A Journey to Dimna Lake and Tata Jubilee Park

Dimna Lake is an artificial lake in Jamshedpur, which is situated at around 13 km from the city. This lake lies at the foot hills of Dalma Mountain ranges. The Dimna Lake is important for the city, as it serves like a water reservoir for the steel plant and the main drinking water source.

This lake is half an hour drive away from the main city and can be visited by a cab or a bus. It is located in the Mirzadih Panchayat of Patamda Block and was constructed by the Tata Steel. Tourists can visit this place in winters between November and February. There are boating and other water sports facilities provided including jet skiing and rowing in this lake. Jamshedpur is also a attractive city.

ATTRCTIONS

JUBILEE PARK, DIMNA LAKE, DIMNA WILD LIFE, SIR DORABJI TATA PARK, HUDKO LAKE, KEENAN STADIUM, TATA FOOTBALL ACADAMY, JRD TATA SPORTS COMPLEX, GLIDING AND FLYING CLUBS, TATA STEEL ADVENTURE FOUNDATION, TRIBAL CULTURE CENTRE etc.

HOW TO REACH

Air:Nearest airport: Ranchi .

Rail:Railway Station is Tatanagar located on Howrah-Mumbai line on South Eastern Railway.

Road:Well connected with all the major cities by good motor able roads.

Highly/Medium Rated hotels are available in Jamshedpur

Railways

Tatanagar Railway station

Tatanagar Junction is a railway junction and a model station on the Chakradharpur division, of the South Eastern Railway.

Roadways

National Highway 33

Jamshedpur is connected to other parts of India through national and state highways. The major highways are:

·         National Highway 33 (NH33) touches the city and connects it to Mumbai and further joins the NH32, which connects with Kolkata-DelhiNH2, NH33 and NH6 connects it to Kharagpur, Kolkata.

·         National Highway 32 (NH 32) connects Jamshedpur to Govindpur via Dhanbad, Bokaro.

·         4 lane Expressway (Adityapur-Kandra Road) connects Jamshedpur to Barbil via Seraikela, Chaibasa.

·         Marine Drive 4 lane Expressway connects Adityapur Toll Bridge to Mango via Kadma, Sonari through the western corridors of Jamshedpur.

 

Airport

Sonari Airport is a tiny airport serving the city at present. It is spread over a 25-acre area in the Sonari area of the city. The airport is primarily used for bringing in chartered planes of TATA group.

Tata Steel had in proposed to set up a 600-acre (2.4 km²) Greenfield airport on the outskirts of Jamshedpur in Adityapur-Seraikela region. In June 2011 Tata Steel and TRIL entered formally into a joint venture for building the airport.^[28] The new airport will be of international standard with a 10,000 ft runway, it will have the capacity to allow commercial airliners such as the Airbus A320 to land and take off which was not possible from the present airport.^[29] As of Dec 2012, Land acquisition process has started for the Airport. Out of 528 acres of required land 90% is owned by Govt. whereas rest is private land. The company is at present facing opposition in the acquisition process from the local villagers.

JUBILEE PARK: Ravana went to Mount Kailash and prayed to Lord Jubilee Park is Situated in the heart of city, Jubilee Park is a replica of the famous Brindavan Gardens of Bangalore. This park is spread in approximately 225 acres, dotted with flower beds and illuminated fountains to add to the beautiful decor maintained. Earlier every weekend the garden used to attract thousands of tourists when the fountains were illuminated. Recently this practice has been suspended. However, on the 3rd of March every year tourists come to watch the spectacular sight. This day marks the birth anniversary of the founder of Tata empire Jamshedji Tata. The park was presented by the Steel Company to the citizens of Jamshedpur in it's Golden Jubilee Year.

DIMNA LAKE: DIMNA LAKE is Surrounded by flora the Dimna lake is 13 kms from Jamshedpur. This is situated at the foot of Dalma Hills. It is an ideal picnic site and a very scenic place.

DALMA WILD LIFE SANCTUARY: DALMA WILD LIFE SANCTUARY is a thick forests spread in some 195 sq. kms. makes the Dalma Wild Life Sactuary where one can find elephants, barking deers, sloth bears, porcupines, leopards, tigers etc. The steep slopes of Dalma offers excellent trekking opportunities.

HUDCO LAKE: HUDCO LAKE is a nestle in the picturesque and hilly terrain of Telco Colony, the lake is a delightful retreat for those desirous of being in nature's- lap' within the city precincts.

JUBILEE AMUSEMENT PARK: A special gift to the children of Jamshedpur,the park has been designed to provide entertainment,which was available in metros only.The park has redefined entertainment in the steel city.The green hillocks and the water body provides a wonderful ambience for an outing where games like whirling in the wind,dashing cars,derby riding,caterpillar ride and a 75-meter slide can be enjoyed.

KEENAN STADIUM: This cricket stadium has been acknowledged by many visiting cricket teams as one of the finest in the country. The lush green outfield can compete with the best in world today.

JRD TATA SPORTS COMPLEX: This magnificent complex has an international size football ground with an eight-lane monosynthetic track. This is one of the best sports complex in India. Facilities for handball, volleyball, hockey and table tennis and a modern gymnasium are available at the complex. Based here are the Tata Chess Centre and the Tata Archery Academy.

GLIDING AND FLYING CLUBS: The Jamshedpur Gliding Club, the Jamshedpur Co-operative Flying Club Ltd. and the Tatanagar Aviation Pvt. Ltd. offer wide scope for 'extra terrestrial' sporting activities, such as gliding and flying. Jamshedpur has facilites for gliding and flying at the Sonari airport.

TATA STEEL ZOOLOGICAL PARK: A variety of flora and fauna exists in condition close to their natural habitat at the zoological park. Situated besides the Jubilee Park, it is a treat for all the nature lovers. Any one can closely observe the flourishing nature here without a microscope. Migratory Birds visiting every year during winters is equally enchanting for all the bird lovers. The park also has a beautiful lake, a boathouse and "Machaan Restaurant".

TATA STEEL ADVENTURE FOUNDATION: The Foundation provides scope for a wide variety of adventure sports, such as rock climbing, river rafting, para sailing, etc. The 40-old adventure clubs under its umbrella maintain a hectic pace of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. There are a number of other private clubs offering a variety of sporting activities such as golf, tennis, squash, billiards, horse riding etc.

TRIBAL CULTURE CENTRE: The Centre showcases the ethos of our indigenous peoples. Besides imparting vocational training, it also organises tribal festivals and cultural programmes.

An Excursion to Ajodhya Hills

About Ajodhya Hills:-

Ajodhya Hills (Bengali: অযোধ্যা পাহাড়), is a hill located in the Purulia district of the state of West Bengal, India. It is a part of the Dalma Hills and extended part of Eastern Ghats range. Highest peak of Ajodhya Hills is Gorgaburu. The nearby populated town area is Bagmundi.

It is a popular place for young mountaineers to learn the basic course in rock climbing. There are two routes available to reach Ajodhya Hills. One is via Jhalda and the other one is via Sirkabad. There is a Forest Rest House here. Gorgaburu (855 m), Mayuri etc. are of the some of the peaks of Ajodhya hills range.^[1]

The area forms the lowest step of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The general scenario is undulating land with scattered hills. The area around Bagmundi or Ajodhya Hill is an extended plateau.^]

Mahua flower in summer

According to Hindu mythology, Rama and Sita had come to Ayodhya Hills and stayed during their exile. Sita was thirsty and Ram pierced an arrow through the Earth's soil crust and through that water gushed out. Sita quenched her thirst. The place is known as Sita-kunda. During the full moon day in Baisakh every year tribals of nearby areas come and join in the game of hunting wild animals.

Purulia Pumped Storage Project with an installed capacity of 900 MW (4 X 225 MW) has been set up in Ajodhya hills under Bagmundi police station with the loan assistance of Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

Places of Attraction and whereabouts of Hills With Wide Range Of Photographs:–

Near Ajodhya Hills, there is Turga Dam and the Lake, and the pleasant waterfall formed by the River Bamni. The site of the Turga Dam site is a perfect tourist spot, where the visitors can spend their day.

It presents you some wonderful raw hills to explore. One of the most beautiful excursions near Kolkata is the Ajodhya Hills, which fall under the Purulia district of West Bengal. Located at an altitude of approximately 700 m above the sea level, at the Bihar-Purulia border, Ajodhya Hills is one place where you will feel rejuvenated and refreshed, away from the humidity of Kolkata, in summers.

Actually a part of the Dolma Hill Range, the place Ajodhya Hills a special delight for nature lovers and young mountaineers. The dense forests and gurgling waterfalls of the place make it a natural delight. You will be astonished to see the forest full of elephants, deer, wild boars, wolves and cheetahs, from so close. Even the dense trees of pine, shimul, saal, shirish and segun trees will make you feel delighted. The young mountaineers will get an opportunity to reign over raw peaks like Gorga-buru.

Ajodhya Hills, apart from its travel and trekking expeditions, is also known for its mythological links. It is said that Lord Rama and his wife Goddess Sita had once visited the place and stayed here for some time. One day, Sita was feeling thirsty; Lord Ram pierced an arrow into the earth, at this very place only, to spurt a fountain and satisfy her longing for water. The spot is, thus, named Sita-kunda i.e. the water-reservoir of Sita. Thousands of people come here every year, to visit this mystic spot.

In case, you want to visit Ajodhya Hills, you can opt between two routes from Kolkata - one is via Jhalda and the other will take you there through Sirkabad. Residing there will also not be a big issue if you do a prior booking in the Forest Rest House here. Once you have reached Ajodhya Hills, a trip to Turga Dam and Lake and the pleasant waterfall formed by the River Bamni is worthwhile. You can also give a small visit to the hydel power plant at this place, if you are interested in technology.

Matha   -   Matha Buru (Matha hills) is commonly known for its esthetic beauty. Annual 'Mela' is originated on the hill by tribal community. Many nature camp and Rock Climbing courses are conducted by different organization mostly during winter season. Last year number of such camps was 31 and more than 2000 school &college students participated. Local Forest Protection Committee members are engaged for providing catering facilities for camp and some of them also act as local guides.

Pakhi Pahar   -   Is another tourist attraction with vicinity along with scenic beauty of Pardi Dam.

Eco-Shop   -   An unique attempt to provide facility to the local villagers to sale their handicraft produce to the tourist.

Gachbari (Tree house)   -   First time in South Bengal to provide tourist a feeling of staying above a tree. Under construction at Matha Range shortly to be completed.

Dowry Khal   -   Originating place of Sobha River, a tributary of Subarnarekha. Known for its natural beauty and a favourite camping place for adventure tourist.

Purulia Pump Storage Project   -   900 M.W. capacity hydro-electric project. Upper dam surrounded by lash green Sal forest is a potential place for tourist destination.

Tugga and Bramni Falls   -   To perennial streams near Bagmundi favourite for day visitors and picnic party in winter.

Nature Interepretation Centre at Ajodhya   -   Under construction. Aimed to represent Ajodhya Eco-system along with tribal culture and tradition to the visiting tourists. Shortly to be completed.

Sirkabad   -   Base camp for rock climbers and trekkers who come to help rock climb courses at Gaja Buru, the top peak of Ajdohya Hill.

Dams surrounding Ajodhya Hill   -   Murguma, Pardi, Burda, Ramudih, Gopalpur are few dam sites which are liked by picnic minded people and tourists. They not only represent the scenic beauty but also serves as spot for bird watching.

Gorshabru, the highest peak of the Ayodhya Hills is situated at a magnificent 2850 feet. There are various deep forests and numerous waterfalls located amidst the hill. Several tribal villages are also situated on the hill. A  trip to the Mayur hill will provide a spectacular view of the Ayodhya Hills, just like it has been portrayed on a canvas. You can either visit the numerous waterfalls, deep forests, tribal villages or can explore the beauty of the hill by taking a walk around it.

The Forest of Matha Hill, near Ayodhya Hill is about 45 km from Purulia town. Matha, known for its scenic beauty is also good for rock climbing & trekking. Rock climbing courses are conducted here between November To March.

Pakhi Hill (Hill of birds) nearby is famous for birds. The forests are home to Leopard, Pangolin, and Madras Tree Shrew. Elephants migrate seasonally from neighbouring Jharkhand.

  

Accomodation The West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Corporation (WBCADC) run guest houses Niharika, Manasi, Malancha, Anamika, Balaka, Bibhabari, Upekhita etc. West Bengal Tourist Lodge is also available. Forest Rest-house under Purulia Division is available in the location of Ajodhya, Balarampur, Matha, Jhalda, Purulia, Arsha. How to Reach Ayodhya Hill is about 260 km from Kolkata, 42 km from Purulia town. Durgapur Expressway connects Purulia to Kolkata. Several trains to Purulia are available from Howrah. Buses are also available from Kolkata.

A Trip to Gadiara, Geokhali , Nurpur

 Location

Gadiara is a village situated in Shyampur Police Station , Uluberia Subdivision , Howrah District of West Bengal, India. This place is the point of convergence of the Damodar, the Rupnarayan and the Hoogli rivers. Gadiara is a very popular picnic spot and daytrip spot for locals and other nature lover.

  

Scenic View

There is an old dilapidated fort, Fort Mornington, built by Lord Clive in Gadiara. The fort was heavily damaged during the devastating flood in 1942. There is a small lighthouse installed in Gadiara.

Visitors can enjoy boating in the Rupnarayan River. Both sunrise and sunset in Gadiara are really worth seeing because of its vast waterfront resembling a sea. There are regular ferry services to the other side of the river i.e., to Geonkhali in Midnapore and to Nurpur in 24-Parganas.

Opposite of Gadiara there is a place named Geokhali under East Midnapore where PHE water supply plant is located with lawn, river brink, and with Bunglo of Govt of West Bengal. Purified water from such plant is distributed to Halid Industrial Area.

 

In the Nurpur river site Missonaries of Charity (Brothers) is situated. Abnormal Child is taken care here. This home is opened for all on christian occasion.

 

Route to Gadiara from Kolkata

It is hardly 75–80 km from Kolkata and there are frequent bus services both private and state-owned (CSTC), from Esplanade, Kolkata.. Private Buses are available from Howrah to Gadiara (called L Bus). Visitors may go from Esplanade by Bus (SD-9 and SD 9/1) to Nurpur by Hardly one and half an hours. Then by Launch service from Nurpur to Gadiara.

Lodging and Boarding

The best staying place is Rupnarayan Tourist Lodge, of Government of West Bengal

The
Restaurant at Rupnarayan Tourist Lodge is surely the best. Booking can be done from Kolkata office of West Bengal Tourism, Dalhouse. Online booking can be done through following website. http://www.westbengaltourism.gov.in

There is another sea facing in front of Bus Stand New Chalantika Tourist Lodge available. Delicious foods are prepared and served here.

GADIARA Resort & Lodge A nice & cool place for a weekend trip, for peace of
mind. Boarding and lodging are available very cheaper and affordable.