Shillong to Cherrapunji – city mom takes a break for a gorgeous Meghalaya getaway

By Neha Kirpal

I was excited about visiting Meghalaya’s capital city, Shillong, to attend the Cherry Blossom literary and music festival. Though an avid traveller, one of the parts of the world that I haven’t yet seen much of is India’s northeast. And, as a working mom of a six-year-old, travelling by myself – even if it was for work! – felt like a rare solo holiday.

Full of mystique and wonder, the seven northeast states of India have a distinctive culture and geography that make them seem like a world in themselves. Meghalaya in particular is called the ‘home of clouds’, and is known for its rich flora and unusual land formations.

The state is also known for its empowered women; the social structures here are matrilineal and most businesses are run by women. The city of Shillong itself has a certain ‘trendy’ appeal due to its large student population, as it is a hub of educational institutions, and due to its Westernised culture.

While on the curvy three-hour drive from Guwahati airport to Shillong, the terrain became greener and hillier, and the air noticeably chillier. The bright, clear sun rays were warm and comforting. Needless to say, the AQI was in the double digits – which felt amazing, given how bad the pollution in Delhi is!

Before entering Shillong city, I crossed the expansive Umiam Lake, located on the city’s outskirts, which offers boating facilities and is in close proximity to several wayside resorts. Entering the charming hill station, I was greeted first and foremost by its narrow, sloping streets as well as little houses and shops.   

After settling into the hotel, I set out to explore the city. Police Bazar, the main market, was walking distance from me, so I decided to start there. I came across several shops, salons and restaurants, and bought some local tea, chips and local handicrafts to carry back home.

A short jaunt from here got me to the local open-air market, Bada Bazar. Here, I caught a glimpse of some fresh food items, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, meat and spices.

The same evening, I went to one of Shillong’s most popular tourist spots: the stunning Ward’s Lake, located in the heart of the city.

The horse-shoe shaped artificial lake with an elegant wooden bridge is surrounded by some of the most beautiful pink cherry blossom trees, which bloom mostly in the winter months.

Next on my list was Don Bosco Museum, the largest cultural museum in northeast India. A hexagonal edifice with seven storeys, its various galleries and exhibits have many interesting artefacts that inform you about the region, its people, culture, history, heritage, traditions, tribes and civilisations. A skywalk on the top of the building provides an aerial view of the entire city.

Another striking tourist spot is the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, a huge blue-coloured church in the city. I learnt that the church though built in 1919 by German missionaries, burned down in 1936.

It was, however, rebuilt after Independence in 1947 by an architect from Calcutta (now Kolkata). Described as modern gothic, the church has stained-glass windows and paintings.

Ever since I was in school, I had heard about Cherrapunji as the place that receives the highest rainfall in the world. The two-hour scenic drive from Shillong to Cherrapunji meanders through tiny villages surrounded by thick vegetation, lush greenery and the occasional tea farm.

As I got nearer to Cherrapunji, I suddenly noticed more and more clouds in the sky, with the undulating Mawkdok mountain range in the backdrop. It was then that I learnt that Cherrapunji is also famous for its natural caves and cascading waterfalls.

A visit to Ka Bri Ki Synrang Park (Garden of Caves) is the best way to explore the region’s fascinating flora. With 11 scenic spots, the garden comprises natural caves, waterfalls, rock carvings and manmade bamboo bridges. These include:

Palong Syiem (The King’s Cave): It got its name after a tribal chief once slept here. For this reason, the cavern is carved on the inside with bed-like structures.

Kshaid Sum Syiem: This falls along a naturally carved orifice through a rock. It is believed that the tribal chief would bathe here.

Kshaid Um Lwai: This is the tallest waterfall in the area, derives its name from a large species of bee that thrived and formed hives along the waterfall’s cliffs about half a century ago.

Kshaid Arsdad: Another waterfall in the garden, having the largest volume of water.

U Maw Khyllung: A peculiar rock carving in the shape of a human fetus.

Um Dawai: A sprout of water that emerges from an opening inside a rock. Its name indicates that this water keeps the locals in good health.

Stieh Maw: A distinctive rock carving that reminds one of combat shields used during warfare.

Mawdohnud: This heart-shaped rock is another curious specimen of a cordate impression on a bedrock.

Ka Krem Ba Dang Thymmai: The 78-metre naturally formed cave was first discovered by the park committee members as late as 2019, when there was heavy rain in the area.

Mawsmai Cave: This dark, low-lying cave isn’t for the fainthearted. Offering a glimpse into Meghalaya’s underworld, it makes for a rather adventurous visit. The surreal cave setting includes geologically precious cave formations, such as stalactites, stalagmites, pillars and ancient fossils.

A little distance away is one of India’s tallest plunge waterfalls at around 1,115 feet. Meghalaya’s most famous waterfall, the stunning Nohkalikai Falls in Cherrapunji.

The falls owe their name to a morbid story of a woman called Ka Likai whose second husband was jealous of the attention his infant stepdaughter received from her mom. While Ka Likai was out to work, he murdered the child and prepared a meal with the flesh. When Ka Likai realised to her horror that she had eaten the meat of her own child, she jumped from these falls in grief and rage.

Though the story has a macabre ending, it indicates the ubiquity of working mothers in the region, who often play the role of sole breadwinners while husbands stay home.

On the way back to Shillong, I made a pit stop at a set of three multi-layered Elephant Falls. The falls, which are most spectacular during the monsoon and post-monsoon months, got their name when the British observed an elephant-shaped rock here. However, this rock was destroyed by an earthquake in 1897.

Meghalaya proved to be a quaint kind of discovery for me. The trip was memorable mostly due to its sheer beauty, diversity and uniqueness. Its extraordinary landscape particularly intrigued me, as did its matrilineal social codes. The gentle smiles, soulful music and genuine happiness of its people will stay with me for a long time.