Fluttering through the clouds...

(I must warn you that this is gonna be a pretty long blog and I don’t have the heart to split it into two. Hope you take the time out to read it and enjoy…)

A few kilometers from Dispur is this Junction called Khanapara. Driving for another 20 minutes from there you hit the Meghalaya border. Well initially you still aren’t hit with the realization that you have actually entered another state as the influence of Assam is still strong, as the Assam border is still not too far away. The roadside scenery changes from the dilapidated and unkempt government buildings, so much a part of the skyline of the Assamese capital, to the lush green paddy fields on terraced landscape and the ginger and turmeric cultivations. The roadside is now dotted with stalls selling pickles, a variety of them each mouthwatering, and meat, the predominant one being PORK!

As we near Shillong the capital city of Meghalaya I catch a glimpse of a very strange sight, a Maruthi 800 packed with over 10 people making its way up the curvy roads to the city. Well although initially shocked by the sight I was told by my friends, who by the way weren’t that amused by this, that this is a pretty common sight in shilling. Woah! Well that’s the only expression that’s came to mind at that juncture.

(Well I guess to us South Indians and a few North Indians this piece of information is equally shocking. If the general reaction to this piece of information is anything to go by. Down South I guess the Maruthi 800 has a much more revered position as opposed to a people carrier. Here it’s probably the first car 80 percent of the population buys as an upgrade to their college two wheelers in the case of college going students and the much needed upgrade to the scooters and fuel efficient bike of the common office goers.)

Since Shillong and the neighboring places are the only places I have been, I rather feel it comfortable to assume the rest of Meghalaya is of a similar geography. Hmmm… a generalization that I know is too much. Hitting Shillong is actually rejuvenating. Come to think of it, it is a place that’s calm, serene and not to tampered by the charms of commercialization. The last part in itself is enough to make any place on this earth charming.

The people of this little hamlet up in the Meghalayan Mountains too are a cheerful lot. Khasi women manned the majority of business as the Khasis are a very matrilineal tribe. The term is actually an unusual system for a person so used to hearing of the patriarchal system. Btw the youngest in the family is the one who in fact inherits the family businesses and she in fact has greater authority over the elder siblings in the family. Whew!

When it comes to the maintenance of the tourist spots of Shillong and nearby Chirapunjee, these people have it all sorted out by nature. Out of ten tourist attractions over seven are natural. Nature preserved means site preserved. A majority or rather every one of them has the local flavor in plenty, Water. Yeah I know you must keep asking what it is that I am saying well I mean waterfalls my friend. Every one scintillating in itself. Stand near a waterfall and if you listen really carefully you can actually listen to the music that is pouring forth. Each waterfall, regaling in beauty, a beauty that actually sings out to your soul. You can actually stand out there and feel yourself being washed over by a sense of calm.

Ever since I had heard about Chirapunjee being the wettest place on earth, with annual rainfall at levels that are the prayers of people in other agriculture predominant state, I wanted to visit the place. A documentary on the place and the people only made the place even more exciting and desirable. Driving up from Shillong and towards Chirapunjee we stop at the famed elephant falls and do a little bit of the touristy stuff, dressing up in Khasi attire and posing for the umpteen photo ops. As we near Chirapunjee the anticipation of rain and actually being there was rising to dangerous levels. Zipping past the open meadows and landscape dotted with a few Assam style architecture and a few broken buildings a scenery so much a picture of the landscape of Scotland.

Chirapunjee was disappointing in just one area. It was sunny! But the lack of rain made for several other interesting sights. The sights each one grand and added a mysticism to the place. The misty mountains forming valleys, valleys that in turn offered a spectacular view of the Bangladeshi Plains. Being a bright sunny day the view of the plains was all the more enthralling. Chirapunjee’s distinction of being the wettest place on earth is constantly being tossed back and forth with the neighbouring Mawsynram.

The beauty of the waterfalls and the lush greenery draped over mountains is only beaten by the mystery of the Mawsmai Caves. The Mawsmai Caves offers you a glimpse of the elaborate labyrinth of the several Limestone caves that dot the scenery. Entering into the caves the initial feeling is a claustrophobic one. One where the caves try to embrace you into its dark underbelly. The caves are basically divided into separate areas and each area is cordoned into varying sizes and shapes. The walls of the caves are molded into weird shapes and sizes and the all this by WATER. Yes water actually makes for a lot of the interesting sight around this place. Although the caves have its own mysticism and all the presence of the light bulb although casting a faint yellow glow, I think it could have been a bit more adventurous and romantic if had they given every individual a candle(of course not a very good idea since there is water dripping all round you, good for a competition though) or a torch. This would in fact allow for a lot more excitement and a sense of adventure.

As we headed back to Shillong we cross a vast expanse of grassland which on our way to Chirapunjee was empty. Now late in the evening the grassland was full and apparently it looked like an archery contest was in progress. Leaving it at that it took a walk through the streets of shillong to understand what the archery was all about. Apparently that’s the lottery in Meghalaya, the archers fire arrows from about 50 to 60 feet away into a gunny bag and the count of the arrows stuck on the bag is taken and submitted as the result. That’s an absolutely weird sport that I have had the pleasure to come across in the recent past.

The city of Shillong being an educational center it draws a large number of students from all over the northeast. This fine mix of the student population and the governing body of Meghalaya tends to lend this old capital of Assam an aura too difficult to describe with mere words. The pleasant population and the ever present chill in the air makes Sillong a place worth visiting. Its not just a place for people who want to get closer to nature but also a heaven for the shopaholics! Yes Shillong’s shopping district of Police Bazaar has it all. It’s a bargainer’s paradise, once you get used to the women business woman behind the counter. Sporting the traditional and comfortable two piece jainsem offered them an effortless grace and ease of movement. Well that’s just observation and will leave it at that for fear of sounding too gay.

Spending time in Shillong brings back a lot of memories I’ve had growing up in the hill stations down south but leaving Shillong only reminded me of the little time I spent with close friends and how it is times that you will never get again. With fondness and a heartfelt desire to return I must salute the mysticism that is Shillong with friends.