Khunti is a beautiful place located in the Khunti district of Jharkhand state. The place is blessed with heavy rains as the climate is a tropical rain forest. The monsoon time is from July to September. The rainfall is the highest in the city which accounts for 90% of the total states. As there is less utility for water supply, people have dug up wells to solve their water-related issues. The water has been drawn from the hand pumps. If you observe, the scene is a primitive one where you would see the routine chores of the people as once being carried out during the time of our forefathers.
Khunti is a fusion of revolt and struggle. The Birsa movement had taken place in the year 1875. Khunti was established in 1905. The struggles under the hands of the British have taken place exclusively in Khunti. Khunti has been on the records for falling under the cruels' policies of the British. Khunti is well known for producing a natural polymer called Lac. It is being produced by Kerria Lacca, a tiny insect. Almost every species of the trees have this insect residing. The tribes from Khunti get their second-highest income from this Lac cultivation and production. The government fully supports and encourages the farmers in the cultivation of this precious polymer. The NGOs and other voluntary organizations have stretched their helping hands to the agricultural department as well.
If history is read carefully, you would come across interesting stories related to Khunti. The son of the great King Madra Munda had eight sons. Out of these, the eldest and the brightest of the five discovered a village on the southern side of Ranchi and named it Khunti.
When Mundas had their first visit to Khunti and its neighbors, they learned that a section of the society was in the hands of the Asuras and the Tirkis. The Mundas who had a promising body-built, terribly frightened Asuras and Tirkis. The jewelry that the women wore during those times was shiny and finely shaped weighing ten sheers each. Seeing these different and frightening people, the Tirkis fled to save their lives. The Asuras traveled to the west and sheltered themselves in Basia, Pargana, and Nagra.
There is another story that states that the name was passed on from a mythological character Kunti from Mahabharata. Kunti and her sons, the Pandavas, resided here for fourteen years. As people believe in mythology, this theory became a success story which brought immense fame to Khunti.
Khunti has a lot of people of variant caste and creed. Hence a lot of festivals are celebrated with joy and glory. Faughn, Sarhul, Tusu, Karam, etc. are some of these festivals. Jagger Susun and Karam susun are the dance forms that the people from Khunti perform.
Panchghagh Falls: When you cross Khunti-Chaibasa, you would come across Panchghagh falls. The main feature is that these are five falls and its footmarks the picnic spot for many. People are more fascinated to take bath in this crystal clear water that is cold as well. It is said that the mineral content is on the higher side in these waters.The sounds of the water can be heard from a certain distance before entering the falls. They fall on the rocks and the sound would depict symphony that would vibrate your inner rhythms to the natural beauty. You have to cover 9 km from the Khunti district.
Deer Park: This is a park for kids and small children. They are a combination of gardens and pathways that both the children and adults would opt to go to. It is the best picnic spot. Altogether there are about 250 deers of 15 species being preserved in their natural habitat. The cleanliness of the park is an appreciable point to be noted. More than 2 hours can be easily spent here with the deers and the kids.
Angrabadi temple: The deities in the temple are Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Ram, and Hanuman. The main deity is Lord Shiva. The Sawan season is being celebrated with a local festival which lasts for a month. Maha-Shivratri invites disciples from all the places of Jharkhand. It is 30 km from Ranchi.
Perwaghag: Perwaghag is a waterfall that is located in a forest. This is an incredible sight to see as you would appreciate the natural beauty that has still been preserved and taken care of. Rainy season locks the spot from visitors and becomes inaccessible. The way is full of stones and bushes which is not that easy. But the calm and quiet atmosphere would encourage one to explore every section of the forest.
St. Michael's Church: This is the oldest church in Khunti. The church was built by the Roman Catholics. This was later reformed to Protestantism. There are large bronze statues depicting archangels vanquishing the devil.
The main diet that can be seen here is Food that is made from green leafy vegetables. The people here prefer vegetables as there are natural herbs and plants. They cook food most traditionally. The flavors here are simply amazing with fewer spices used in almost every cuisine. The most striking feature is that there are a variety of North Indian Dishes that you would need to try out.
You won't be able to trace regular flights to this route. Birsa Munda Airport is the nearest to reach Khunti about 33 Kilometers from here.
The easiest way to reach the destination is by train. The nearest station is in Hatia. Traveling by road is yet another sound option to reach this wonderful destination.
Winter is the best time to explore this place. This is from October to March. The land becomes marshy during the rainy season. During these months there are little to no visitors as the access is being closed.
To explore Khunti, a hotel stay is recommended to enjoy the beauty and to visit places systematically.
There are different packages based on price and customer ratings. There are 5-star hotels with full fledge security and 24 hours check-in. There are Kitchens with refrigerators that would give a homely feel. A dining and sitting room also adds luxury to the stay. The housekeeping services are disciplined and done systematically. The range starts from 5 thousand for one night. There are hotels with normal packages as well. For budget traveler 2500 rupees, for moderate traveler 4000 rupees, for luxury travel, 5000 rupees is required.