the region called 'Ruhr of India' (Chota Nagpur) making it an ideal place for mineral based industries. Ranchi has presence of many well-known government and private organisations in the vicinity of city.SAIL-R&D,MECON.Ltd,Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (Marine Diesel Engine Project),Central Coalfields, CMPDI.Ltd, Subarnarekha Hydel Project (JSEB), Usha Martin.Ltd (Wire Rope Division),[65]DVC,STPI-Ranchi,[66]Heavy Engineering Corp., Palriwal Industries, Pensol India, Waxpol Industries, Jharkhand Mega Food Park etc. are the prominent industries here.
The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FJCCI),[67]ASSOCHAM,MSME-DI and JIADA[68] are major apex industrial bodies present here. JIADA consists many industrial areas in Ranchi, e.g. – Kokar,Tatisilwai,Namkum etc. are among them.
As per a study done by ASSOCHAM in late 2010, Ranchi was the highest employment generating Tier-III cities in India followed by Mangalore and Mysore.[69]MECON Ltd Company has its headquarters in Ranchi at Ashok Nagar. Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Association has its office inNamkum.Central Coalfields also has its headquarters in Ranchi.
STPI Ranchi has set up its branch atNamkum, Ranchi. It is usually anIT Park, which houses many IT companies. It is being planned to build more parks like this. OFFCO Park is another park which is built here. It is also a large and famous business park.
Lalpur, Doranda and Hindpiri are the business districts and financial districts in the city and the state. This place houses several shopping malls. Whole of Ranchi has several shopping malls which include:Nucleus Mall, Mall E Decor,JD Hi-Street Mall,Ranchi Central Mall, Laxmi Tower, Mall of Ranchi, City Center (Centre) Mall, Big Mall, Spring City Mall, Arakshan Shopping Mall, Shelter Mall, Ranchi Green City, Artic Mall, City Center or City Centre, City Mall andGalaxia Mall.
There are many other upcoming shopping malls and commercial projects
Ranchi is a center for numerous sports activities, including cricket, hockey, football, and many others.[73] The34th National Games were successfully held in Ranchi in February 2011. AnInternational Cricket stadium with an indoor stadium and a practice ground has been constructed. So far, this stadium has hosted three One day International matches and one T20 International match. Apart from that, this stadium has hosted twoIPL 6 matches forKolkata Knight Riders, three champions league 2013 matches and Celebrity Cricket League matches for Bhojpuri Dabanggs. A tennis academy, which was inaugurated bySania Mirza andShoaib Malik, also runs beside the cricket stadium. Former Indian Cricket Team CaptainM.S. Dhoni lives in Ranchi.[74] The Ranchi franchise for Hockey India League was bought by Patel-Uniexcel Group and the team named theRanchi Rhinos.[75]
^Cultural Configuration of Ranchi, Lalita Prasad Vidyarthi, Rajendra Behari Lal, India. Planning Commission. Research Programmes Committee, 1969, p. 306.
^Journal and Proceedings of the Asiatic Society Of Bengal, Volume 4, No. 11, 1927, "The Etymology of Ranchi", p. 601.
^Mathur Das Ustad (1997). "The Role of Bishwanath Sahi of Lohardaga district, During the Revolt of 1857 in Bihar".Proceedings of the Indian History Congress.58:493–500.JSTOR44143953.
