(From top): The Koel River that runs through Netarhat; a view of the stunning Lodh Falls; Sal and pine trees in the hillstation’s lush forests

What’s a definition of paradise on earth? How about a hillstation that isn’t overrun by tourists? By that reckoning, Netarhat scores very high with any tourist who wants to get away from it all.

You could call the hillstations a legacy of the British Raj. During their 200 or so years in the sub-continent, the Brits went racing off to the hills whenever they got the opportunity. But Netarhat isn’t the best known of hillstations. It nestles in the lap of the Chottanagpur Hills at around 3,700ft. And the best part is that it’s still not overrun by busloads of tourists.

All around Netarhat are dense forests, inviting hills and verdant hillocks. The lush forests are crowded with towering Sal and pine trees and everywhere you can hear the gurgling of mountain streams and even awesome waterfalls.

Boarding the Howrah-Hatia express, we reached Ranchi and set off for Netarhat. We hired a car from the capital city and the leisurely drive took about seven hours. Without a care in the world, we followed the meandering road for slightly over 150km, stopping every now and then for a break. Inevitably, as in any journey to the hills, the last 25km of mountain road was the very best bit of the trip, as our car negotiated twisting mountain roads. At Banari, which is located at the foothills of Netarhat, you start climbing. And the hills and valleys just get more beautiful as you go along. There are regular bus services that can be availed of from Ranchi to Netarhat.

We reached Netarhat and made ourselves comfortable at Hotel Birsa Bihar. There are also forest resthouses that are available by prior booking. We had a quick snack at the hotel and then set out to Magnolia Point to meet the Sun God at the end of the day. This particular spot is about 10km from Netarhat.

It’s impossible to be unaffected by the sight of the Koel River from the Netarhat hills. For some it turns almost into a religious experience and they declare that they are looking at a creation made when the gods were at their most magnanimous. The best part is that you can hang around in the same spot at different times of the day and each time, it looks beautiful in a different way. Best of all, at night you can watch the river take on a silvery hue illuminated by the moon.

There’s something about being in the hills that prods people to leap out of bed early each morning. During our stay in Netarhat, we arose before the crack of dawn each morning and rushed to the observatory of the tourist bungalow to watch the spectacular sunrise. Slowly, with extraordinary majesty, the sun would rise amidst the hills spreading its light as it went. The sun sparkling in the waters of the Koel River added a little extra magic that is impossible to forget. As the sun rose in the sky, the waters of the Koel turned a shade of crimson red. It made me, for some reason, think of a newlywed bride in her bridal finery with vermilion shining bright on her forehead.

The wonderful thing about Netarhat is that there are scores of places where you can go for quiet walks and treks and not be disturbed by too many others. If you want, there are even motorable spots where you can picnic. We headed out amidst the lovely pine groves, hills and hillocks to the Netarhat dam. This is a great spot for tourists and it offers boating and other water sports in addition to the beautiful countryside all around. Upper Ghagri was our next destination. This is a very beautiful waterfall emerging from the overflowing waters of the Netarhat dam. Since we were in an adventurous mood, we trekked along the water spring for a considerable distance before turning back and returning to the hotel.

One more spot that’s definitely worth the visit is Lower Ghagri, which is about 12km from Netarhat. Here the forest is so dense that even the sun’s rays barely pierce through the trees that soar into the sky. We tramped through the forest paths in the eerie atmosphere. The roaring of the stunning waterfall from a height of 320ft is audible from a long distance and your anticipation grows as you approach.

Last but not least, there’s Netarhat Public School. This is an unusual institution that follows the ancient gurukul system and that alone makes it worth the visit. “Atta Deepa Vihrath” (Be thou thine light) is the motto of this prestigious institution.

Soon enough, it was time for us to bid good-bye to the hills, vales, waterfalls and meadows as our holiday came to an end. Sadly, we were returning to the smoky, polluted world where everyone goes racing by at ever increasing speeds.

Inevitably, the words of W H Davies came to my mind:

What is this life if full of care We have no time to stand and stare....

That almost brought tears to my eyes but what the heck, we’ll be back one day? and till then we’ll preserve the memories.

Photographs by the author