The abode of clouds

                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Meghalaya, in Sanskrit, means abode of clouds. I feel, nowhere in India, the clouds play hide and seek,  swarming and swamping us with disbelief and happiness. 

We started from Chennai and landed in Gauwhati airport in 3 hrs. As we alighted from flight, cold breeze kissed us. Felt delighted and happy to be away from hot, humid climate of Chennai.

Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport structurally small in contrast to its name.  Just a few minutes walk from the conveyor belt ,we were out of the airport. We accosted " Vaango" restaurant immediately and pounced on it as everyone was very hungry.  Had a great south Indian diet with idli,   sambar vada and dosa, while the kids savoured on KFC chicken which was also inside the hotel.  My face was blushed when I saw the bill which ran into thousands. Two sambar vada cost Rs120 and tried to conceal my dismay at the exorbitant billing. Set aside, had cup of Assam tea and headed straight into M eghalaya by car. The distance was just 100 kms and' it may take two and half hours once we cross the city", the driver said. The traffic was chaotic in the city, similar to Chennai or Bangalore traffic, it took nearly 45 minutes to cross the hustle bustle of the city traffic...And once we cross the traffic, the road to Meghalaya was beautiful. The four way NH was neatly laid and it was smooth and the ride up the hills were pleasant..All along the road, there were plenty of pineapples,bananas to suit our taste.

     Our first stop was at Umiam lake or barapani, which is some 10 to 15 kms before Shillong,. A huge lake by any standards ..barapani also means to the full... The lake was mammoth in size with plenty of tall green trees catching our eyesight.

                           

      

Meghalaya is also called as ," Scotland of the east" due to its beautiful crystal clear large lakes with tall green trees .An aerial view above the lake is the postcard for  meghalaya tourism... With its huge lake and tall trees encroaching and dividing the lake...

We alighted the car and strolled across the lake..very picturesque one..there was speed boating, casual boating and water games. After a leisure boating in the Anaconda boat, we took to Khasi tribal  attire an clicked photos.

As we approached  Shillong, the climate changed dramatically and becoming very cold.The temperature hovered around 12degrees at about 1pm and it was dark.  We were all worried seeing the weather ...whether our plans for the day tour of Shillong would be scuttled due to the inclement weather...

The weather didn't worsen further and we proceeded with our plan.As it was lunch time, enquired about the best restaurant and it seemed all roads  headed to the city dhaba hut.
.

Wow...one of the best hotels we have ever visited.  Right from the entry, it was beautiful..Artificial falls, ducks waddling through  the water with beautiful flowers all around made a wonderful sight..Every small thing was taken care of and the hotel was primed with flowers all around and the atmosphere inside the hall was electrifying.

Our taste buds got satiated with the beautiful dishes and the reception and everything was fabulous..Anyone planning for meghalaya must have a meal at least once there and it would be in the mind and soul forever
.

After a sumptuous meal and our heart and stomach to the brim,we headed to Lady Hydari park which seemed to be inspired by Japanese garden style. Willow trees with sweeping gardens and beautiful ponds and rose trees, all make it a wonderful sight. There was even a small zoo in the Hydari park.

      Our next stop was at Don Bosco museum, one of architecture's delight. A rich cultural heritage in this seven storeyed complex, acclaimed as one of the best museums is hexagonal in shape, each storey describing every aspect of  Northeastern States, such as, culture, ethnic, recreation,etc.
The best part of the museum was skywalk in the roof top from which the whole city appeared beautiful.The people out there were very friendly and it had an educational institution attached to it.

The sun sets very early in these parts of our country, and it became dark, cold as early as 5pm. We were dropped in our hotel at centre point which is the main bazaar area. This area is a shopper's delight and as usual all ladies went for shopping duly accompanied by males, trying to save their wallet content...enjoying the road-side hot-hot omlette.

Next day, we headed to the Ward's lake in the morning...Lakes, trees and falls are the hallmark of this city..The bridge across the lake with beautiful flowers all around the lake with geese roaming in the grass and ducks floating in the water were wonderful to watch.

Next stop is at Elephant falls, which is a three staged falls .The falls was found out by the locals and named it in their local language,Englighmen who came later named it as elephant falls as there was a huge rock near the falls which resembled elephant.,Being  a seismically prone area.an earthquake demolished the stone but the name still remains..The water is crystal clear and looks super..

From Elephant falls to mawlynnog, the roads were panaromic...deep valleys,beautiful view points (Mawjngih Lapynshongdor ), undulating neat roads,tall trees,dense forests add to the excellent trail.Then we went to Mawlynonng,the cleanest village in Asia, also called God's own garden....Here, ladies are100% literate and there were no plastics used and everything was made of bamboo. One striking feature here is that in Meghalaya is females are given more importance... The wealth of the parents goes to the youngest daughter and she takes care of the elderly ailing parents. In contrast to the whole patrilineal society ,meghalaya is a feminist dream..here,the khasi tribes follow the matrilineal system and the girl child is better taken care of..

             

                       

The single root living bridge ,one of UNESCO world heritage site is in Riwai village....The aerial roots of the rubber trees ,Flavia pisca,join and form a natural bridge over the river with the help of tribals .They try to preserve this by allowing only one person to cross at a time..simply mindboggling  nature..Nature is at its best in Meghalaya
.

Another viewpoint not to be missed is Brun khongmen in Riwai,East khasi hills.we had to climb the bamboo steps up among the dense forest to have a spectacular view of mountains and Bangladesh.Everything is natural and they make use of natural things (bamboo steps, strings) to make us explore nature.

We proceeded to Dawki to see the Umngot river..Dawki is the border district of Bangladesh.Umnugot river with its crystal clear waters is an added attraction.. Umngot river runs between East Khasi hills and West Jaintia hills...Boating in crystal clear waters through the Umngot river was breathtaking. Water was so clear that we could see the full depth and the underwater creatures without snorkelling or scuba diving...tiny pebbles and marble white boulders in the crystal clear water would unleash a magic in life. A suspension bridge over the Umngot river is the connection between India and Bangladesh by road..
One can easily cross to Bangladesh through umngot river as this is a very porous border..no strict demarcation..just a sandbed between India and Bangladesh with few policemen standing along this porous border.

                                    

                                             

      From Dawki,went to Bangladesh border through a muddy trail and saw a BSF personnel from Thanjavur guarding the border..felt happy and proud, and shook hands, took photos with him at Tamabil, last point in India.That was the only place where we had sweat flowing like string of beads from our face, as we reached plains and temperature hovered around 30 degree.

     As we started towards shillong and climbed up,the temperature dropped and chillness set in. The travel from Pynsurla to Shillong was another unforgettable one..In the morning,as we amazed at the deep valleys and lofty mountains and scenic viewpoints, which appeared misty white  during the return journey  that evening due to the clouds abode.

True to its name,meghalaya,the abode of clouds,the stretch between Pynsurla and Shillong was covered only by clouds..The clouds kept on coming at us thick and fast for all along the 50 kms odd..the visibility was barely 10 mts and nothing was seen..
We kept on marvelling at the clouds which came like angels in white dress (as if in bharathiraja songs.)..
Got down and had tea in that misty cloudy viewpoint..we were simply amazed at the skills of those cabdrivers who drove steadfast guided only by the barely visible white line...
.

After a night rest,we proceeded to Sohra or Cheerapunji, the wettest place in the world.It rains throughout the year except the dry seasons of November to February. Of late,the heaviest rain has been recorded in Maynswaram,which is some 30 kms from Sohra or Cheerapunji.

The road to Cheerapunji was another driver's delight.The roads were pucca and scenic and could see lot of girls and boys in Aprillas, Activas, Vespas and REs..In fact the gearless scooters clearly outnumbered REs and Yamaha's..
All through the 50 odd km to Cheerapunji, there were numerous viewpoints, waterfalls, deep valleys and lofty mountains with the omnipresent clouds.These clouds come from nowhere all of a sudden and obscures the viewpoints and waterfalls.  Had to wait for these dark clouds to pass off to have a view of falls and valleys.

We were fortunate to have a spectacular view at Duwan sing syiem bridge and viewpoint..the deep valleys and lofty mountains were a treat to the eyes. Had good view of Wahkaba falls, for which we had to trek some 500 steps down to have a view. Here also the clouds played a game and waited for the clouds to pass off to have a view. Being a little dry season,with rains having started only few days ago, the water in the falls was less.  But nonetheless, it was the view and sound of the falls which will keep ringing forever.

Then we went to Dainthlen falls and there too we had to trek a lot to reach  the top.  After a sumptuous lunch at Sohra, we then proceeded to Nokhalikai falls, the worlds fourth highest falls. Initially we were looking at the direction of the sound and the fury of the falls ,but could not see due to clouds. Waited for half an hour for the clouds to clear and could see the height of the falls increasing and increasing as the clouds passed off slowly and could only  marvel and astonish at the falls  from the  dizzying heights it was pouring.

Then ,to be away from falls and valleys, went to Aruva caves.There were two routes...one pleasant track to caves with neatly laid steps..the other rugged route to the caves which is into the forest with ups and downs and no steps.  Gowtham and myself took to the rugged trail and he started running into the forest..I gasped for breath as the track was very rugged and felt  the shortnessof breath in many occasions.. And that point I realised my age and somehow clambered behind my son to reach the caves well before the rest of the pack who took the pleasant  route to the caves...

Beautiful stalactites and stalagmites and fossils of snails and fish( which are 6 crores to 7 crores years older) could be seen. All these are similar to Bora caves in Vizagapatam ( mama) and  baratang caves in Andaman...

      Next made a visit to the Eco-park, where the nature is preserved. Clouds were ominous here and we could not even see people walking in front..but these ominous clouds were so kind that they passed and we could see the majesty of the missing falls, which was till then only audible.

Everywhere our ears had to be sharp in locating the falls and had to wait..once the clouds pass we had a glimpse  before it gets shrouded by the clouds again..

And finally stayed at Kutmadan resort,a beautiful location in the outskirts of Cheerapunji...once we reached the resort, the rain started pouring heavily to satisfy our souls and expectation. Being the wettest place on earth, we felt very fortunate to get wet and enjoy the incessant  rains there after the whole night  and it was only 6pm and it was jet black and heavy rains lashed Cheerapunji , temperate dropped to around 10 degrees..

      Finally ,the most difficult part of trip wss the trek to the living root double decker bridge was on the cards.. We enquired  the hotel receptionist  about the trek and he discouraged us"..you will all come only with humped back and sore legs and it is 3600 steps steep descent and you have to climb the same 3600 steps again on return"and in fact advised to skip as it would take one whole day and asked us to go to some other spots and be at ease..

But we were stead fast in seeing the living root double decker bridge, one of its kind in the whole world.

Next morning,after a cursory look at the Noshithang or seven sisters falls we proceeded to the living root bridge.
On reaching the Tyrna Elaka tourism,there was bit commotion and fear and a guide took over us..he was also bit  sceptical and gave a bamboo stick to everyone of us and we started trekking to the bridge..

Normally, it would take four to six  hours to complete the trek depending upon your stamina and will..
OK..but the steps were all neatly laid ..no rugged pathway..but steep steep descent of the steps and we were all bit worried about our climb up later..but continued marching...
On nearing about 600 steps, we saw a couple with around 10 yr old kid who were climbing up...we asked "how was it..was it difficult??"..
That lady was breathing at a rate of more than 50..could not even talk..severely gasping.. And sat on a rock. And claimed "we went up to 1000 steps only..could not go further as it was very risky..we were returning back"..."you also don't go.".
We were bit worried and every one of us started looking at each other..but her husband came with a positive note..If you have plenty of time and in no hurry ,you can  go slowly and take your own time..don't rush..

Then with our legs trembling and taking rest on and off ,we reached single living root bridge which was at about 1600 steps....still 2000 more to double decker..
After photo session and bit rest,we crossed two metal bridges over rivers and many small living root bridges...

And the final 200 steps ascent  seemed to be a big ordeal..like for a marathon runner,
who hits the marathon wall at about the final stages,the last 200 steps seemed to be a huge task..
Once we climbed last 200 steps,it was mission completed and we saw the picture perfect double decker living root bridge ...it was wonderful and breathtaking,to say least..and there was a falls in which we  took bath and soothed our tired legs.

..

Then ,the climb up 3600 steps began at about 2pm..and one best feature here in trekking was lot of shops run by the local villagers who sold locally prepared nimbu juice,water bottles,chocolates and energy drinks like many aid stations in the marathon run...

Being a dense forest,saw pineapple in the shrubs..

     Severely panting and taking rest and replenishing the lost nutrients with juices and water,we made to the top after about 2 hrs 30 mins of gasping and panting.

It was worth a risk to take.

.Then we proceeded with the hussss and buzzz and calf pain to  Mawswai caves . We had to slithe and crawl using all fours on the floor.. to again admire the stalactites and stalagmites. After that went to resort  for rest.
      Next morning made a visit to Tharangharang park, neatly maintained by forest department.. There ,for the first time,we saw Pitcher plant or Nephenthes, an insectivorous plant which have traps with which they engulf the insects and kill them for their nutrition...

On the way back we missed the cruise in the mighty Bramaputra due to lack of time but gifted to enjoy the main arterial trunk road,GS road,which seemed to be a shoppers delight and had a few snaps along the Brahmaputra river. 

  With heart full of nature and happiness, we finished our tour and landed in Guwahati airport..

Meghalaya is a nature delight..Everyone who loves nature,forest,trekking,falls must visit at least once in the prime of their life...once we get old,we can hear only stories from our children and we may not be able to write stories....

Happy trekking days to all my friends...
Enjoy meghalaya soon..
Enjoy the trek..
Enjoy early.....