HEY MEGHALAYA ,HERE WE COME ! MEGHALAYA JOURNEY

This time we wanted to visit Northeast India, which comprises eight states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura (commonly known as the "Seven Sisters"). 

The sobriquet 'Land of the Seven Sisters' was coined to coincide with the inauguration of the new states in January 1972 by Jyoti Prasad Saikia, a journalist in Tripura, during a radio talk show. He later compiled a book on the interdependence and similarities of the Seven Sister States. It has been primarily because of this publication that the nickname caught on.

We had previously been to the brother state Sikkim and had a lovely time, and this time we decided to go to Assam and Meghalaya, which means "abode of Megha", the clouds- what a romantic name, I thought! Meghalaya is a state in northeast India and was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and the Garo Hills. 

Meghalaya is one of the richest biodiversity areas in the world and famous for its monsoons, rich traditional festivals, and the dramatic terrain. 

We took a flight from Hyderabad to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. We went during the January Sankranti festival time and found the airport very festively decorated 

We took a cab and started to Shillong, a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. It is 100 miles from Guwahati, and the journey would roughly take us 3 hr. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland, and so they referred to it as the "Scotland of the East." Shillong does have an airport, but it has daily flights to and from selected cities only.

We found Nongpoh, a small dreamy village on our way from Guwahati to Shillong, well known for pickles locally made from vegetables, chillies, pork, and beef and home-grown delicious pineapples, which were being sold on both sides of the roads on makeshift stalls; in fact, we found pineapples all over Meghalaya

In due course, we stopped at the viewpoint to see Umiam Lake, a scenic reservoir; it is an artificial water body also known as Barapani. 

There are many Khasi legends weaving tales about this gorgeous lake, but in reality, this man-made reservoir was built for the first hydropower project in Northeast India in 1965 and is a popular destination for water sports, boating, and picnics. 

We could see tiny resorts in the distant lakeside woods; I was sure one would enjoy a stay there in the serene lake surroundings. It spreads over 200 sq km and, as we watched, seemed to acquire a beautiful rich blue hue gradually. It was draped on all sides of its banks by green trees and plants.

I found the drive from Guwahati to Shillong an adventure by itself, initially we found pleasant green fields on both sides; gradually, the road became tortuous and uphill, the air started to bite, and the temperature dropped visibly. 

As we were nearing Shillong, we saw the Shillong Golf Course, one of the oldest and biggest in the world. It was introduced by an elite group of British officers in the late 19th century. Due to its lush green meadows and incredible views, the United States Golf Association and Museum has titled it "The Glen Eagle of the East," and indeed it was very appealing to the eyes.

We checked in; the room was fairly good. We freshened up and went out for some shopping. 

Very near our hotel, we found Police Bazaar, which is one of the busiest and liveliest parts of Shillong. It is so called that because of the police outpost in the middle; it was indeed very crowded and bustling with people. It reminded me of our own Sultan Bazar in Hyderabad.

There were smells of freshly roasted corn and various street food stalls releasing all kinds of aromas. One could buy jackets, shoes, souvenirs, groceries, electronics, toys, and shawls; prices were quite affordable, and bargaining was allowed. We could see several restaurants and pubs.

The Meghalaya Khasi women wear the dhara or nara, an indigenous wrap-around piece of attire during occasions or grand ceremonies like weddings.

Meghalaya also has the distinction of world's most sustainable silk named Eri Silk. Traditional Woollen shawls, Muga silk sarees, and traditional silk stoles, exceptional in their texture and unique designs, are sold in the shops.

Khasi and Jaintia women love to adorn themselves in bright red coral-beaded or gold necklaces & earring sets; these thick coral beads, called 'Paila,' are worn during festive occasions, and the pendant called 'Kynjri Ksiar' is apparently made of 24-carat gold.

Meghalaya is noted for the Ularong tea, organically produced and never treated with chemicals or pesticides by the farmers of Mawlyngot in the East Khasi Hills. 

I found the locals buying fresh vegetables and fruits, probably for their dinner; among them were a lot of varieties of chillies, said to be very fiercely spiced, and I didn’t dare to taste them. Tired after the day’s journey, we retired for a restful sleep