Jharkhand

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Just 70 kms. from Ranchi is the sleepy town of McCluskieganj – the last few glimpses of India’s British past. Located at around 1500 feet above sea level on the fringes of Chota Nagpur Plateau, McCluskieganj is surrounded by hills, forests and meandering rivulets.

The story began in 1933, when a Calcutta-based Anglo Indian property dealer E. T. McCluskie took on lease nine villages from the local Rajah – Ratu Shahansha and invited Anglo Indians to settle here. Soon, 300 Anglo Indian families settled in McCluskieganj and the community started growing. The sleepy village turned into a bustling town with colonial bungalows, rose gardens, churches, Christmas Fest and everything British – it was a newfound homeland for the Anglo-Indian Community of India. However, in the post-World War II era, the Anglo Indian families started leaving McCluskieganj to other parts of India and world and the beautiful bungalows were sold off to local villagers. Today, only 23 Anglo Indian families stay at McCluskieganj but many of the bungalows of the British Raj era has been restored. Our accommodation in one of the original Colonial bungalows of McCluskieganj would surely take you to the days of the Raj.

Accommodation in the McCluskieganj Bungalow

Built by the earliest Anglo Indian settlers of McCluskieganj, our bungalow is one of the finest examples of Indo-European architecture. The main bungalow is a fusion between British Country Cottages and Indian high-priest homes. With wooden posts carved in Indian temple style supporting the portico, which is typical of English homes, this bungalow’s entrance is a treat to the eyes. The roof is cleanly laid with red mud tiles to keep the bungalow cool in summers and the airy open verandas and lounge area guarded by Wooden Fences is distinctive of the Sahibs residences of British India. The guest dining and lounge are within the main bungalow area and the guest bedrooms are in the annex buildings. We have double, triple and single bedrooms in the annex area of the bungalow where guests are accommodated according to their preferences. Our rooms come with all modern amenities and attached western bathrooms. Since of late, prominent film personalities like Kalki Koechlin, Tanuja and others were hosted in our bungalow for the shoot of Konkona Sen Sharma’s directorial debut “A Death in the Gunj.” Their stay and recent visits by other prominent personalities have brought McCluskiegunj to the notice of mainstream tourists, once again.

The bungalow is located on 08 acres of private land which accommodates two outdoor Badminton Courts, a Cricket field, a mango orchard and plenty of area to get lost. Typically set within landscaped gardens and hidden amongst age old trees, this bungalow is a retreat for the tired soul.

How to reach McCluskieganj Bungalow

The only direct train connecting Howrah to McCluskieganj is Shaktipunj Express which arrives at McCluskieganj quite late at around 11:30 pm. However, the best way to reach McCluskieganj is via Ranchi, which is connected by regular trains from Howrah. From Ranchi, you can take a bus or hire a car to reach McCluskiegunj. The drive from Ranchi to McCluskieganj is very scenic as it crosses some dense forests and plateau areas.

Attractions around McCluskieganj

Built with a vision of a homeland for Anglo Indians, McCluskieganj has all the characteristic things that one could spot in England. The inhabitants lovingly called this place “Chota England” and rightly so because in its heydays McCluskieganj was dotted with bungalows surrounded by hedges, kitchen gardens, bakeries and churches where everyone would come to attend the Sunday Mass in their best attire. Being a part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, McCluskieganj is a typical hilly region with jungles, rivers and tribal villages. However, with much of its glory lost to time, McCluskiegunj still holds some surprises from its past. You can visit the nearby Duli village where a Gurudwara, a temple and a mosque is built in the same premise. You can also spend some time in the local churches or visit the Dugadugi river bed. There are some view points from where you can catch the setting sun over the horizon and distant hills. Few other places to visit in McCluskieganj is the Jagriti Vihar built by the Govt. of Sweden for guests interested in nature study and surely the heritage Railway Station, which seems to have jumped out straight from a fairy-tale book. Since of late, McCluskieganj has started gaining its lost charm with the shifting of the Don Bosco School. The school authorities had taken over some of the dilapidated bungalows and restored them to their former glory. Now, these bungalows are mostly used as students’ hostels.

While in McCluskieganj, you can take day trips to the nearby forests of Kotari and the abandoned open-pit coal mines, which have turned into lakes. You can also keep McCluskiegunj in your itinerary with Hazaribagh (85 kms), Betla Forest (117 kms) and Bodhgaya (148 kms). If you are coming from Ranchi, then you can stay back at Ranchi for a day to do some local sightseeing of Ranchi in Kanke Dam, Tagore Hills and visit its famous waterfalls like Hundru and Johna.

Activities at McCluskieganj

Bird watching in the surrounding forests and grasslands have recently become a popular activity of the guests. You can take a walk along the dusty lanes of Mc Cluskieganj discovering the bungalows, churches and other British structures all the way. A walk along the tribal villages or an early morning hike to a local hill top would reward you with panoramic views of faraway hills and lush forests. If you are interested in local culture, then we can arrange for tribal dance performances in the evenings too. While in McCluskieganj, you can enjoy a day picnic on the banks of Dugadugi River too.