Ramgarh (Ranchi)

Ramgarh, now a separate district in Jharkhand with its headquarters at Ramgarh Cantonment, has a history closely linked first to Hazaribagh district and later to the Ranchi region. The area has been inhabited for centuries by tribal and peasant communities living in forested plateau villages, but Ramgarh’s modern importance began under the British, when it emerged as a major cantonment and military centre on the Grand Trunk–Ranchi belt. The British set up barracks, parade grounds and training facilities here, using its location and terrain for army camps and troop movement.

The surrounding region also developed as part of the coal belt, with mines at places like Barkakana and nearby areas supporting rail links, depots and bazaars around Ramgarh. A major landmark in its political history was the 1940 Ramgarh Session of the Indian National Congress, held in this area (then under Hazaribagh), where national leaders gathered at a crucial time before Quit India.

After Independence, Ramgarh continued as an important cantonment town and coal–transport hub, served by highways and railway lines connecting Ranchi and the northern plains. In 2007, Ramgarh was carved out as a separate district, but people still often describe it in relation to Ranchi. Today its identity combines army presence, coal economy, road–rail junction and pilgrimage to nearby Rajrappa Temple.