Meghalaya

Our Itineray:

Day1: Delhi-Guwahati-Cherrapunjee

Day2: Cherrapunjee & Cherrapunjee - Mawlynnong
Day3: Mawlynnong & Mawlynnong - Shillong
Day4- Shillong
Day5: Shillong-Guwahati-Delhi

The year 2014 was dedicated to sky high Himalayas. It started from the trip to heaven on earth Kashmir in January, progressed with the adventurous tour to Kalpa-Sangla Valley and Lahaul-Spiti in June, Chandrataal in August and ended with the eventful tour to Mcleodganj and Dalhousie.

We planned to start this year with some awesome beach destination, and when it comes to white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, what better location can there be than Lakshadweep Islands. Somehow we started off little late for planning, and it couldn’t materialise, but cancelling the trip is never an option in my world that too when it was planned to celebrate Rahul’s Birthday!!

We shifted our destination from the untouched islands of south east India to the wettest place on earth towards the North east India, Meghalaya. The entire planning for the trip was done in a jiffy, Rahul called up his friend who recently visited there, took the cab driver’s (Nanu) number and the other arrangements were based on Nanu’s recommendation. The suggestion we got from our friend was just to follow Nanu’s advice and everything will be sorted. I tried to do that but the travel freak inside me didn’t let me do that. So just to satisfy my hunger, I had to do basic secondary research to design the itinerary and at least verify our stay option suggested by our driver.

**Interesting Fact # 1: Tribes of Meghalaya

There are primarily 3 tribes in Meghalaya: Khasi, Garos & Janitas. Garos are settled in the Garo hills of Meghalaya, while the Khasis are scattered all across the state and are known by different names. Mainly the pure Khasis can be sited at the Khasi hills where as the Pnars or Jaintias can be located on Jaintia hills. Garos are known as the descendants of Bodo family of the Tibeto-Burmar race who came down to the north eastern states, all the way from Tibet. The Khasis and Pnars or Jaintias are the believed to be descendants of Proto Austroloid Monkhmer race.

Shillong, Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong are all part of East Khasi Hills.

Waking up early on a Saturday Winter morning is a task in itself but somehow we managed. We could barely manage to board the connecting at 7.50AM for 7.45AM flight, as Delhi was on highest security alert as US President Obama was coming for 26^th January.

Just 15-20mins after the take-off, all I could see was snow covered Himalayan Peaks making their way out of the greyish-white cloud blanket. Though I couldn’t recognize the exact name of the peaks but most likely we would have seen Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Annapurna (8,091m), Everest (8,848 m). Not every day you get such spectacular views through the window!! The sight mere sight of it was enough to re-kindle my love for sky high Himalaya and I suggested Rahul to divert our journey towards Tawang. Little did he agree with me!!

We started our trip by paying a visit to Kamakya Devi Temple. There was huge queue of Worshippers to get inside the temple. There were two shorter queues one with 100 Rs payment (which closed by the time we reached) and another with a payment of 500 Rs to get an express entry into the temple. The temple door closes at 1.00PM and opens at around 2.30 PM.

The temple is one of the 51 Shakti peeths of Goddess Durga and has special importance for ‘Tantrik Kriya’. Legend has it that following the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice and the Rudra Tandava of Shiva parts of Sati's body fell at several places throughout India, and these places are revered as Shakti peethas. The reproductive organ of Sati, (the Yoni) is said to have fallen here.

At the outer area of temple there is an idol of goddess Durga. There were 5 goat heads (separated from their bodies) lying in-front of the Goddess Idol (Goat sacrifice is a common ritual followed here to worship the Goddess). It also took us 1½ hrs. to enter (after paying 500 Rs each) and offer our prayers at main sanctum which is in in the form of a cave, which consists of no image, but a natural underground spring that flows through a yoni-shaped cleft in the bedrock.

We headed towards our destination, Cherapunjee via Shillong. On the way to Shillong we halted a Umiam Lake, which offered an spectacular view of the Sunset. While talking to Nanu we came to know about many traditions/facts/culture of the Meghalaya and its people.

Sunset @ Umiam Lake

**Interesting Fact # 2: Matricidal Society

The tribes at Meghalaya follow matrilineal lineage whereby a property's inheritance is traced through the women. Children keep the surname of their mother in few cases. Unlike other part of country girl child is considered a boon here, as by having a girl there blood line keeps on growing.

Though the women section of the tribes at Meghalaya take the responsibility of the household work, men are responsible for the mental and material life of his family.

After marriage if a man has married the youngest or only daughter of the family, then man moves into the woman’s house and they reside with girl’s family. And if man has married other than the youngest daughter then the couple has to move out and build their own home separately. Neither can they stay at guy’s house nor at girl’s house. The property also gets transferred to the women in the house. There is only one restriction i.e., one cannot marry in the same clan and the marriage should get the approval of the family members. 

Khasi Women in Meghalaya