Having been lucky enough to trek amidst the gorgeous Himalayas couple of times, I have always wondered since when did I fall in love with the mountains?? How did I end up staring at those rocks for hours and not getting bored??Why do I give up all those lavish and relaxing holidays in the best of the hotels for the long and difficult treks ,just to be belittled by the mountains.
Being in Shillong definitely calls for a visit to Cherrapunji.Located at a distance of 60 km from Shillong and originally known as "Sohra", Cherrapunji, is famous for receiving the heaviest rainfall.....which is another reason to avoid peak monsoons if you are planning to club Cherrapunji with Shillong. And that makes end of May as the best time to visit Shillong , because the rains are not that heavy in Cherrapunji that time and you can also experience the dark green landscape dotted with clouds on your way. However be prepared to loose sight of your road as you near Cherrapunji because, you will be actually travelling through dense clouds then which is a nothing less than a breath taking experience.
Another beautiful place to visit near Shillong is a small village called Mawlynnong. It was declared to be the cleanliest village of Asia by, a travel magazine ,Discover India in 2003 .Located approximately 90 km from Shillong, this is a place straight out of heaven. Over here time stands still and you can feel everything thats happening around.The air, the trees, the sky, the houses, the people.....everything comes together to form a beautiful painting.The best thing of this tiny village is that in order to take care of the cleanliness, Mawlynnong has placed small dustbins made of bamboo at frequent intervals in such a way that no one ever gets a chance to throw the garbage in the surrounding.
And as i traverse back in time trying to find the answers ,i end up with more questions.Were it the hills surrounding the small yet beautiful town where i grew up?? Was it the view from the window of my room, where I could see those far hills and hear the songs that resonated from them in the night and then slowly doze off into the dreamland??Was it my visit to one of the best hill station with my family where my senses were knocked off by seeing the stunning snow cladded peaks for the first time??Well , it seems the buck stops at Meghalaya because being a greenery lover it was my first encounter with the lush green hills amidst milky white clouds......in proximity .
Shillong
I visited Shillong in the end of May and I must say ...May is indeed the best time to visit Shillong, because neither the sun is harsh nor the rains are heavy.Its a perfect blend of dry and wet
It is suggested to visit Shillong from October to mid of May because after that the peak rainy season starts which goes on till September and it is NOT recommended to visit Shillong then because of landslides, zero visibility on roads and the increased chances of getting sick .But for people who love taking chances and are good enough to move around just with a rain coat, monsoon is the best time, because the whole place turns into a fairy land.However, if I have to suggest the best time ,it will definitely be end of May because then the rains just start due to which the weather interruptions are not much and also we can get a glimpse of the makeover that the monsoon is about to do to it.You can also choose end of September because even that is the time when the rains starts subsiding, leaving behind the beaming Shillong at its Best
However ,Monsoons comes with its own drawback, like the visit to its famous living root bridge can get really risky because of the growth of the mosses due to rains, so its best to carry proper shoes while visiting these places because monsoon or not Shillong & Cherrapunji is blessed with showers every now and then and thus mosses are common to grow.So leave behind those fancy heels or ballerinas. while planning for Shillong and travel like a conscious traveller.
Mawlynnong
Essentials for Shillong during monsoons
Anti-slip water proof shoes
Rain coat/Poncho
Mosquito repellant
A light jacket for occasional use
Cherrapunji
The Final Call
Not only Shillong kindled my love for the mountains, which was lying hidden in some corner of my heart but it also broke through all the prejudices I had for "travels during Monsoons".Meghalaya is beautiful across the year ,but the rains do add a magic to it. The earthly smell of the wet earth, the dark green surrounding with colourful blossoms in it, the painted blue sky with the sun and clouds playing hide and seek, the red cheeked kids clapping and playing in the puddles outside their houses as and when the rain stops , adds to the overall experience of being in a hill station.
The choice is yours !!!!
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