Palani Jharna (Waterfall): Host-Guest Perspectives of an Off-beat Rural Tourist Destination in Jharkhand, India

The article attempts to examine the non-perennial Palani Waterfall (Jharna), which is located in the Patratu Block (Palani Village), in the Ramgarh District, in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The study aims to investigate the main socio-cultural challenges that must be overcome through better tourist planning in order to promote rural and eco-tourism in the selected site and protect the eco-cultural destination. In recent years, a crucial tool for guaranteeing the sustainability of tourist sites has emerged: an assessment and monitoring of tourism impacts combined with community perspective. The current study intends to examine the viewpoints of the local population at Palani, a developing tourist destination in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, on the effects of tourism and their involvement in the process of tourism development. To achieve the study's goals, a non-probability convenience sampling method was employed. Our data shows that tourism is typically regarded as a sector that fosters development. Its advantages are more commonly accepted than its disadvantages since it increases household income, boosts local reputation, generates employment possibilities, and promotes the standard of living for indigenous people. Despite the fact that a sizable portion of tourists to the area think that tourism services are still in their infancy, the location has the potential to become more well-known. The study anticipates that the results will be helpful to the tourism industry, planning organisations, business community, ethnic minority organisations, and academic institutions in order to plan, manage, and develop rural and ecotourism. Keywords: Rural-Tourism, Host-Guest perception, Tourism experience, Palani Waterfall, Jharkhand.