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Introduction |
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The romantic city of Shillong
has been one of the important
tourist destinations in the
northeast. It is often referred
to as the "Scotland of the East"
due to its striking similarity
with the Scottish highlands. The
city derives its name from
"Leishyllong"-the Superpower or
God who is believed to reside on
the Shillong peak, overlooking
the city. Lying in the cradle of
the tall pine conifers and
pineapple shrubs, Shillong's
undulating terrain is a constant
source of attraction for
tourists from both home and
abroad. The Khasi, Jaintia and
Garo tribes add color to this
hilly city. |
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Location |
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The capital of Meghalaya,
Shillong lies on the eastern
part of the state. Perched at an
altitude of 1,520 meters (4,990
feet) above sea level, the city
stretches for about 6 km on an
elevated tract. It is situated
on a plateau bound on the north
by the Umiam gorge, on the
northwest by the great mass of
the Diengiei Hills that rise up
to a height of 1,823 meters
(6077 ft.) above sea level, and
on the northeast by the hills of
the Assam valley. The Umshyrpi
and the Umkhra rivers, which
finally merge and form the Umiam
River, water it. Shillong is at
distance of 104 km from Guwahati,
295 km from Kaziranga, 578 km
from Siliguri and 658 km from
Darjeeling.
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History |
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Shillong was a small village
until 1864, when it became the
new civil station of the Khasi
and Jaintia hills. It remained
the summer capital of Eastern
Bengal and Assam for many years.
In 1874, on the formation of
Assam
as a Chief Commissioner's
Province, it was chosen as the
capital of the new
administration. An earthquake
destroyed the city in 1897,
necessitating its complete
rebuilding. In January 1972,
Shillong became the capital of
the newly formed state of
Meghalaya. |
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Climate |
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Shillong is subject to vagaries
of the monsoon. The monsoons
arrive in June and it rains
almost until the end of August.
The climate is hot and humid
during summers but quite cold
during winters. October-November
and March-April are the best
months to visit Shillong.
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Attractions |
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Waterfalls |
The Crinoline Falls is about
12-13 m in height and lies to
the west of the Survey of India
Office. There is a swimming pool
at the base of the falls.
The Gunner's Falls 1 is about
24-26 m in height and is near
the military establishment on
the
Upper Shillong
road. It is about 1.6 km from
the GPO.
The Gunner's Falls 2 lies a km
away from the Happy Valley
amidst picturesque locales.
The
Spread
Eagle
Falls
or Sati Falls is located about a
mile away from the Polo Ground.
It is a famous picnic spot.
The
Sweet
Falls
(also called "Weitden," in the
native dialect) is the most
beautiful of all the waterfalls
in Shillong. It lies about 5 km
from the Happy Valley and is
about 96 m in height.
The Elephant Gait and the
Elephant Falls are located near
Upper Shillong. These are
beautiful sights especially in
the rainy season and are
favorite picnic spots among the
locals. Beyond the
Elephant
Falls, one can also view the
Upper and
Lower
Elysium
Falls.
The
Beadon
Falls
lies about 2 km from Bara
Bazaar. There is a hydroelectric
powerhouse at the base of the
falls. The Bishop Falls is also
nearby and together they mingle
and flow into the Umiam River.
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Peaks |
Shillong Peak, the highest point
of Shillong, is located 5 km to
the south of the city and is
1961 meters (6,433 feet) in
altitude. Being the highest peak
in the district, it is often
surrounded with fog. The peak
itself is not steep, but rather
semi-circular like that of a
crown placed on the flat and
extensive top of the Shillong
Hill. The peak is accessible via
the
Upper Shillong
or
Jowai Road.
The
Sohpetbneng
Peak
is 1,343 m in altitude and is
regarded as sacred by the
Hynfiiewtrep tribe. It is a
picturesque location.
The Dingei Hill is situated near
the Umiam stream. Two paths lead
to this hill from Shillong. One
is the narrow tract that leads
straight to the gorge through
Umiyangka village. For a height
of 1,000 ft on either side of
the stream, the gradient is very
steep and precipitous and makes
for excellent mountain climbing.
The second route begins at
Barapani on the GS Road, about
16 km from Shillong. During the
upward journey, one is provided
a captivating view of the Bhoi
district, which lies 300 ft
below the summit of the Dingei
Hill.
The
Dumpeep
Peak
is the highest in Swer and is
5100 feet above sea level. The
Kyllang rock lies 78 km from
Shillong. The rock is a steep
bare cliff of granite, 200 m in
height and rises abruptly from
plain grassy downs. |
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Lakes |
The Ward Lake is an important
tourist site of Shillong. It is
a horseshoe-shaped artificial
lake lying beneath the Raj
Bhavan (Governor's Residence)
and the Accountant General's
(AG) Office, with little isles
and a bridge over it. The lake
abounds in fish (grass carps)
and feeding the fish from the
bridge is a favorite pastime of
the tourists. It is said that a
Khasi prisoner, who requested
for any kind of work to get him
out of his cell, initiated its
construction. The lake has a
charming winding walk-a-way in
the midst of rolling flowerbeds
and fairyland lighting with
gradually undulating grounds,
hemmed in by lush greens. Boats
are also available, while the
cafeteria provides refreshments.
Seventeen kilometers before
Shillong is situated Umiam or
Barapani-a large lake formed
after a hydroelectric dam was
built across a stream. In recent
years, this has become an
increasingly popular place for
outings and weekend visits. The
Orchid Lake Resort, designed by
the famous architect Charles
Correa, and constructed amongst
pinewood, overlooks the lake.
There are facilities for water
sports here: from kayaking and
water skiing for the adventurous
to water cycling and simple
boating for the less brave. The
Orchid Lake Resort, run by the
Meghalaya Tourism Department,
has pleasantly appointed rooms
with balconies, a restaurant and
bar. |
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Other Attractions |
The State Museum is located at
the State Central Library
complex in Laichumiere and
visitors can catch a glimpse of
the heritage and lifestyle of
the Khasi tribe here. The
Butterfly Museum at Riatsamthiah
holds a rare collection of
butterflies and moths.
The Botanical Garden near Ward
Lake has some species of flora
of the region. A better place is
the Orchidarium of the Botanical
Survey of India. It has a rare
collection of orchids and is a
treat to the nature lover.
Near the Botanical Garden, one
can find the celebrated Golf
Course, called the Gleneagles of
the East. The Golf club retains
the colonial touch and is the
first 18-hole golf course in
Asia.
Behind the
Shillong
Civil
Hospital, near the Pine Mount
School, is the Lady Hydari Park.
It has a small museum, a small
zoo, an aviary, and a
deer park
among tall cedars and pines.
In front of St. Edmund's
College, one can visit the fruit
garden, maintained by the
Department of Agriculture.
During spring, one can see the
trees in full bloom. There are
many reservoirs filled with
natural spring water that have
the dual purpose of watering the
gardens and functioning as a
nursery-known as "Fishdale"-for
the raising and breeding of
fish, notably hill-trout and
carps.
Shillong is also famous for its
churches. The most beautiful
church is that of the Cathedral
of Mary Help of Christians.
Directly below the hill is the
Grotto Church. The All Saints
Church opposite the State
Central Library is an attractive
structure made out of wood.
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Events and Festivals |
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The festivals vary according to
the tribes. Christmas, Easter,
Good Friday and the New Year Day
celebrations are the most
important. Ka Pomblang Nongkrem,
or the Nongkrem dance, is one of
the most important Khasi
festivals. Shad Sukmynsiem is
another important festival of
the Khasis. Behdiengkhlam, the
festival of the Jaintias, is
celebrated in July. Wangala is
the festival of the Garos and is
dedicated to the Sun God.
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Shopping |
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The main shopping areas are
Police Bazaar, Bara Bazaar and
Laitumukhrah. On Iewduh, the
first day of the eight-day long
Khasi week, people from all over
eastern Meghalaya come to sell
their products here. In the
centre of Police Bazar, on the
corner of Kacheri road, there
are shops selling finely woven
baskets of all sizes. For
hand-woven shawls, handicrafts,
orange flower honey and cane
work, one can visit the various
emporia like Meghalaya
Handicrafts, Khadi Gramodyog and
Purbashree. |
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Daylong/Weekend Trips |
About 56 km from Shillong is
Cherrapunji village (East Khasi
Hills district), now called
Sohra. Located on the Shillong
plateau about 55 km southwest of
Shillong, Cherrapunji and
Mausynram (another village
nearby) are reputed to be the
wettest places in the world. The
heavy rains here often swell the
waters of the Nohsngithiang
waterfall. The town is famous
for its limestone caves and
orange honey. It has the oldest
Presbyterian Church. Krem
Mawmluh is a 4.5-km-long cave
near Cherrapunji.
A little further down the road
to limestone caves, there is a
graveyard where British
missionaries and their close
relatives lie buried. The
visitors are awed by a series of
giant pillars or megaliths that
have been erected near a stream.
Such megaliths are to be seen in
different parts of the Khasi and
Jaintia Hills and are usually
erected to commemorate great
deeds or to honor dead
chieftains. Accommodation is
available at the Circuit House.
The summer capital of the
Jaintia kings, Nartiang, is
about 65 km east of Shillong.
There is a park of megaliths,
some of which are as high as 8
m. A 500-year-old
temple
of
Durga
is another attraction at
Nartiang.
En route Nartiang, 64 km from
Shillong, is the small lake of
Thadlaskein. It is a beautiful
picnic spot.
About 13 km from Shillong is the
village of Nongkrem. It is the
seat of the Syiem of Nongkrem,
whose estate extends up to
Shillong. The traditional
Nongkrem Dance festival is held
here around autumn and draws
large crowds of visitors.
Sixty-four kilometers from
Shillong is Jakrem, a popular
health resort having hot springs
of sulfur water, believed to
have curative medicinal
properties. Dawki, a border
town, 96 km from Shillong,
provides a glimpse of
Bangladesh. The colorful annual
boat race during spring at the
Umgot
River is an added attraction. At
a distance of 140 km from
Shillong is Ranikor, an angler's
paradise containing a huge
population of carp and mahseers.
Jowai is a popular and
prosperous town situated on a
beautiful plateau 1,500 m above
sea level. Three sides of this
plateau slope sharply down to
the Hai River and contiguous
areas are rich in coal deposits.
It is also an important station
on the route to Silchar and
Agartala. |
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Access |
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The nearest airport and railhead
is Guwahati in Assam. The
Guwahati-Shillong Road connects
the two cities. Pineapple
plantations and pine trees on
both sides line the road. There
are buses every half an hour to
Guwahati. Taxi services (Ph.
223895) are also available at
cheap rates. |
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