Mesmerizing Meghalaya

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Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya 1/1 by Akriti Maheshwari

Meghalaya, an alluring state in north-east India and also known as an 'Abode of clouds', is a one stop place for nature lovers. With its lush green valleys, cloud landscapes and captivating waterfalls, it stands out as the most pleasing destination for tourists who enjoy living in the lap of nature.

I visited the place in the month of October this year and stayed in Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya which is also considered as the 'Fashion capital of north-east India'. Accommodation was not really a concern as I stayed at my relative's place at the air-force station. The city seemed much more peaceful from there as the station is located at the peak of Shillong (also known as the 'upper Shillong'). On the other hand, the lower Shillong is more crowded and prone to the city traffic.

For people seeking a serene stay in Shillong, I would suggest them to look for an accommodation either at the upper part of Shillong (peak) or somewhere on the outskirts. Although, if you are staying within the main city the local markets and food outlets would be easily approachable. We had to hire a cab to reach the main city from our place of stay which took us almost 30 minutes and luckily, we unveiled the vibrant streets with a festive crowd as we happened to visit the place around the occassion of 'Durga pooja'. The festival is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm as the place greatly influenced by the Bong culture. 

The lower Shillong is a land for shopaholics & fashion lovers. One can find a variety of stuff to by from places like 'Police Bazaar' where you find majority of the road side vendors selling woolen clothes, jackets, shoes, accessories, shawls, sweaters, woolen caps etc and other things like food, electronic items, smuggled winter wear from Thailand, gadgets, medicines, beauty kits, grocery, bakeries, bags, vessels etc. You name it and it is available in the shops. They are very cheap (Bargaining works a lot!). The place is flooded with shoppers throughout the day and is easily reachable from all parts of Shillong by taxis, buses, and small vans. If you wish to buy handicrafts of bamboo or cane for which Meghalaya is known for, there are also few handicraft emporiums where you can purchase purses, baskets, display items, trays, bags, Assam silk sarees, jewellery etc. Another place which I visited was the Anderson's arcade, a four floors where you will find lot of small shops selling large variety of clothes for women at reasonable prices.

Photo of Police Bazar, Shillong, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Police Bazar, Shillong, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

Coming to places where the beauty of Meghalaya is actually pleasured, there is 'Cherrapunji', also known as the wettest place on earth. It is mostly covered with layers of clouds and gives a stunning view of the surrounding valleys. The route to Cherrapunji is very fetching and you will come across a lot of greenery around.

Photo of Cherrapunji‎, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Cherrapunji‎, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

The other interesting place is 'The living root bridges', the Man-made bridge made from the aerial roots of rubber trees. The tree roots are made to grow through the tree trunks which are placed across rivers and streams until the roots attach themselves to the other side.

Photo of Living Root Bridge, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Living Root Bridge, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Living Root Bridge, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

'Mawlynnong', considered as the cleanest village of Asia, was truly a paradise. It is almost 100 Km away from Shillong. The village people have maintained it so well that it seemed more beautiful than any other urban city of India. It was full of tourists & yet so clean and organized.

Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya by Akriti Maheshwari

When it comes to waterfalls, Meghalaya proves to have the most senic ones. 'Nohsngithiang Falls', also knows as the 'seven sisters waterfalls', are a delight, though one should be lucky enough as sometimes the clouds become a hindrance to the view. This is how we waited for the clouds to move away & luckily the view was worth the wait!

Photo of Nohsngithiang View, Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Nohsngithiang View, Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Nohsngithiang View, Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

Few other attractions-

Photo of Umiam Lake, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Mawsmai Limestone Cave, Mawsmai Cave Road, Mawsmai, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

Way to Mawsmai cave..

Photo of Mesmerizing Meghalaya by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Dawki, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari
Photo of Dawki, Meghalaya, India by Akriti Maheshwari

So guys, spare some time and plan for a vacation in this mesmerizing Meghalaya for good 5-6 days. I would personally suggest to visit here during summers, as in winters the temperature drops down to even less than 0 degree and it becomes difficult to fully enjoy the place.

Enjoy your trip!

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