About Jonha Falls
Jonha Falls, also known as Gautamdhara, is one of the Ranchi cluster of waterfalls that makes the Chota Nagpur Plateau one of India's richest waterfall regions. The falls are named after the Buddhist saint Gautam — a small cave here is said to have been his meditation retreat — and a Buddhist shrine on the cliff face adds a spiritual dimension to the natural spectacle. The 43-metre drop is clean and well-defined, with the water clearing the rock face and falling freely into the pool below.
The forest around Jonha Falls provides habitat for a surprising diversity of wildlife given its proximity to Ranchi — peacocks, langur monkeys, and various raptors are regularly seen, and the deciduous sal forest changes character dramatically through the seasons. The trail from the road to the falls passes by the Buddhist shrine and gives excellent views of the cascade from the side before the steps descend to the pool level.
September–November for best flow and colour. The Buddhist shrine makes an unusual compositional foreground.
Shoot from the side-angle approach trail before descending — this gives a three-quarter view that shows both the full height and the width of the fall.