Chatra district is one of the 24 districts in the province of Jharkhand. A part of the North Chotanagpur division, the township is popularly known as gateway to Jharkhand. Spread over an area of 3,706 sq km, the district lies within the boundaries of Gaya district, Hazaribagh District and Palamu District.
Formerly a part of Hazaribagh District, Chatra district came into existence in 1991. This district has several testimonies dating back to ancient, medieval and British era. Identified as Atavika of the ancient era, the district was ruled by emperors like Ashoka and Samudragupta during 232 BCE.
Testimonies of medieval period in the form of Kothi Fort, Kunda Fort and Chatra Fort can still be seen. The region also witnessed various events of historical significance, including the rebellion of 1857, known as Battle of Chatra and Quit India Movement in 1942.
The major part of the district is covered by forest reserve, while the rest has scattered settlement patterns. The rock sculptures exhibiting the ten Thirthankars, Kunda Palace and Kunda Cave are some of the ancient sites representing rich history of the region.
Lawalong Wild Life Sanctuary is one of the prominent attractions that provides habitat to various mammals, reptiles and birds. Furthermore, the destination is also popular for cascading waterfalls of Bichkiliya and Duari.
Chatra can be easily reached with the availability of trains and flights. The closet airport to the destination is Ranchi, which is situated at a distance of 110 km. Besides, the nearest railhead is located in Gaya that has operations from major cities of the country.
Chatra, also known as gateway to the Chotanagpur Plateau, experiences tropical wet and dry climate. Winter season extending from October to March is the ideal time to make a visit to the destination.
How To Reach :
By Road/Bus :
he town of Chatra can be easily reached through buses, trains and flights. Buses to the town can be taken directly, and they will be easily available from all nearby locations and destinations. You can opt for trains and flights to the nearby destinations from where buses to Chatra can be taken.
By Plane/Air :
Flights to Chatra can be taken from the all major cities through the airport present in the city of Ranchi. The airport in Ranchi is located at a distance of 112 kilometers, and has regular flights to all destinations including New Delhi, Kolkata and Patna. Flight fares from New Delhi to Ranchi will be around Rs 3387 to Rs 8479.
By Train/Rail :
The town of Chatra does not have a railway station, and the nearest railway station is located in the town of Gaya. This railway station is located at a distance of seventy three kilometers from Chatra. You can opt for many trains that run to Gaya, from cities like New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Howrah and Mumbai. Train fares will be cheaper than bus fares, but tickets need to be booked in advance. Train fares from the city of Chennai to Gaya will range around Rs 540 for the basic class of travel. Air conditioned coaches will charge fares of around Rs 2006 (for AC Tier One) and Rs 1462 (for AC Tier Two). This is an easy way to reach Chatra, through Gaya.