Meghalaya Travel Guide
The State of Meghalaya is situated on the north east of India. It extends for about 300 kilometres in length and about 100 kilometres in breadth. It is bounded on the north by Goalpara, Kamrup and Nowgong districts, on the east by Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts, all of Assam, and on the south and west by Bangladesh. Meghalaya is one of the most picturesque states of India, offering a spectrum of sylvan surroundings, rich cultural heritage, misty heights, breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, luxurious vegetation, flora and fauna. It is among the wettest places on earth - little wonder that Meghalaya means 'abode of clouds'. Cherrapunji, situated in the southers slopes of Khasi hills records the heaviest rainfall in the world. Meghalaya was declared as state on 21st January, 1972. It has a colonial capital Shillong which home to an extraordinary diversity of people including Jantia and Garo tribes. Meghalaya has a matriarchal law of inheritance where the custody of property and succesion of family position runs through the female line, passing from mother to youngest daughter. Majority of the population has converted to Christianity. It invites you with open arms to spend some time in its lap of nature. Tucked away in the hills of eastern sub-Himalayas Meghalaya is one of the most beautiful states in India. Nature has blessed her with abundant rainfall, sun-shine, virgin forests, high plateaus, tumbling waterfalls, crystal clear rivers, meandering streamlets and above all with sturdy, intelligent and hospitable people.
Agriculture is the main occupation of Meghalaya, with eighty three percent of the total population, dependent on it for their livelihood. Rice and maize are the major food crops. Important fruits grown here are orange, pineapple, lemon, guava, jackfruit and bananas, while potato, jute, mesta, cotton, arecanut, ginger, turmeric, betel leaf and black pepper are the chief commercial crops. 'Jhum' or the shifting system of cultivation is being replaced with scientific methods, bringing land under permanent cultivation. Forest resources from pine and other timber products bring in the major chunk of state revenue. The state has many small scale industries in furniture making, iron and steel fabrication, tyre retreading and baking, to name the principal ones. The main shopping centres in the city are Police Bazar, Bara Bazar and Laitumkhrah. For handlooms and handicrafts, one can visit Meghalaya Handicrafts, Khadi Gramodyog and Purbashree.
The climate of Meghalaya varies with the altitude. The climate of Khasi and Jaintia Hills is uniquely pleasant and bracing. It is neither too warm in summer nor too cold in winter, but over the plains of Garo Hills, the climate is warm and humid, except in winter. True to its name, the Meghalaya sky seldom remains free of clouds (megh, clouds; alaya, abode of). The average annual rainfall is about 1,150 cm. The people of Meghalaya observe some important festivals throughout the year. These celebrations usually take the form of dances, when people can forget the drudgery of life. Many of these festivals have religious associations but a few of the celebrations are plainly secular. A very important festival among the Garos is the Wangala- a harvest festival held in honour of Saljong, the Sun-god of fertility. This marks the end of a period of toil, which brings good yield of the fields. It is the time to relax and for days the hills and valleys resound with the distinctive beat of drums. The dance itself has certain subtle variations, the main motif being a queue of two parallel lines- one of men and other of women clad in their festive regalia.
Places of interest: Shillong Peak, Ward's Lake, Botanical Garden, Golf Course, State Museum, Grotto Church, All Saints Church, Butterfly Museum, Lady Hydari Park,, Sohpetbneng Peak,, Thadlaskein lake, Jakrem, Dawki, Ranikor,, Sweet Falls, Elephant Falls, Bishop, Beadon, Cherrapunjee.
Access: Nearest airport Borjhar (Guwahati), 129 kms from Shillong, is connected with Calcutta. Umroi Airport, 31 km from Shillong, is also connected by Vayudoot with Calcutta. Nearest Railhead is Guwahati (103 kms). By road Shillong to Calcutta-1184 kms, Darjeeling-690 kms, Gangtok-692 km, Guwahati-103 km, Kaziranga-294 km, Aizwal-430 km, Siliguri-578 kms, Manas-273 kms, Agartala-499 kms, Kohima-469 kms, Itanagar-481 kms etc. Taxis are available on negotiable rate according to distance.
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