Jharkhand: Captivating  Wildlife, Mesmerising Nature, Rich Tradition And Much More…

Jharkhand is the only place in the country that has recently opened the first of its kind of fossil park in one of its ecological-rich regions of Rajmahal Hills. Spread in a sprawling 95 acres of area, this eco-tourism complex aims at conserving the history of mankind.

Jharkhand as a state boasts of a rich cultural heritage and bounties of nature. The state itself seems to be God’s gift to mankind with lush green forest, captivating wildlife, mesmerizing natural waterfalls and beautiful water bodies. 

Caption: Chandil Dam attracts tourists throughout the year for its unique topography  

Waterfalls like Ghaghari Dham, Gua, Johna, Sita, Lodh, Lawapani, Panch, and Ghagh to name a few and dams such as Sitarampur, Getalsud, Garga, Palna, Jharia, Netarhat, Chandil among many others are a feast for eyes for visitors. 

Valleys such as Patratu, Chuttupalu and Sarju and well-maintained parks like Sido-Kanhu Park, Birsa Biological Park, Sidhu & Kanhu Park, Biodiversity Park, Birsa Deer Park, Jubilee Park, Hazaribag National Park, Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuaries and Betla National Park are a paradise for nature lovers. 
 
What adds to the beauty and diversity is the local traditions, handicrafts, and enchanting tribal and folk dances with music. As people of the state are peace-loving and believe in the Indian tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava, (Guests are equivalent to God), tourists both domestic and international, feel at home while visiting any time of the year.  

New Tourism Policy to focus on state’s uniqueness 
To tap the potential of the state’s immense bio-diversity, rich cultural and historical heritage, and prominent religious places of worship among others, the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Hemant Soren kept its focus on these aspects in the new tourism policy of 2021 which was published in the official gazette on February 17, 2022. 

On July 23rd 2022, Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched this new policy in Delhi with his remark that Jharkhand has always been viewed from the point of view of Extraction. “Our goal with this policy is to enable the world to view it from the point of view of Attraction,” Soren said. 

Understanding the wide-ranging economic implications of tourism, the state government’s new policy says that tourism contributes positively to economic development and poverty alleviation by creating resources through economic activities. 

Hence, the tourism policy of the State aims at making Jharkhand one of the preferred destinations for tourists, both domestic and international and to ensure accelerated development of tourism-related infrastructure, increase employment opportunities, augment the resources of the State and showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the State.

Caption: An ancient and rarest tradition of megalith (a burial stone) still continues in Jharkhand

The thrust areas of government are to exploit the unique religious, cultural, rural, eco, heritage and mining aspects of the state. For instance, Jharkhand has a large number of religious places of national importance. The holy city of Deogarh is the abode of Baba BaidyanathDham Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas scattered across the country. 

Besides, the sacred pilgrim place for Jains, Parasnath, where 20 out of the 24 Tirthankars attained Mahaparinirvana, exists in Jharkhand. Not only this, one of the most revered shaktisthals- Rajrappa and Ma Bhadrakali Temples are located in Ramgarh and Chatra districts respectively. 

Since tourists and devotees throng in large numbers throughout the year to offer worship and pay their obeisance, the state government has planned to develop and promote Parasnath, Madhuban and Itkhori as places for religious pilgrimage for the Jain community and Basukinath would be developed along the lines of Deoghar.    

Along with religious tourism, the state government is focusing on the natural assets such as the large forest cover, lush green jungles, waterfalls, terrain, moderate climate, and rich wildlife where there is immense scope for developing eco-tourism. 

The effort is to collaborate with private players to develop eco-tourism activities like forest trails, nature walks, jungle safaris, trekking, rock climbing etc. The new policy envisages the role of the state government as a facilitator to provide infrastructure facilities including wayside amenities, tourist information centres, facilities for organizing craft melas and a platform for organizing events.

“Tourism has emerged as an economic activity where the private sector has to play a leading role. The private sector has to consider investing in the tourism sector from a long-term perspective and create the required facilities, including accommodation etc. in areas identified for tourism development,” the new tourism policy says. 

The state tourism department is also making efforts to promote various fairs and festivals, traditional lifestyles and customs, and dress and food habits of the people of Jharkhand so that tourists and visitors get a chance to see and cherish the rich and varied cultural heritage of the State.

Developing local fairs and festivals as tourism events and attractions and maintaining a calendar of events indicating the events throughout the State act as a guide to tourists and help them plan their trips to popular destinations. 

Caption: Chief Minister Hemant Soren launching the new Tourism Policy of Jharkhand on July 23, 2022 in Delhi
 
Thrust on Infrastructure to boost connectivity, employment, 
“Tourism in Jharkhand has grown considerably in recent years on account of more infrastructural facilities, improvement in existing tourist locations, development of new tourist destinations and growth of hotels and restaurant facilities in the state,” Well-known tourism expert Dr Subhash Goyal who is a Member of National Tourism Advisory Council, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said. 

The state government is making consistent efforts to provide smooth connectivity among various tourists destination within the state. Recently, just before the beginning of the famous Shravani Mela at Deoghar, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren had urged Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for widening important highway stretches in the state, particularly from Basukinath to Dumka.

According to tourism experts, the opening of an airport in Deoghar will definitely promote tourism in the state and boost employment.  The proposal to bring three more airports and 14 new air routes will increase connectivity and accessibility from other parts of the country and tourism will get a major boost in the state. 
“I feel that the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation should make Ranchi an international airport and both the state and the Centre should work together to promote international flights directly to Ranchi from all over the world mainly from South East Asia,” Goyal said.   

The state government has already kept its focus on providing basic infrastructure like roads, air connectivity and rail network so that tourists move from one destination to another with ease and comfort. 

It is prioritizing the development and construction of roads and ensuring maintenance and improvement of existing roads to provide accessibility to identified destinations of tourist importance. The State Government is also pursuing with the Union Ministry of Railways for expansion of the railway network within Jharkhand and for operating train links to important locations outside the State, including super-fast/ luxury train service.

Tourism also serves as an opportunity to promote inclusive development and environmental awareness.  The Hemant Soren government believes in taking along all sections of the society on the path to prosperity. Hence, it is taking measures to encourage Scheduled castes, Scheduled tribes, physically disadvantaged and women to actively participate in the tourism development process.

Despite the enthusiastic approach to strengthening and promoting the tourism ecosystem, the government is mindful of the fact that it has to preserve the fragile balance between development and preserving the natural beauty of the state. 

So, the local bodies are making efforts to create awareness regarding environment protection, conservation and preservation of local cultural heritage, customs, traditions etc. They are promoting responsible tourism in the State by taking appropriate measures for environmental protection.