As a student all of us has read that
Cherrapunji, located at an altitude level of 1484 meters (4869
ft) is the wettest place in the world.Since
then Cherrapunji was alive in my dreams.Travelling of Shillong is considered to
be incomplete without a visit of mystique Cherrapunji.There are plenty of places
to visit in between shillong and Cherrapunji, rich with fall off the mountains
in thunderous waterfalls, abundant with forests, natural caves, and a thriving
flora and fauna.
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| Cherrapunji-Abode in Clouds |
on earth and the home of indigenous tribes and exotic cultures.It was our third
day in Shillong and Cherrapunji was still to explore. I was very excited, keen to find
Cherrapunji of my dreams: hills, fern, orchid and low cloud. The sights and match
my imagination.
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| On way from Shillong to Cherrapunji |
We hired innova taxi for sightseeing
tour on this route. This journey from Shillong to Cherrapunji
was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life. We crossed the deep mist
of clouds, sunny clear sky and many more. Roads were quite good and wide. We
enjoyed full panroming view points and spots throughout the travel.
The flat lands dramatically start
becoming different as we get closer to Cherrapunjee. Initially you get to see
hills where rocks and stones are being mined and that landscape gives way to
thickly forested hills.
green valley)
First stop during Shillong-Cherrapunji
mid way a lush green valley.Waterfall and river can be
enjoyed by going down 500+downstairs. Mawkdok
Valley left me speechless with its beauty! This valley is charming and the
serenity surrounding this place will completely blow your mind.
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| Mawkdok Valley-Zip Lining |
Extremely green with the dense plantation
that stretches across the entire highway. When I reached here, the entire
valley was covered with clouds, making it heavenly to look at.
places to Zip-line in India. One can Zipline at a height of 500 Feet and enjoy
the Bird’s eye view of the valley.
steep rocky side and plunges hundreds of meters down to a gorge. The water
flowing through the falls is crystal clear.Situated right on the road side; it
is easily accessible and needs a short hike to reach the waterfall viewpoint.
Visitors can even go to the edge of the waterfall where one can see some safety
barriers in place to prevent accidents
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| Wah Kaba Fall |
it’s very windy everywhere. There is also a smaller waterfall on the way to the
much bigger Wah-kaba.The waterfall drops from a steep rocky side and plunges
hundreds of meters down to a gorge. This tiered fall is close to 170-190 m in
height. You will have a steep climb down the hill across uneven steps to reach
the waterfall.
needs a short hike to reach the waterfall viewpoint. Visitors can even go to
the edge of the waterfall where one can see some safety barriers in place to
prevent accidents.
two fairies in this Waterfall- one black and one white. Sometimes on a market
day, one will see these fairies at Sohra Market shopping like ordinary people
carrying basket to keep their belongings.
cannot recognize them but for those who can differentiate, they can easily
recognize them because they have no shadow of their own.
hypnotize the people coming in contact with them. In the past most of the young
men disappeared from home and returned after two to three month and it was
believed that they were married. A lot of people still believe the legend.
Arwah lumshynnora Caves : These caves left usyou spellbound. The cave has a
narrow entry and boasts of magical scenery inside, surrounded by the thick
forest, an absolute treat for adventure.The cave itself is significantly large,
but only a small part of it has been opened for tourists.
It is about 300 meters which takes 20
minutes to explore. It is very dark and creepy inside especially when crawling
through the narrow tunnels. There are many chambers and narrow passages in the
cave. There is also a stream flows inside the cave.
from the parking area, one is rugged trail and other is pleasant walk. It takes
around 15-20 minutes to reach the cave entrance.It is advisable to carry a
pocket torch as the lighting inside the cave is not sufficient.
sense of fear in the pitch dark recesses of the caves.
artificial lights are not in Caves, it is pitch dark and can be very scary,
even during the day. Even with lights on, it is a scary experience for each and
every Visitor.
4. Nohkalikai falls
you get to see the waterfall a bit closer. The water gushes fiercely to the
bottom creating a roar that is heard much before reaching the fall. We were
mesmerised by the far off villages that appeared like hamlets from a fairy tale. The colour of the water
flowing from the fall was something unique. It was bluish green,the view of
this falls is absolutely breathtaking, it is definitely one of the most
photogenic falls in India.
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| Nohkalikai Fall |
story goes something like this––Nohkalikai literally means ‘jump of Likai’. Once
upon a time, there was a woman named Likai who lived in a village called
Rangjyrteh. Upon the death of her husband, she had to ferry goods to Sylhet to
support her young daughter. The village people suggested her to remarry as the
child needed a father and so she did. But the stepfather turned out to be so
jealous of all the attention that his wife gave to her daughter that one day,
when Likai was out working, he chopped the daughter into pieces and cooked her
meat.
When Likai came back, she didn’t find her daughter and assumed
that she must be out with her father or neighbours. Likai was hungry and could
smell the aroma of freshly cooked meat coming from the kitchen. She ate a good
meal not knowing what it was.
severed remains of a child’s fingers in her house. She was overwhelmed by
anguish and couldn’t accept that she had feasted on her own daughter. She ran
out of the house and jumped into the falls. Nohkalikai literally means ‘jump of
Likai’.
highest waterfall in India, plunging down a height of 315 metres (1,033 ft)
over the top of limestone cliffs of the East Khasi Hills in Cherrapunji.The
falls are made up of many different falls and form a curtain of water falling
down steeply from a cliff.
Seven streams fall from a hill into the gorge offering grace to
the scented wild surrounding it. The sight and sound were captivating. The
falls is poem-like-fantasy and along with the silent hills that kiss the
seemingly low cloud offer an impacting picture. On way to this all there
are small tea stalls where you can also get boiled eggs,Maggie,pav bhaji,
pineapple, some snacks tea and mineral water.
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| Eco Park |
6. Eco park
government in the plateau, at a distance of 3 km from Cherrapunji Bus Stand which hosts
several hybrid and indigenous orchids in the Green House donated by Shillong
Agri-Horticultural Society.The Eco Park offers breathtaking view of distant
Sylhet Plains of neighbouring Bangladesh. The natural beauty from the edge of the Eco Park is truly
startling.
size park and also offers swing for adults.Situated near Seven Sister
Waterfalls, it is one of the popular and must visit places in Cherrapunji. It
has a small canteen,where tourists can get food stuffs (Thali food),tea snacks
bottled water,but most of times it remains crowdy.
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| Eco Park facing Planes of Bangladesh |
the Sun go down in the hill, the signal to return back.Thus ended one of our
best trip’s while we headed for Shillong. By the time we reached our hotel, we
were exhausted yet energized; we had breathed the untouched undiluted, glimpsed
the elegance and felt the frenzy of raw nature all together. Overall it was a really thrilling and mystique trip. This trip was a “Chasing Abode of Clouds from
Shillong to Cherrapunjee”.
and posted by Engr Maqbool Akram
