For 58-year-old homemaker, Premlata Choudhary, it was a thrilling Saturday as she watched the mighty Jonha Falls falling from a height of 141 feet at Jonha, 50km from Ranchi.
Her knees had given way. But, thanks to palanquin bearers, her wish to see from close quarters the magnificent waterfall, also known as Ganga Nala and Gautam Dhara locally, was fulfilled. She became the first person to enjoy the ride on a palanquin - a primitive but effective service - that restarted on Saturday after a hiatus of two years.
An enthusiastic Choudhary said she was not frightened. "It was great to sightsee on a palanquin. At times I felt sorry for the boys carrying the palanquin, but there was satisfaction that it gave them an opportunity to earn their livelihood," said the Ranchi homemaker.
On Sunday, Vijeta Anand, in her mid-20s, took the palki ride "just for the experience". "No health problem," she laughed. "I saw the palanquin and felt like a ride."
The best view of the gushing waterfall is a steep descent of 720 stairs. A fair view means going down 560 stairs.
Tour operator Jharkhand on Wheels, which roped in eight youths to re-start the palki (palanquin) service on Saturday keeping in mind problems the elderly and the differently abled face near the waterfall, is hoping for more clients.
Though the service was introduced two years ago with support of tourism department, it was stopped due to lack of publicity. Now, the facility started with two palanquins, each borne by four youths.
On why he restarted it now, Jharkhand on Wheels head R.K. Choudhary told The Telegraph : "This time, when monsoon is at its peak, Jonha is looking its best. So, families are flocking the site. Families comprise the elderly and women, for whom stairs are often a problem. I contacted some local boys and got them trained by famous palanquin bearers of Parasnath Temple for 15 days to restart the facility on Saturday."
One trip down and up would cost around Rs 450 to Rs 600 per person, depending on stairs and body weight. "It will take around 20 minutes to take a person down on the palanquin and 35 minutes to come up. Services are open from 10am to 5pm," said Choudhary.
Is the price tag too steep? Dhananjay, one of the palanquin bearers, said the tag was justified. "The service we are offering is very challenging. Think of the energy that we put in going down and coming up. Plus, the guest's safety is of paramount importance." ?Choudhary said the palanquin service needed people's support. "I hope this service makes Jonha more popular among people of all ages. People who are satisfied with the service can also spread the word among their family, friends and neighbours," he said.
