McCluskieganj

McCluskieganj is a small hilly town in Jharkhand State, India, about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of the capital, Ranchi. The town used to have a significant Anglo-Indian community.[2] It is now a tourist place for its British era old mansions, hills and streams.[3][4]

McCluskieganj
Nickname: 
mini London
McCluskieganj is located in Jharkhand
McCluskieganj
McCluskieganj
Location in Jharkhand, India
McCluskieganj is located in India
McCluskieganj
McCluskieganj
McCluskieganj (India)
Coordinates: 23.64°N 84.94°E / 23.64; 84.94
Country India
StateJharkhand
DistrictRanchi district
BlockKhalari
Established1933
Founded byErnest Timothy McCluskie
Elevation
450 m (1,480 ft)
Population
 • Total3,000[1]
Languages
 • OfficialNagpuri, Hindi
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
829208
Vehicle registrationJH

History

Ernest Timothy McCluskie, the Anglo Indian businessman from Kolkata visited the place and impressed by the environment and climate of the area. He decided to build a town for Anglo Indian and purchased the lands from king of Chotanagpur, Udai Pratap Nath Shah Deo.[5] In 1932, he sent circulars to nearly 200,000 Anglo-Indians in India inviting them to settle there.[6] It was founded by the Colonisation Society of India in 1933 as a homeland or "Mooluk" for Anglo-Indians. Anglo-Indians could buy Shares in this co-operative, the Colonisation Society of India - which in turn would allot them a plot of land.[7] It became home to 400 Anglo-Indian families within ten years.[8] Of the nearly 300 original settlers, only 20 families remain, as most of the Anglo-Indian community left after World War II.[6]

A mosque, a temple & a gurudwara at one place

Now, the population of the town is around 3000.[1]

Geography

McCluskieganj is located at the distance of around 60 km North West from state capital of Jharkhand, Ranchi in Khelari block. It is located at alltitude of 450 metre.[9] It is located near the Dugadugi river which is tributary of Damodar River.[10] Jhunjhunia waterfall located near Macluskieganj.[11]

Dugadugi river

Climate

The climate of McCluskieganj is ideal with low humidity. McCluskieganj witnesses frost during winter which cover grass, vehicles and roofs.[12] During cold wave, It record temperature around freezing points. In 2013, it recorded 1.5 °C in month of January.[13][14]

Infrastructure

Educational institution
  • Adarsh High school, since 1985.[15]
  • Don Bosco Academy, since 1997.[16]
  • Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir, McCluskieganj, primary school since 1998.[17]
  • St. Teresa's Primary School.[18]
  • Janet Academy.[19]
  • Delhi Public International School.[20]
  • McCluskieganj Inter college, since 2012.[21][22]

Transport

National Highway 39 (Ranchi-Daltonganj), an important roadway in Ranchi district, passes near McCluskieganj.[23] McCluskieganj railway station located in McCluskieganj.[2]

McCluskieganj railway station

Attractions

McCluskeiganj Gurudwara and Temple: lying in the same complex is a place of integrity and shows brotherhood of India.
McCluskeiganj Mosque: It is just besides the Gurudwara and Temple complex.
St. John's Church: A historical place built by Anglo-Indians during British rule.

The town was the inspiration for the Hindi novel Maikluskiganj (मैकलुस्कीगंज) by journalist-writer Vikas Kumar Jha, which was translated into English by Mahasweta Ghosh in 2005.[24]

McCluskieganj is also the setting for the 2016 film A Death in the Gunj, which is Konkona Sen Sharma's directorial debut, and set in 1979.[25]

References
  1. "Don't write off McCluskieganj yet, says lone MLA". telegraphindia. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. "McCluskie's frown: An Anglo-Indian 'mooluk' transforms nostalgia into capital". telegraphindia. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  3. "McCluskieganj, Tagore Hill and more: Places you must visit when in Ranchi". Hindustantimes. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  4. "Tourist spots popular choice for pre-wedding shoots amongst Ranchiites". daily pioneer. 21 December 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  5. "दुनिया की पांचवीं सबसे लंबी राजतंत्रीय व्‍यवस्‍था, डॉक्‍यूमेंट्री के बहाने नागवंश की याद". outlookhindi. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  6. Deep Blue Ink -> Writing -> Features
  7. Kohli, Namita (25 December 2016). "A quiet Christmas at the Ganj - Hindustan Times". Retrieved 25 December 2016 – via pressreader.
  8. Memory, identity and productive nostalgia: Anglo-Indian home-making at McCluskieganj - Dr Alison Blunt Department of Geography Queen Mary College, University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS
  9. "McCluskieganj". tourism.jharkhand. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  10. Nina Mukerjee Furstenau (2021). Green Chili and Other Impostors. University of Iowa Pres. p. 192. ISBN 978-1609387983.
  11. "It's a Nature's Hidden Jewel! Take a Look at the Jhunjhuniya Waterfall in Mccluskieganj". latestly. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  12. "Celsius hits new low in Ranchi". telegraphindia. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. "Jharkhand in grip of intense cold wave again". pressureader. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. "People stay indoors as cold wave sweeps through state". timesofindia. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  15. "ADARSH HIGH SCHOOL MACLUSKIGANJ". school.org. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  16. "McCluskieganj: The burden of history". hindustantimes. 25 December 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  17. "JAHNAVI SARASWATI SHISHU VIDYA MANDIR, MCCLUSKIEGANJ, RANCHI, JHARKHAND". vidyabharatialumni. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  18. "St.Teresa's Primary School". justdial. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  19. "Janet Academy". indiapl. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  20. "DELHI PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL,MCCLUSKIEGANJ". nacfun. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  21. "McCluskieganj Inter college". justdial. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  22. "MCCLUSKIEGANJ INTER COLLEGE". mickhalari. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  23. "District Census Handbook Ranchi, Census of India 2011, Series 21, Part XII A" (PDF). Page 15 Transport. Directorate of census Operations, Jharkhand. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  24. O'Yeah, Zac (3 October 2015). "Book Review – McCluskieganj: The Story of the Only Anglo-Indian Village in India". The Indian Express. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  25. Vats, Rohit (21 July 2017). "A Death In The Gunj movie review: Konkona Sensharma makes a brilliant debut". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
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