The Steel City - Jamshedpur

At Dimna Lake

My life has taken me to different places across India and I have witness the culture, food, weather and people first hand. The fast pace of cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore to snail like speed of Jorhat, Navada; chilly weather of Manali to scorching heat of Vellore; the dedication towards their work in down south to more of a lethargic approach in eastern and northern India. India is a wonderful place where you get an opportunity to see through plethora of diversity. Right now I have a city in my mind which possesses almost every diversified quality – Jamshedpur.

Railway Station

Having been in Tata Consulting Engineers for about two and a half year, I got an opportunity to spend about a year’s time in a city built by India’s finest visionary and industrialist – Jamset Ji Tata. Jamshedpur also known as Tata Nagar or just Tata is one of the oldest townships that was ever built in India. This city is supposedly the oldest planned  industrial city of India which accommodates plenty of industries varying from as large as Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power etc. to name a few  to scores of ancillary plants spread all across the city and the surrounding. It has more than a thousand SME within town and adjoining areas. With a population of about 15 lacs it the most highly populated city f Jharkhand state. The city bleeds enthusiasm and people are seen all geared up for building India a robust manufacturer.

Tata Steel

The city may sleep at night but the huge plants spread on almost half the land of Jamshedpur hasn’t slept for more than a century. When Indians were trying to figure out their true identity, this town was being built to manufacture indigenous steel to let the British drive this point home that Indians could draw steel too. Today, the whole nation is proud of this initiative that was taken a century ago. It has only flourished since then.

JRD Stadium

Don’t bear this misconception in your mind that Jamshedpur only melts steel and manufactures trucks. Apart from industrial aspect, this city adorns many recreational spots, lakes, temples, museum and what not. The city oozes out prosperity, happiness, merriment and not to forget the number of athletes this city has given to the nation. The JRD stadium is a world class establishment comprising many sporting sections and producing quality athletes. Deepika Kumari, Sourav Ganguly, Bachhendri Pal etc. are just to name a few.

Jubilee Park

Jubilee Park, in the heart of the city, is one of the largest parks among many others that mark a major recreational spots, which serves as a fine picnic spot on holidays. Another place which I liked the most was Dimna Lake, about 20 kms on the outside of the city. The calmness and serenity of the lake makes you staring at it for hours letting you forget the stress that you brought along. Barring a little safety concern for women at late hours, this is the place you want to be spending time when you are free and you are in Jamshedpur.

Chhappan Bhog, Bishtupur

When you are in Jamshedpur, one thing you can forget about is the concern for good food. This place has a much diversified population that makes people involved in restaurant or street food business serve the palate of every individual. This business thrives here. For those food connoisseurs, no need to curse the city and be daunted about food availability. Apart from small restaurants (they serve awesome food, mind you!), you also have chains like Domino's, Dilli Durbar, Mainland china and KFC. People with sweet tooth should not forget to visit Chhapaan Bhog in Bishtupur.

Sakchi Golchakkar

City not being too big, one does not have to bother much about getting late in reaching from one point to the other. Only thing that I always cursed about was the lack of discipline among people when it came at obeying the traffic laws. The roads of Sakchi, Bishtupur, station road or the bus stand at Mango always seems full, with all kinds of vehicles stamping one another. With a proper traffic sense and stricter rules, such scenarios are not inevitable. But as they say people find happiness even in their miseries. I always loved the surrounding, the busy streets, the markets, the people and the city as a whole.

XLRI

I short, I have always had affection about the city, especially because my aim of getting into XLRI which, unfortunately could not fructify. May I always say TATA. J