Category: Meghalaya

A Week in Meghalaya – Top things to see & do.

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Meghalaya is undoubtedly one of the jewels amongst the 7 sisters of Northeast India with its mountainous terrain and year round rainfall that gives it a dense green forest cover, numerous waterfalls that cut deep into the valley and miles of limestone caves. It is not without a reason Meghalaya is called the Abode of Clouds. One can walk though the clouds as almost all the time, there is thick cloud cover, not in the sky, but on the land! Meghalaya is one of the better explored states of northeast due to its accessibility from Assam which enjoys best connectivity with the rest of India. A week in Meghalaya is good enough to get a sampler of the riches the state has to offer.

Day 1 & 2: Shillong

Shillong is a 2 hr. drive from Guwahati. It is the capital city of Meghalaya and was known as ‘Scotland of the East’ by the Britishers due its good weather and mountainous terrain.

What to do:

Umiam Lake is right on the outskirts of Shillong. Nestled amongst the thick pine forest on the hilly terrains surrounding this huge man-made lake, is a getaway like no other – Ri Kynjai resort. Faraway from maddening city crowd and with spectacular views of the lake, peace and tranquillity welcomes you with open arms. Made in beautiful traditional wood, furnished with wood and cane furniture and decorated with stunning artefacts from northeast, the resort has a colonial feel to it and is truly a cosy home away from home. Stunning sunrise from the hills right across the lake will jostle you awake very early in the morning and ensnare you to follow the natural trekking path down the hill to the edge of the lake, the way this landscape is best enjoyed.

Lady Hydari Park is a small delightful park with a mini zoo. Many species of birds like owls, eagles and animals like panthers, monkeys, deer can be found here. Wards lake is a remnant of the colonial-era Shillong. Surrounded by dense green trees, this man made lake has a small bridge and boating facilities. Shillong Golf Course is one the largest golf courses in Asia and is known as the Gleneagles of the East. Surrounded by thick pine forest, the golf course is a beautiful and scenic natural wonder. To know more about north east & its culture, one can visit the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures which is knowledge repository for the region. Butterfly Museum is one of its kind museum devoted to the study & preservation of moths & butterflies. Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is one of the main and beautiful churches in Shillong. Shillong Peak is the highest point in Meghalaya from where one can get a breath-taking view of the entire Shillong city. Nearby is the Elephant falls or the 3 tier waterfalls. The walking path descends behind the entrance and gentle paved stairs leads one   down to each of the 3 waterfalls in succession.  Café Shillong is one of the best cafes with good food & great live music every evening.

Shillong is small hill station that needs to be explored languidly. Stroll around the city and watch a slow pace of life go past.

Where to Stay:

Ri Kynjai resort is the best option but is a 45 min drive away from the city. Other economical options are available in the city.

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View from the Ri Kynjai room; Umiam Lake, Shillong
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Elephant Falls; Shillong
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View of Shillong from Shillong peak
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Shillong
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Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians; Shillong
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Wards Lake; Shillong
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Wards Lake; Shillong
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Lady Hydari Park & Zoo; Shillong

Day 3: Sohra/ Cherrapunjee

Sohra / Cherrapunjee is a 2 hr. drive from Shillong. Sohra or Cherrapunjee as it is popularly called, was once the rainiest place on this earth. The title has now been overtaken by another town called Mawsynram in Meghalaya. The the heavy rainfall has created many natural rock formations and waterfalls throughout the area, which cut deep into the lush, green valley.

What to do:

Many waterfalls dot the surrounding area. The Nohkalikhai falls is about 7 kms from Sohra and is the tallest plunge waterfall in India. The Nohsngithiang waterfalls or the 7 Sisters’ waterfalls is app 4kms from Sohra and is one of the tallest waterfalls in India. Wakaba & Kynrem falls are other beautiful falls around Sohra. Mawsmai caves are the located about 4kms away from Sohra and is one of the beautiful limestone caves in the region that can be explored by a beginner. From the Cherrapunjee valley view point, one can see the deep gorges and valleys of the region. The view point also offers a zip lining adventure overlooking the valley, covering 2400ft at a dizzying height of 500 ft.

Carry an umbrella and walk through this small, pretty town.

 Where to Stay:

The Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort or La Kupar are both economical options.

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Corn on the cob vendor; Cherrapunjee
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Ziplining at Cherrapunjee Viewpoint
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Cherrapunjee View point
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Mawsmai Caves; Cherrapunjee

Day 4 & 5:  Nongriat

 Tyrna village, the starting point of the trek is ½ hr. drive away from Cherrapunjee.

The Living Root Bridges of Nongriat village are one of the manmade wonders, dating back many centuries. The aerial roots of Banyan tree on opposite sides of the river are continuously twisted, given direction and woven together, till it can be shaped and strengthened into a sturdy bridge. This is the only means for the villagers to cross the raging water streams to reach the other side. There are two living root bridges in Nongriat, a single bridge and a double decker bridge.

What to do:

From Tyrna village, trek upto the Nongriat village to the see the Double Decker Living Root Bridge. It is 7000 stair trek to the village & back and will take upto 5 hrs. to complete this. But it will be totally worth the pain to take off your clothes and swim in the river stream by the bridge. Far away from the maddening crowd, you can walk around other trails to nearby villages and take a dip in many waterfalls along the way. It is highly recommended to stay in the village overnight and do another short 2 hr. trek next morning to the Rainbow falls and back. It is supposedly very scenic and highly recommended by all trekkers and locals alike. Chances of spotting an actual rainbow over the waterfalls are very high. If you plan to stay 2 days, carry only bare essentials, leaving rest of your luggage in Sohra as there are no porters and you will have to carry your stuff on your own, up and down the trek.

Where to stay:

If you want to do a day trek, stay in one of the Hotels in Cherrapunjee. To stay in Nongriat, check Serene Homestay as it is a good option. Expect nothing fancy.

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View of Nongriat village (Mid of the mountain on the left)
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The Double decker Living Root Bridge of Nongriat
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Long winding stairs; Nongriat
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The schoolchildren do this walk up & down the stairs everyday; Nongriat

Day 6: Mawlynnong

It is a 2 hr drive from Sohra / Cherrapunjee and about a 2 hrs. drive from Shillong. Being credited as Asia’s cleanest village is no mean feat. Mawlynnong is one of the finest examples of sustainable, eco-friendly community living, one that is obsessed with cleanliness & recycling.

What to do:

Walk through the fields of the villagers which are on the hillsides surrounding the village, where they grow betel nut trees & broom-stick plant apart from other smaller crops. Walking through the fields via a paved path, leads one to edge of the hill from where one can see the plains of Bangladesh. The same spectacular view of the Bangladesh plains can be seen in from a tall 80 ft sky view treehouse made within the village itself. A short drive away is the living root bridge, where bamboo tree roots are intertwined and shaped over decades to make a bridge to cross the river. A quaint church plays an important role in the life of the villagers who are all Christians. Small tea shops lining the road made with bamboo & creepers are the perfect places to sit back, relax and feel the nature consuming you in this quaint beatific village. The village doesn’t thrive amongst nature; every effort is made to make nature thrive in this village. Where else will one come across such a village with its winding paved roads, lush greenery, small springs & waterfalls that swell up during monsoons, charming bamboo houses and a notorious obsession for cleanliness & recycling. It is a village to get lost and get consumed by nature. No wonder the board welcoming tourists to the village, proudly proclaims Mawlynnong as ‘God’s Own Garden’. It is indeed a picture of what heaven could look like, on Earth.

Where to stay:

Homestays are available aplenty. Expect basic accommodation & food, nothing fancy.

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Dos & Dont’s for Tourists; Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
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Cobbled road leading to the view of Bangladesh Plains; Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
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Bamboo huts; Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
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Tree house; Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
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Bamboo Dustbins on roadsides; Mawlynnong, Meghalaya

Day 7: Dawki & back to Shillong

It is a 1.5 hr. drive from Mawlynnong and about a 2 hrs. drive back to Shillong.

Dawki is the last village in Meghalaya, bang on the India – Bangladesh border. India ends where the mountains end and Bangladesh begins where the plains begin. The picture of crystal clear blue river bed & the boats seeming like floating in air, set me on the track to explore Meghalaya.

What to do:

The views of the flat lands of Bangladesh are astonishing beautiful. One can walk up to the Indo- Bangladesh border crossing area and witness a border setting which is very calm & peaceful unlike the energy and emotion charged Wagah border of Indo-Pak. One can see line of trucks ferrying stones to Bangladesh, stretching upto many kilometres. Since it had rained cats & dogs the night before, I couldn’t see the blue waters. Nonetheless it is a sight to behold. Walk down to the riverbed & ask a boat for a boat ride along the river.

Where to stay:

Stay is not required. A comfortable day trip to Dawki can be planned.

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Boat on the Umngot river; Dawki
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View of Bangladesh Plains
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View of Bangladesh Plains
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Betel nut market; Dawki
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Umngot River; Dawki
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Indo Bangladesh border; Dawki
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Boats on the Umngot river; Dawki

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God’s Own Garden: Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village

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I woke up with a start. The clouds thundered, electrifying and streaking the distant skies with lightening, each of which was spaced just seconds away from each other. The rains created a noisy ruckus, pouring over the tin roofs. The noise was spectacularly frightening, as I was startled awake from my disturbed sleep every few minutes, fully shaken. It was as if the heaven was about to fall. Tucked away in a cosy homestay in Mawlynnong in Meghalaya, I tossed and turned all night, Continue reading “God’s Own Garden: Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village” →

A 7000 stair trek to Nongriat’s Living Root Bridge

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 “350 seediyan hai. Pehle neeche phir upar jaati hai, phir village aur bridge aata hai. Ek baar main gaya tha. Uske baad 2-3 din tak bimaar padh gaya. Seedhiyon se nafrat si ho gayi thi  (It is 350 odd stairs that go down and then up to the village and the bridge. I did it once and after that , I fell in bed for 2-3 days. I hated the sight of stairs),” muttered Tapan, our driver in Cherrapunjee, once the rainiest place on this earth. From his sombre voice, it was evident that this was his attempt to discourage me from doing the trek to the village, based on his bad experience. The trek to the Living Root bridge of the Nongriat village near Cherrapunjee is not for the weak kneed or the faint hearted as I was soon about to find out.

The living root bridges of Nongriat village are one of the manmade wonders, dating back many centuries. The aerial roots of Banyan tree on opposite sides of the river are continuously twisted, given direction and woven together, till it can be shaped and strengthened into a sturdy bridge. This is the only means for the villagers to cross the raging water streams to reach the other side. There are two living root bridges in Nongriat, a single deck bridge and a double decker bridge.

#asia, #bridges, #forest, #hike, #homestay, #india, #jungle, #manmade, #must do, #nature, #nongriat, #photography, #root bridges, #serene, #steps, #travel, #trek, #village, #waterfall, #Meghalaya
View of Nongriat village (Mid of the mountain on the left)

Dismissing Tapan’s foreboding warning of things to come, I decided to embark upon the trek to the village the next morning. After all it was just 350 steps!  What was he talking about! It couldn’t be that bad after all. After reaching the Tyrna village, the starting point on top of the mountain, I found a guide named Phil. Phil was a smiling young lad, right out of school, who was killing time and making some pocket money by offering to guide in the few months he had before he had to join college. The board at Tyrna village indicated a 3km hike to the Nongriat village and some mild alarm bells were set off in my head. 3km and 350 steps didn’t quite add up!

The path to the village is a cemented staircase in middle of a thick jungle, that first reaches the bottom of the valley and then after crossing the river, another flight of stairs upwards lands one at the village. Very casually, we walked down the flight of stairs, enjoying the beauty around. After about ½ hr of walk down the stairs, with knees beginning to become wobbly, I figured we must have actually done double of 350 steps that my driver warned me about. I asked Phil, how many steps were actually there? To my shock, he said 3500! Clearly Tapan didn’t count properly! Well, shoot me, I said. Phil smiled helplessly. How was I even going to get through it, with my knees already wobbling! Walking down was the easy part I figured. Walking up the steep and narrow flight of stairs could be a death wish! Never mind, I would crawl up. But it was a problem for later.

So we continued. The breathtaking hike through the forest was well worth it. The jungle was enveloped with clouds and the morning dew made everything look fresh and beautiful.  We saw a few villagers coming up the stairs. One was a little girl in a school-dress, not more than 7-8 years, who was walking up the stairs to go to school! It was very hard to imagine that the young kids did this everyday! Just for basic things like going to school and getting a good education!  Soon, we spotted two more villagers who were transporting local produce in heavy sacks strapped to their backs. To see & experience the hardships that the villagers faced day in and day out, was extremely heart wrenching. What made them go up and down the stairs every day? Why couldn’t government make more efforts for them to easily connect with the world outside, like making ropeway trolleys. But observing them gave me the impetus to complete rest of the trek without a whimper.

 

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A girl treks to the top everyday to go to school – Nongriat

 

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A villager carries his produce to the top of the mountain – Nongriat

 

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The never ending stairs – Nongriat

After the steep flight of stairs down, we arrived at a small village, from where the single root bridge can be accessed. We progressed ahead, arriving at a wobbly iron bridge at the bottom of the valley. Crossing it for the first time, gave me a good scare. While Phil languorously strolled ahead, with wind in his hair and spring in his step, here I was, sweating by litres, clutching the swaying bridge for my dear life and crawling ahead. I did not want to look down at the water stream 30 ft below, for I would have succumbed to my fear of heights and gotten fully paralysed. Miraculously, I survived, only to find another higher and longer iron bridge after a short walk ahead. History repeated itself as this also I survived. Phew!

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The shaky iron bridge – Nongriat

 After a short walk up on another flight of stairs, we arrived at Nongriat village. Nestled in the middle of the jungle was this quaint and clean village, freshly sprayed clean with the shower that had just started. The village is fully off the grid and hence has become a hotspot for trekkers who want to be engulfed by nature. There were a few homestays I found on the way where trekkers esp from abroad were relaxing.  It is commendable what the villagers have done to encourage responsible tourism while protecting nature. They have contributed towards a community guesthouse for trekkers, have made large dustbins for collecting waste etc. They respect nature by keeping the village clean. It is a harmonious co-existence of villagers, nature & tourists. A short walk from the village, is the Living Root Bridge. The first view of the root bridge mesmerised me and made the arduous trek fully worth every drop of sweat and every ache in my body. It felt as though I had arrived in paradise. With chirping birds that began to emerge after the downpour, the double decker bridge in middle of a thick jungle, set right across a rumbling waterfall and over a gentle water stream, was a sight to behold. The double bridge was a masterpiece in itself, with intertwined roots made sturdy over centuries. The villagers are working on creating a third deck, by twisting and shaping the roots. Perhaps in a half a century, it would be fully made. The water was so clear, cool and fresh and it was enticing me for relaxing dip. I hadn’t got a change of clothes, so I just made do by sitting with my feet swaying in the water and periodically dipping my face in it. Mesmerized with the bountiful  greenery around me, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the place amidst the slight drizzle.

 

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Welcome to Nongriat

 

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The double decker Living Root bridge of Nongriat

 

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The Double decker Living Root Bridge of Nongriat

Ahh, I so didn’t want to go back. It is quite natural to feel like this in middle of nature, completely off the grid, where one can unburden the stresses of daily life and try to find a rhythm between self & nature. I bumped into a foreigner who completely endorsed my sentiments. He, like me, had come for a day trek and decided to stay back after feeling enchanted by this place. My resort in Sohra doesn’t know where I am, he said very coolly. I wished I could have done the same. But I am a woman with proper plans and it would mean the rest of my trip would have gone for a toss. A small tea shop right next to the bridge was just perfect to have a cup of hot tea and steaming Maggi, before I reluctantly winded my way up.

The rains had cleared up the clouds on the way up and I could see the spectacular landscape of the valley, gasping in awe of how much we had walked. Slowly and steadily, I made my way up, not knowing what was sweat and what was rain drops on me. This time I had counted. It was 3500 stairs (app 5000 steps ) from the bridge back to the top which meant we had done 7000 stairs and total 10000 steps up and down. But it didn’t hurt one bit, for my body and mind had found a gentle rhythm to propel me further. I met an aghast Tapan at the top, for I had completed the trek in 4.5 hours which is quite an average time clocked for the trek. Thank god you didn’t tell me it will be a 7000 stairs trek,  I would not have ever done it, I told him. The loss would have been only mine!

 And yes, my body revolted at the sight of stairs for almost a week after that.

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How to get there:

Tyrna village, the starting point of the trek is ½ hr drive away from Cherrapunjee. From there it will take a relaxed 1.5 hr walk down to the Nongriat Village and then a 2 hr walk up. Budget 4-5 hours including stops.

Where to stay:

If you want to do a day trek, stay in one of the Hotels in Cherrapunjee. However, it is recommended to stay at Nongriat village for a night or two to thoroughly experience the place. Serene homestay is a good option. Expect nothing fancy.

What to do:

Carry swimming trunks and a towel if you want to dip in the stream. If you plan to stay,  walk around on other trails to nearby villages and take a dip in many waterfalls along the way. Also trek up for an hour to Rainbow Falls which is supposedly very scenic and highly recommended by all trekkers and locals alike. Chances of spotting an actual rainbow over the waterfalls are very high. It rains abruptly making the stairs slippery, so wear trekking boots and waterproof  your camera and phones. Travel light.

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Serenity by the Umiam Lake, Shillong

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Shillong is better known as the Melting Pot of North East, it being the gateway to experience the rich culture and treasures that the lands in faraway east provides. A two day getaway to Umiam Lake, right on the outskirts of Shillong, is highly recommended to undo your lifestyle  stresses and prepare yourself to experience the melange of culture that north east offers.

Nestled amongst the thick pine forest on the hilly terrains surrounding this huge man-made lake, is a getaway like no other – Ri Kynjai resort. Farwaway from maddening  city crowd and with spectacular views of the lake, peace and tranquility welcomes you with open arms. Made in beautiful traditional wood, furnished with wood and cane furniture and decorated with stunning artifacts from northeast, the resort has a colonial feel to it and is truly a cosy home away from home. Huge french windows invite you into enjoy nature, uninterrupted by any human form or element. Sit out on the balcony, snuggle up in a blanket and read a book for hours, sipping on hot tea , only to look up every few minutes and admire the beautiful landscape. Stunning sunrise from the hills right across the lake will jostle you awake very early in the morning and ensnare you to follow the natural trekking path down the hill to the edge of the lake, the way this landscape is best enjoyed.

The place lulls you into a slow pace of life and that can be only enhanced by giving in completely. So sit back, meditate, slow down, get a traditional Khasi massage and prepare yourself for the cultural experience in northeast that beckons.

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View from the room; Umiam Lake, Shillong

 

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By the Umiam Lake, Shillong

 

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By the Umiam Lake, Shillong