Ramgarh is a cantonment town, and the headquarter of the district Ramgarh in the state Jharkhand. On 12th September 2007, Ramgarh became the separate district after the division of the larger Hazaribag district. The district was formed to ease administrative hardship. The district has five blocks in it CHITARPUR, DULMI, GOLA, RAMGARH, PATRATU.
The town is populated with a short of a million people. There are two oldest infantry regiments of India in the city, namely the Punjab Regiment established in 1761 and the Sikh Regiment established in 1846. From the former most decorative regiments, the militants of these two regiments have shown their bravery in several battles like the Afghan wars, the battle of Tofrek, the battle of Abyssynia, the first and the second World Wars and various other battles after the independence.
From the two ancient places named Murram(Ram) and Beluagadha(Gadh), the city is named as Ramgarh. Those places are areas of coal. In the district Hazaribagh there are also two places named Sitagadha and Vishnugadha so after the division, the new district was declared as Ramgarh having the ancient Ramgarh town as its headquarter. The area was under the powerful king Jarasandh according to the district gazetteer, Hazaribagh Chapter IV. Chotanagpur was under his authority as sub-ordination of Mahapadam of the Kingdom Magadh, Nagwanshi's Nand Ugrasen. Then from 273 B.C to 232 B.C, it was under the subordination of Ashoka the Great, which reveals that Ramgarh was also there in the Buddha period. Symbolic relies on the Buddha period on also certified the existence of the city in the temple of Gola. Also, at the beginning of the Jainism period, the town has its existence. It was clarified with the construction of Jain Trithankar in Parasnath. Ramgarh also proves its existence during the period of Samudragupta and the regime of the king of Mundaraj. All these facts were documented by the presence of the Munda tribe in Ramgarh.
Jharkhand the country of forests was under subordination of ruler in the Turk-Afghan period (1206-1526 A.D.). According to the Hazirabagh district gazetteer, chapter -4, the Ramgarh region was established in 1368. King Bagdeo Singh was the founder of the Ramgarh regime with Sira as their capital. Then the headquarter was transferred to Urda then to Badam and finally to Ramgarh in 1670. Then King Mukund Singh ruled over the Ramgarh regime.
By King Shah Alam II the Ramgarh regime was handover to the East India Company, and Captain Comac became the first Military Collector of Ramgarh District. The district collectorate was in Chatra. Nagpur, Palamoo, Hazaribagh, Chatra, Giridih, and Kodarma were under the military district of Ramgarh.
The founder of Bramha samaj and the great social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy was in the Ramgarh district as Sheristeder of the Collectorate. He even lived both at Ramgarh and Cahtra. He was under the then Registrar and acting Magistrate of Ramgarh, Mr. William Digby. He was and came to this place with him.
To overpower the Orion, Tamad, and Munda Revolt and Kol revolt in the year of 1811, Ramgarh Battalion was used. It was also the Government police station of the British. Under the presidentship of Maulana Abul Qalam Ajad, the 53rd Session of Indian National Congress was accomplished in the year 1940, and a conference against the Samjhauta was completed under Subhas Chandra Bose. Netaji was later seen as the president of All India Forward Block in Ramgarh. Under these severe circumstances, Ramgarh cantonments were formed in the year 1941. SRC and PRC were two cores of the Army training.
The subdivision of Ramgarh was formed in the year 1991. Consisting the Ramgarh town, the district was formed on 12th September 2007. Ramgarh, Patratu, Gola, and Mandu Block. Chittarpur and Dulmi block were made later on. Sri Madhu Koda, the then Chief Minister of Jharkhand, inaugurated the new district.
Ramgarh is full of rich cultural heritage and artwork as it is an ancient town. Holi, Dipawali, Jivitputrika or Jitiya Durga Puja or Navaratri, Chhath, Karma, Dussehra or, Ramanavami, Tusu, Sarhul, Saraswati puja, Eid, Makar Sankranti, etc. are some major festivals which bring joy in the life of Ramgarh people. Vishwakarma puja is one of the most celebrated festivals due to many industries and mining activities. In the Rajrapa mandir, Makar Sankranti is celebrated, which attracts a lot of people for the holy environment. Many fairs are held during the auspicious day of Jitiya, karma, and other festivals. There are two well-known destinations of marriage, i.e. Rajrappa Mandir and Tooti Jharna Mandir.
Based on traditional art, this place is full of surprises. Pre Harrapan poetry, prehistoric paintings, and rock arts reveal that the place has ancient cultured civilization. The manifestation of culture goes deep into the in this region, and these are proved from the beautiful artworks like intricate woodwork, the pitkar paintings, tribal ornaments, stone carvings, dolls and figurines, masks and baskets.
There is a variety of food and cuisines in Ramgarh. Roti (Chapati) or Phulka, Rice or Bhat, Dal, Sabzi, or Tarkari and Achar or Pickle are some of the best and most commonly prepared dishes in every household. Ramgarh's famous local street food is Duska and Vada. Urad dal is the prime ingredient of Vada.
Patratu Dam: It is also called Nalkari Dam as it is set up on the Nalkari river. This is a beautiful picnic spot as it surrounded by hills, forests, and rivers. Visitors can enjoy boating facilities there. The main purpose of the dam is to supply the water to Patratu Thermal Power Station. The dam can store a maximum of up to 81 square miles. It is 28 km away from the Ramgarh cantonment and 35kms from state capital Ranchi. From 14 January 2010 bating facilities get started for the tourists.
Dhur-during Fall: About 4 km from Ramgarh cantonment near the Sridhar village Dhurdhuria fall is located. On the course of the Sherbhuki river, the fall is generated. In that fall the waterfalls the altitude is approximately 50ft. It is a beautiful picnic spot. One can enjoy the waterfall as well as the environment which is full of natural beauty. The road is up to Sridhar village, and the approach road is under construction.
Chinnamastika Mandir: On the meeting point of the two rivers Bhairavi and Damodar, the mandir is situated, which is 28kms away from Ramgarh. The place is for the ancient along with the strong source of the Goddes Shakti. Thus, shakti pith is also mention in Vedas and Puranas. People believe that one who devotes himself wholeheartedly and pray to Maa with purity, his all wishes get fulfilled by the Goddess. Many devotees from the state and also from neighboring states come to this place throughout the year. During the full moon and new moon, large crowed is formed in the holy place. The temple has hot water spring near it which attracts a lot of tourists throughout the year, and in winter it becomes a picnic spot. Many guesthouses and Dharmsalas are there for the proper hospitality of the tourists.
Ramgarh is connected to major cities of the state Jharkhand and also the country. Railway and road direct link Ramgarh to other cities and towns. One can take a bus from Ranchi to Ramgarh which takes approximately 1h 09m to reach. There are also six direct trains to go Ramgarh from state capital Ranchi. Thus, finding a guest room or a hotel would be cheap and comfortable as they would be in a similar radius around the station. The weather here is pleasant due to the trees and hills all around, and the climate equally is less humid. Overall, it would be a lovely weekend for anyone if they plan to visit this beautiful place. The best time to visit the place is in the month of June-October. It would take two days to visit all the attractions. For a pocket-friendly stay, the bag packers can have a budget of 2.5-3 thousand. The mid-range travelers can raise it to 3-3.5 thousand to ensure a decent stay and transport services as per suitability. To have a luxurious experience, luxury travelers can have a budget of 4-4.5 thousand.