Gumla

Gumla district sits in the south-central section of the Chotanagpur plateau in an area where the Oraon tribal community forms the demographic majority and two of Jharkhand's most historically layered religious sites occupy forest settings of unusual depth. The district is 120 km from Ranchi — far enough to feel genuinely different from the capital, close enough to reach in a half-day drive.

Anjan Dham, 18 km from Gumla town, is believed in Hindu tradition to be the birthplace of Hanuman. The site is a forested hill with a cave attributed to Anjani Mata (Hanuman's mother), a 500-step staircase ascending to the main hilltop temple, and a large white Hanuman statue visible from the valley. Hanuman Jayanti (April) brings a major pilgrimage fair, but the site is active year-round with devotees and the forest hill setting gives it an atmosphere distinct from the more urban Hanuman temples of the state.

Tanginath Temple, 55 km from Gumla in the district's interior forest, is an ancient Shiva shrine in an archaeological setting of unusual character — medieval carved boulders depicting Shiva, Nandi, and various subsidiary deities are scattered among the trees around the main shrine in a woodland that has grown up around the site over centuries. Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary (183 sq km), the elephant movement corridor between Jharkhand and Odisha, is Gumla district's key wildlife destination — guided forest walks through the sal and mixed forest, with elephant sightings possible during the migration season.