Cherrapunjee delights !!

 If you love to take long drives and listen to music then don't ever miss this wonderful drive from Guwahati to Cherrapunjee !! Because it is such a nice gentle winding road which takes you from the Brahmaputra basin gradually up the Shillong hills( Khasi range), onto the plains of the Shillong plateau and finally onto the edge of it where it steeply falls into the Bangaldesh plains.

The beauty of the drive is that it is only about 300 km to and fro from Guwahati and one can do it all in a couple of days. And not to mention you would be experiencing the thrill of visiting the wettest place on earth.....Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram.

When you start from Guwahati the drive starts with gentle winding roads gradually moving higher towards Shillong through lush green forests and hills. The first stop at Umiam lake formed due to the constructed dam is very scenic. You can get busy if you are fond of water sports by doing boating, kayaking or speed boating. There is a good resort which offers nice lake facing rooms and a decent restaurant to cater your taste buds.

           

As you  travel further you will reach Shillong. And the most striking thing that hits you instantly is the presence of lots and lots of Maruti 800s. Nowhere would you have seen so many Marutis in your life.The reason is very simple ...the roads are so narrow that you only  dare to drive these little ones here. No wonder taxis and private vehicles are all small cars and mostly 800s. Another important thing that hits home is the immense driving discipline that the people follow with hardly anyone breaking the lanes and trying to overtake and create jams.

         

Shillong is the capital city of Meghalaya and not till long ago was the capital of Assam as well. It does live up to the expectation of a capital city with lots of important government buildings which bear the marks of old British heritage. The houses and the little bylanes give the impression of some European countryside. No wonder they call it Scotland of the northeast.

The most visited and not to be missed is the Shillong peak which offers you the view of the entire Shillong valley. It is mostly covered by fog and clouds and is very pleasant and offers great views on clear days.

Wards lake is also another landmark which is in the heart of the city. What strikes is the level of cleanliness and maintenance of the lake and surrounding garden and walking track. Boating here is a very pleasurable experience.

One can spend some time wandering the Hydari park or visit the Rhino museum or the Airforce museum. Visit to the Elephant falls is not to be missed. The 3 levels of the falls are a real delight to watch and especially after the rains it is very beautiful.

Another important landmark is the Don Bosco museum . This centre for study of indigenous culture is a real treat. The 7 levels of the museum are all worth a watch and give you a splendid insight into the northeast life and culture. The added attraction is a skywalk on the terrace of the museum which offers a splendid view of Shillong city.

Once you get past Shillong and travel further the landscape gradually changes. Initially one comes across lots of pine trees and the weather is also very cool. It slowly eases out and gives way to
shrubby growth and near absence of big trees. The landscape is like almost barren except for the lush greenery due to incessant rains. This is the reason probably why Cheerapunji and surrounding area faces lot of water shortages.

But the most amazing thing is the drive along the ridge line . You are continuously driving on it with multiple ridges at your eye level. It gives you a feel of being into an altogether different world.

Sohra , new name for Cherrapunjee is full of amazing places to explore. The most popular are the various waterfalls which fall off from the edge of the plateau onto the Fertile plains of Bangladesh. There are lots of them. The most famous and biggest being the Nohkalikhai falls....4th largest in Asia. Others being Wah Kabah, Seven sisters and Dainthlen falls. You can trek to the base of these falls if you have the time and inclination to do so.

Wah Kaba falls

If you have ever heard the term called caving or spelunking then this is the place to be. Meghalaya is famous for various caves and is amongst the top 10 destinations in the world for caving. There are lots of them to explore like Krem Lymput and Krem Mawkhyrdop  . But to start with there is a fully lit cave for amateurs in Mawsmai. The various patterns of rock and the stalagmite formations are worth a watch. It can become scary as the lights went off while we were in there for some time.

Another attraction is the environmental park. One is the Ecopark in Mawsmai and there is one closer to the border, in Thangakharang. Both are really nicely maintained and offer great views of the Bangladeshi fertile planes formed by the Meghna and Brahmaputra rivers.

You must definitely see the double root bridge formed by the intertwining of the roots of the trees which is constructed by the locals over generations. We missed out on it as it is on a different axis and will require another visit from us ......shortly I am sure.

And finally the cleanest village in India and also in Asia.....Mawlynnong, must be on your itinerary as it is on mine and will update you on it as soon as I visit it.. Till then...Goodbye and Khublei !!