With sobriquets like 'The Scotland of the East’ and the ‘Garden of Eden‘, this enchanting Shangri-la, Shillong is truly the abode of the clouds. The name itself has a musical tinge as is this entire place. The air hums with melancholic joy and a sheer buoyancy as soon as you step into the landscape and the journey seems closer than the destination.
Situated in the north-eastern state of India, Meghalaya, at an altitude of 1496 mtrs, Shillong is blessed with a very pleasant climate throughout the year. The serpentine roads’ curving along the hills is like riding through the heavens. A journey filled with excitement and a quaint serenity all around. The picturesque view of the landscape, the peaks, waterfalls, lakes and emerald groves, it will just mesmerize your heart and sometimes your silence will be broken by the roar of a waterfall just beside your car window.
The roads curves through pine forests on both sides amidst the panorama of lush green hills, narrow waterfalls with crystal clear streams falling from the cliffs, bubbling springs, serene lakes, sprawling gardens with a majestic charm. The unwinding roads sometimes give a picturesque view of the curling roads downhill from where you came or will be going.
Nongpoh is the mid-point of the journey from Guwahati where you can take a quick break to prepare yourself for the frenzy ahead, when you will never again want to rest for a moment. When modern day vehicles were absent, it used to be a halting station for the night for the backpack riders.
This place has a unique flavor of its own with a variety of colourful birds chirping all around, orchids of all hue and some juicy fresh ripe fruits. And then slowly through idyllic drive up hill slowly when you start feeling a nip in the air and the colours of nature starting to change you are entering the dreamland with rows of pine trees on both sides welcoming you.
The first to take you sight away is a placid lake nestled beneath the low hills at Barapani. The blue skies with clouds painted on it and the rays of the sun playing hide and seek spread their golden jewels in the mingling waters. You can just laze for hours without even realizing that you have already spent hours just watching the sun rays playing a light show in the waters. And as the car strains itself up the final climb, you are soon in to the place where your mind will never long to leave and have a feeling of romancing with nature.
Once you enter this place it paints its own canvas, views that you will always linger in your silent thoughts and all so perfectly painted with waterfalls falling from peaks covered by by pine trees, lakes and parks surrounded by gardens and a pleasant weather. An idyllic Wards lake where you can feed the fish from an arched bridge over the crystal sparkling waters illuminated with golden rays of the sun and the sweet sound of some unknown bird filling the air.
The brightly lit valley looks all the more beautiful from a panoramic view from the Shillong peak (lum shyllong) the highest point of Shillong at an altitude of about 1965 mtrs. Trekking in these lush green hills can also be quite an experience with waterfall almost at every step, colourful orchids glowing in beauty all over, it will be an adventure to cherish.
Its scenic vista resembles a striking similarity to the Scottish highlands with an air of mist engulfing it most of the time. You can travel through clouds in the real sense on your journey to this heaven and sometimes you will truly be floating above the clouds.
A gasp of white clouds may suddenly engulf you and within the time you realize it, it is nowhere with only the golden sunrays glistening in the moisture all around. As you sit down trying to gauze the benevolence of nature in absolute beauty, suddenly a flock of hill mynahs may start chirping with your hindsight, when you start feeling like a part of them.
The people here carry on their work with a smile in their face always and it spreads to everywhere and even mundane jobs looks interesting and eye-catching with the colourful attire of the ladies draped in uniquely knitted shawls for most part of the time. And for some memorabilia’s of nice crafted wooden handicrafts and woolen garments, the ever-smiling ladies draped in colouful garments around Police Bazaar will welcome you with their heart.
If you are in for some more fun and activity then the annual harvest festivals (Wangala and Nongkrem Festival) during the onset of winters in October-November is your getaway for this five day festivals, where you can also shake your leg along with the tribals in colorful costumes dancing to the hypnotizing drum-beats.
Shillong is also the base point to go to Cherrapunjee (Mawsynram) the wettest spot on the earth where clouds and the sun play hide and seek with each other. You have to be a lucky soul to spot the waterfalls beneath the clouds, hidden in glory only unleasing itself to the prying eyes for whom time can wait for anything.
The clouds of Shillong will beckon you and rain your mind for your lifetime.
The first to take you sight away is a placid lake nestled beneath the low hills at Barapani. The blue skies with clouds painted on it and the rays of the sun playing hide and seek spread their golden jewels in the mingling waters. You can just laze for hours without even realizing that you have already spent hours just watching the sun rays playing a light show in the waters. And as the car strains itself up the final climb, you are soon in to the place where your mind will never long to leave and have a feeling of romancing with nature.
Once you enter this place it paints its own canvas, views that you will always linger in your silent thoughts and all so perfectly painted with waterfalls falling from peaks covered by by pine trees, lakes and parks surrounded by gardens and a pleasant weather. An idyllic Wards lake where you can feed the fish from an arched bridge over the crystal sparkling waters illuminated with golden rays of the sun and the sweet sound of some unknown bird filling the air.
The brightly lit valley looks all the more beautiful from a panoramic view from the Shillong peak (lum shyllong) the highest point of Shillong at an altitude of about 1965 mtrs. Trekking in these lush green hills can also be quite an experience with waterfall almost at every step, colourful orchids glowing in beauty all over, it will be an adventure to cherish.
Its scenic vista resembles a striking similarity to the Scottish highlands with an air of mist engulfing it most of the time. You can travel through clouds in the real sense on your journey to this heaven and sometimes you will truly be floating above the clouds.
A gasp of white clouds may suddenly engulf you and within the time you realize it, it is nowhere with only the golden sunrays glistening in the moisture all around. As you sit down trying to gauze the benevolence of nature in absolute beauty, suddenly a flock of hill mynahs may start chirping with your hindsight, when you start feeling like a part of them.
The people here carry on their work with a smile in their face always and it spreads to everywhere and even mundane jobs looks interesting and eye-catching with the colourful attire of the ladies draped in uniquely knitted shawls for most part of the time. And for some memorabilia’s of nice crafted wooden handicrafts and woolen garments, the ever-smiling ladies draped in colouful garments around Police Bazaar will welcome you with their heart.
If you are in for some more fun and activity then the annual harvest festivals (Wangala and Nongkrem Festival) during the onset of winters in October-November is your getaway for this five day festivals, where you can also shake your leg along with the tribals in colorful costumes dancing to the hypnotizing drum-beats.
Shillong is also the base point to go to Cherrapunjee (Mawsynram) the wettest spot on the earth where clouds and the sun play hide and seek with each other. You have to be a lucky soul to spot the waterfalls beneath the clouds, hidden in glory only unleasing itself to the prying eyes for whom time can wait for anything.
The clouds of Shillong will beckon you and rain your mind for your lifetime.
Travellers Info:
To visit Shillong, you have to fist come to Guwahati in Assam which is connected by rail, road or air from all major cities in India. Shillong is around 100 kms and a 3-4 hours drive from Guwahati and you can get shared as well as individual Taxi, Cabs and Jeeps directly from the Guwahati airport or railway station to Shillong.
Bus services are also available from ISBT Guwahati to Shillong everyday.
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