ranchi

In our busy materialistic lives we often get consumed in the routines of life. Neither do we have the time nor do we put in any genuine effort to find out the true purpose of our existence. I am a young chef and although I like to live in the moment and enjoy life to its fullest, quite often I like to introspect and ask deep questions about why I am here and how I should live my life. According to me spirituality lies at the heart of every religion and hence, religion teaches us a way of life. In order to explore my spirituality, I decided visit the Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ranchi.

The Gel Church as it is popularly known in the city was built in 1854 by German Missionaries who had come to spread Christianity in the Himalayas but accidentally settled in Ranchi, which was the capital of the erstwhile Chotanagpur Province in British India. The church showcases roman architecture and is built like any post renaissance European protestant church. Its beautiful towers and the majestic entrance caught my eyes.

Gossner Evangelical Church | Image Resource: skyscrapercity.com

The interiors of the church are just extraordinary. The glass paintings are almost 250 years old yet their glace and glow has not faded even a bit. The history of the church is also quite interesting. It was attacked on numerous occasions, most notably during the mutiny of 1857. A large cannon ball was fired at the church which got stuck just above a window and remains their till today.

The administration of the church is now autonomous and it works as a charitable trust. The church has done a lot to help empower the underprivileged in the region of Assam and Chotanagpur. Various schools, hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, old age homes and self help groups have been established through the trust of the church.

I was inspired by this fact. Religion is not only relevant today as a social glue but also as a powerful means of bringing the needs of the underprivileged sections of the society into limelight. The churches activities inspired me to do my bit towards the welfare of those who can’t help themselves.

The Hundru falls in Ranchi are a spectacle of Jharkhand’s immense natural beauty and grace. The state of Jharkhand has some of the most popular waterfalls in India. These falls are widely popular because of their moderateness in the dry season making them perfect for tourism. The Hundru Fall is a great example of such a moderate fall. It falls from a height of 98 m which is around 320 feet.

This makes is great for an enjoyable picnic during the summers. Ranchi, due to its elevation is not very hot during the summers and has been a popular destination in the summer since the colonial days.

Hundru Falls | Image Resource: wikimedia.org

The Hundru falls are easily accessible making them extremely popular. The falls are 45 km away from the Ranchi city center. I followed the Ranchi-Purulia road for around 30 km via bus and then took a taxi going off road for another 15 km. The other way is to take the Ranchi-Ormanjhi route along the NH 33 which is a bit shorter but is not in a very good shape.

The Hundru Fall is ranked 34th in terms of height in India. The fall is a good sight for organising an open air feast. Many tourists bring their paraphernalia and cook in this scenic heaven. The thought of being able to cook in the vicinity of Mother Nature in all her glory gave me goose bumps.

I planned to prepare a feast at the falls, using only fresh and authentic ingredients. At the falls I found a number of local and foreign tourists. I was delighted when they liked my preparations and their reviews will help me in my job immensely. The entire experience gave me immense satisfaction and pleasure. Strangers are not strangers after all; human beings have an ability to connect, especially when over good food.

The Hundru Falls have a number of beautiful rock formations created out of the extreme force of the falling water. Other kinds of formations are created due to the slow erosion effected by mineral rich water of the Subarnarekha River. The Hundru Fall is not amongst the most adventure offering falls, but its serenity is what attracted me. I will surely come back to these falls again.