Ranchi

Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, sits on the rolling Chota Nagpur Plateau at an elevation that gives it a noticeably cooler climate than much of the surrounding Gangetic plain. Long nicknamed the 'City of Waterfalls' for the cluster of cascades — Hundru, Dassam, Jonha and others — within day-trip distance, Ranchi serves as the natural base for exploring the state's waterfalls, forests and hill country. The city itself blends a colonial-era core, built when it served as the summer capital of Bihar under British rule, with the newer institutional and administrative character it has taken on since becoming Jharkhand's capital in 2000.

Ranchi Lake, Tagore Hill and the Jagannath Temple sit within the city limits, while the presence of institutions like BIT Mesra has given it a modest college-town energy alongside its administrative role. It is also known across India as the hometown of cricketer MS Dhoni, a point of local pride referenced throughout the city.

Ranchi grew in prominence as a hill retreat and administrative centre during the British period, later becoming capital of the newly carved-out state of Jharkhand when it was separated from Bihar in November 2000.

Birsa Munda Airport is about 7km from the city centre; Ranchi is also a major railway junction and well connected by road via NH-33 and NH-23.