DREAM TRIP TO MEGHALAYA

Sohra, also known as Cherrapunjee, is a Sub-Division in the East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya. It is set upon a plateau on the southern slopes of the state. Sohra is set against the backdrop of breath-taking landscape dotted with waterfalls cascading over deep gorges and has a large number of caves. Sohra is 56 kms from Shillong and is one of those ultimate eco-friendly destinations, a place renowned all over the world for having the privilege of receiving the highest rainfall in the world.

My friend and I had Sohra on the bucket list for a long time and finally decided to give it a try. We booked our air tickets well in advance and eagerly waited for my summer vacation( oh yes I am a teacher by profession). Finally the day arrived and on 28^th March 2019 we took the morning flight from Kolkata Airport headed towards Bagdogra. The drive from Bagdogra to Shillong took almost four hours and since we took a private taxi we could halt at our convenience, and enjoy short breaks.

 

The  Umiam Lake will fall on your way to Shillong. It is a vast and scenic reservoir that attracts a large number of tourists and is also known as “Bara Pani” or the Big Water.

 

 

Usually if you book private taxis one person picks you up from the Bagdogra airport and drops you to Shillong Bazar and then you board another vehicle to drive to  Cherrapunjee.  We reached the market place of Shillong around 4pm and was greeted by our driver and guide who drove us all the way to Sohra.

The route from Shillong to Cherrapunjee is arguably the most scenic one and  if you are lucky to find the right weather, then it would the perfect icing on the cake! As you cross the city limits of Shillong you will find yourself driving through the clouds, across the undulating roads. While one side of the roads are lined with thick forests of pine and other evergreen trees, the other edges into deep gorges. The crisp air and the cool, wet weather refreshed us inside out. It took us two hours to reach the Sai-Mika Resort where we were staying for the next two days. As it started raining heavily we could not explore much that evening and we decided to rest in our cottage Jylliew.

I woke up around four am the next morning and it was still drizzling. The view of these rustic cottages which were set beside a green valley was mesmerizing.

Our cottage Jylliew had a back door that opens up to the top of a boulder that overlooks a river and the grasslands of Sohra.

 

As  I opened the door I was welcomed by  a picturesque small river and the amazing rolling valleys.

 

After enjoying the calmness,peacefulness, and serenity of the place we quickly had our breakfast and headed for Mawlynnong Villager eferred as ‘God’s own garden’.  The village known for its cleanliness has won the acclaim of being the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. The drive from our resort to Mawlynnong took almost three hours. As we reached the village we were stumped by this spotless clean and pretty village.

 

As walked on cobbled streets bordered with thatched Khasi huts we came across gardens full of colourful flowers and  bamboo baskets outside every house, which were used as bins.

The fascinating Living Root Bridge is just ten minutes from there. It is the most spectacular natural bridgeI have seen. It is made by twisting the roots of the gigantic rubber trees. The roots make a pathway across a stream, making it easy for villagers to commute. These bridges are unique to Meghalaya.

 

Another interesting thing the villagers have constructed here is the Sky View, an 85 feet high viewing tower that’s made of bamboo. From here one can get stunning views of not just the village but also Bangladesh on the other side.

After a quick tea break we started our journey for the Mawsmai Caves and on our way back we had seen a number of waterfalls including the famous Nohkalikai Falls. It is a spectacular cascade that plunges an estimated 340 metres from a lushly forested plateau. The best way to see this waterfall is from the Nohkalikai viewpoint. Next we saw the Nohsngithiang Falls (also known as the Seven Sisters Waterfalls or Mawsmai Falls) which  is a seven-segmented waterfall which falls from a height of 315 metres and is very close to the Mawsmai Caves.

 

Mawsmai Caves is a network of underground caves which is full of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. The entry fee is Rs 20 and after a short hike through the forest we reached  the main entrance of the cave. The main cave is safe, well marked by safety signs and well lit by artificial light for us to see the fossils.

 

We returned to our cottage by 6 in the evening and relaxed in the resort. The next day we packed our bags and after a blissful breakfast in wee hours of the morning we headed towards the Elephant Falls. It is a dramatic, multi-tiered waterfalls in picturesque surrounds, with an easy walking trail and stairs.

From the Elephant Falls we headed straight for Shillong View Point which  provides superb panoramic view of Shillong City and the scenic beauty of nearby mountains.  A telescope is available for tourists to get a bird’s eye view. The area is well maintained and the Shops which provide khasi traditional attire for a photo shoot.

Our next destination was The Golf course of Shillong. It is one of the oldest golf courses in Asia. The course is set in a serene and picturesque frame at over 5200 feet sea level making it one of the highest golf courses. The ground is full of Pine and Rhododendron trees and greenary around the golf course gave a feeling of calmness and tranquility.

 

It  was late afternoon and we decided to take a lunch break in the hotel we were staying in Shillong. So our driver dropped us the Blueberry Inn Shillong and took his leave.The Blueberry Inn is a small hotel set on a hill above the busy part Shillong.

 

We had a large ground-floor room and after our lunch decided to explore the local market and shop so we headed straight for Police Bazar. It took us 15minutes to reach the bazaar by walking. Artifacts made of bamboo and cane are found in abundance here along with cotton and silk products. The lanes of Police Bazaar are narrow but the variety and option you get to choose from is immense.

A sumptuous breakfast was waiting for us the next morning and after the splendid breakfast we loitered in the famous Ward’s Lake. Beautiful gardens surround the lake and the bridge over the Ward’s Lake that looks straight out of a storybook. Old fashioned cobble stoned paths run through the gardens and the shores of the lake and there are benches and shadowed canopies all throughout the park.

 

By noon we were all ready to check out. With a heavy heart we boarded the car to drive back to Guwahati  for taking our flight back home with loads and loads of beautiful memories of the scenic state of Meghalaya.