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McCluskieganj

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McCluskieganj
मकक्लुस्कीगंज
Block
Nickname: 
मकक्लुस्कीगंज
Country India
StateJharkhand
DistrictRanchi
BlockKhalari
Languages
 • OfficialBhojpuri, Hindi
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
829208
Mcluskieganj railway station
A mosque, a temple & a gurudwara at one place

McCluskieganj is a town in Jharkhand State, India, about 40 miles northwest of the capital, Ranchi. The town used to have a significant Anglo-Indian community at one time but this has declined considerably. It was founded by the Colonisation Society of India in 1933 as a homeland, or "Mooluk", for Anglo-Indians and was home to 400 Anglo-Indian families within ten years.[1] In 1932 Ernest Timothy McCluskie, the founder of the town, sent circulars to nearly 200,000 Anglo-Indians in India inviting them to settle there.[2] Of the nearly 300 original settlers, only 20 families remain, as most of the Anglo-Indian community left after World War II.[3] The town has lush green surroundings, dirt tracks and fresh air to breathe.

Dugadugi river

Today, most of the old mansions have been converted to guest houses for tourists. Duga dugi River and Jagriti Vihar are some of the places to visit. A unique cluster of a temple, a mosque and a gurudwara draws visitors from far off places. There is also a Don Bosco Academy in the town. A documentary was made about the town's community in 1993. McCluskie was a property dealer based in Calcutta. He used to visit some villages in the area for hunting, and even built a hutment at a place called Harhu. His friend PP Sahib worked as the manager of Ratu Shahansha's estate and it was he who convinced the Shahansha to lease out the land to McCluskie.

Subsequently, in 1933, the Colonisation Society of India Limited was formed and the Shahnsha signed an agreement with it. It was decided that the Anglo-Indians could build their settlement in nine villages on land not occupied by the original rahiyats (tenants) of those villages. It was also agreed that the settlers would not be allowed to acquire the rivers and the hills.

Read more: McCluskieganj: In an antique land - The Times of India http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-10-01/india/27950744_1_anglo-indian-villages-kitty[4]

In Popular Culture

The name of the town inspired an award-winning[5][6] Hindi novel Maikluskiganj (मैकलुस्कीगंज) by journalist-writer Vikas Kumar Jha.[7][8][9] This book was translated into English in October 2015.[10] Noted Hindi writer and critic Prof. Namvar Singh spoke highly of the book.[11]

English translation of the book was subsequently published in 2015. The translation has been done by Prof. Mahasweta Ghosh, formerly University Professor and Head of Department of English, Patna College, and Vikas Kumar Jha's teacher of English during his college days.[12][13][14]

Attractions

McCluskeiganj Gurudwara and Temple: lying in the same complex is a place of integrity and shows brotherhood of India.
McCluskeiganj Mosque: It is just besides the Gurudwara and Temple complex.
St. John’s Church: A historical place built by Anglo-Indians during British rule.

References

  1. ^ Memory, identity and productive nostalgia: Anglo-Indian home-making at McCluskieganj - Dr Alison Blunt Department of Geography Queen Mary College, University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS
  2. ^ Deep Blue Ink -> Writing -> Features
  3. ^ Deep Blue Ink -> Writing -> Features
  4. ^ BFI | Film & TV Database | McCLUSKIEGANJ (1993)
  5. ^ http://www.deccanherald.com/content/172354/vikas-kumar-jha-presented-indu.html
  6. ^ http://tejinder007.tripod.com/
  7. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t07ijLO2lA4
  8. ^ http://rajkamalprakashan.com/default/maikluskiganj-707
  9. ^ http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/8126718498
  10. ^ "Book Review – McCluskieganj: The Story of the Only Anglo-Indian Village in India". Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  11. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBugKMguwE4
  12. ^ http://harpercollins.co.in/BookDetail.asp?Book_Code=4828
  13. ^ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ledrCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT54&dq=McCluskiegun&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCAQuwUwAGoVChMIt8HEtovnxwIVR7waCh2OjgEK#v=onepage&q=McCluskiegun&f=false
  14. ^ http://www.amazon.in/gp/product/9351365727
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