Ranchi is the capital of Jharkhand, set high on the Chota Nagpur Plateau rather than down in the hotter Gangetic plains. That elevation gives it cooler evenings, red soil, patches of forest, and a very different feel from the bigger cities of eastern India.
The city itself is busy and uneven, but it has enough texture for a spare day. Tagore Hill and Jagannath Temple give the urban skyline its best viewpoints, while the Rock Garden is a popular local outing above Kanke Dam.
Ranchi's stronger claim is as a base for waterfalls. Hundru Falls, Dassam Falls, and Jonha Falls sit outside town in the plateau country and are at their most dramatic after the monsoon. Go with local advice in the rains: the same water that makes them impressive also makes rocks and currents dangerous.