Ghatshila

Ghatshila is a town in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, India.

Understand
The city is located on the bank of the River Subarnarekha (the word ‘Subarnarekha’ means golden streak), and is situated in an undulating forested area. It has been a popular place frequented mostly by people from West Bengal, who have been going there for a change of place and climate. The noted Bengali writer Bibhuti Bhusan Bandyopadhyay of Pather Panchali fame was a resident of the city.

A small township with mixture of people from communities like Bengalis, Biharis, Gujratis, Marwadis, Punjabis and Muslims, all staying together in harmony participating in each other's festivals. Geographically placed between two mountain ranges with the Subarnarekha river separating them from kissing each other. Aerial view is beautiful from top of any mountain like the Surda pahar. You can find the rocky river flowing in between hilly & rocky terrain with patches of human habitants, painting an awesome landscape. On one side of your view, you can find smoking chimneys of the Hindustan Copper factory suggesting the industrialization that en marks this fast growing township. People stay in a variety of modern & old houses. If you take a walk down to Aam Bagan, Rajestate you can feel the village life with cows & chickens roaming here and there and housewives smoking the traditional chulhas (burners) with intoxicating smells of burning cow dungs. If you visit the nearing villages, you can see a lively village life with tribals engaged in their daily rituals.

In all if you love nature and want to feel it from inside, Ghatshila is one of the best choice to make if you stay near to Kolkata or Ranchi.

Get in
There are many Local Passenger trains connecting Jamshedpur and Kharagpur with Ghatshila. For timings etc. check with Indian Railways.
 * By rail - It is a railway station on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar stretch of Howrah-Mumbai track, 215 km from Howrah are 2781/2782 Ispat Express, 8030/8029 Kurla/ Howrah Express, 2813/2814 Steel Express. It is well connected to 3 Metros in India namely Mumbai(by Bombay Express), Kolkata(many trains starting from 6AM by Steel Exp. to midnight at 1.15 by Samleshwari Exp) and New Delhi(by Neelachal & Utkal Exp).


 * By road – It is about 240 km from Kolkata. Those travelling from Kolkata first have to take NH 6 to Bahragora and then take the road to Jamshedpur. Buses plying between Kharagpur and Jamshedpur pass through Ghatshila. Buses going from Kolkata to Jamshedpur and Ranchi also pass through Ghatshila.By road Jamshedpur is 42 km away.

Get around
A hired car charges ₹800-₹1,000 to take tourists around the places of interest. Apart from these auto rickshaws are available for movement locally. If you plan to visit Jamshedpur & Ranchi, best & cheap place to stay is Ghatshila. You can rent a car and manage single day trips to cover these cities.

See

 * Moubhandar HCL/ICC Township - Beautiful and well planned township with friendly locals.
 * Phuldungri Hill – just next door.
 * Panch Pandav - 5 km north-west of Ghatshila, a stone is there bearing the figures of five men; the legend is that they are figures of the five Pandav brothers.
 * Binda Mela - This fair is held in the month of Aswin (October) at Ghatshila proper for fifteen days. It was initiated from time immemorial by the forefathers of the Raja of former Dhalbhum estate. Utensils, sweet meats, ornaments etc. are sold by petty shopkeepers. It is a very popular, particularly for the Santhals.

Notable places in and around Ghatshila are: the house of Bengali writer Bhibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Phuldongri Hill, Burudi Lake, Rankani Temple(Jadugora & Ghatsila),Dharagiri  Falls, Naroa  Forest, Mosaboni Mines & Surda Pahar. 8 km from Ghatshila is Galudi, another tourist spot on the banks of the Subarnarekha. Tatanagar is just a day's trip from Ghatshila.

Do
Breathe fresh air particularly along the river bank. Take a dip in the Subarnarekha river. Go for long walks in and around the Dalma range near Moubhandar

Buy
There is nothing in particular to buy.Though you can go for local Santhali handicrafts.

Eat
Normally one eats at place of stay. There you can buy at low rate everything, particularly the vegetable, fish, meat, chicken.

Drink
Notably, most tourists from nearby big cities like Kolkata are attracted to Ghatsila not only for its natural beauty but also to taste the sweet mineral water. At each pockets of the township, a public tube well or Chaapaakal can be found where you can taste fresh water. The water is said to have medicinal values. A glass of water is enough to fill-up your empty stomach.

Should try sweet Kalakand out there which is vary famous. Most famous and oldest Kalakand seller is Ganesh Kalakand.

Go next

 * Burudih Dam- 6 km north of Ghatsila
 * Dharagiri - 10 km north of Ghatshila, there is a water fall 20 feet high.
 * Galudih Resort Centre – 8 km from Ghatshila
 * Jamshedpur – about 40 km
 * Mosabani Copper Mines