Meghalaya – means the kingdom of clouds. This region is always covered with clouds. There was not a single moment here, when we did not see a single cloud in the sky.
Although it was not the rainy season, but you always get to see this sight in Meghalaya. Talking about tourism, Meghalaya is considered to be the most organized state of North East India.
Meghalaya tourism brochures are available almost everywhere. The taxi drivers and local people here have become used to these tourists coming and going. My first day in Shillong, I just wandered around this small hill town and visited some of the famous tourist places there.
Famous Tourist Places of Shillong – Major Tourist Attractions
Don Bosco Museum
The Don Bosco Museum in Shillong is a must-see place for everyone visiting this hill town. This museum is quite new and was inaugurated only in 2010.
Of all the museums I have visited in India to date, this museum is one of the best managed. The items displayed here are well organized.
The lighting scheme here is also very good, which adjusts to the movement of the visitors. This saves electricity on the one hand and the displayed items also do not have to constantly face artificial light.
In addition, there are touch screen kiosks in each of the display rooms, which provide you with ample information about the items on display.
Demonstration hall depicting tribes of North East India
There are about 17 exhibit rooms in this museum, which depict different tribes of North East India. Upon entering the museum,
the guides there lead you through the main auditorium to visit the different exhibition halls, which are scattered over the various floors of the building, half of which are located below the ground floor.
After visiting the entire museum, you can finally buy your favorite items from the museum’s sales room. Although I have only bought some of my favorite books from here,
I think these sellers can do even better business. If these items are properly priced, it can be a good way of collecting income for the state.
From the entrance of the museum to the reception, you have to pass through a long corridor. On both sides of this corridor stand huge statues of women and men of different tribes of North Eastern India dressed in their traditional attire, as if welcoming you.
The museum has special exhibit rooms on a wide range of subjects, such as pre-history, land and people, fishing, hunting, agricultural practices,
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traditional technology, musical instruments, clothing, traditional artifacts, weapons, religion, culture, jewellery, Display rooms of costumes, clothing, and paintings.
Exhibition halls of musical instruments, paintings and artifacts
I especially liked the performance halls of musical instruments, paintings and artworks here. Although all the exhibit rooms there were quite attractive and scenic,
they contained almost everything of daily life, such as various fishing and hunting equipment made from bamboo and cane. The musical instrument hall was beautifully decorated with traditional instruments of the region.
And the chambers of paintings and artworks were an excellent form of creativity. In some places, some paintings and artifacts were incorporated into one another so that they could have a great effect on the visitors.
For example, on one of the walls, there was a picture of a warrior, and real weapons were given in his hands. Similarly, there was a clay idol of her tribe dressed in war dress, which was engrossed in tying strings to her bow. For me it was all very interesting.
jewelry
Another thing that I found very attractive about this museum was the variety of ornaments made of silver and animal bones displayed here.
The wide variety of these ornaments and the distinct identity of each tribe reflected in them was truly a marvel. This opportunity to see and understand these objects up close was truly invaluable.
In addition, the various forms and shapes of tattooing, weaving of cloth and pottery were explained through pictures.
Skywalk at Don Bosco Museum, Shillong
The roof of the Don Bosco Museum is designed as a skywalk. From here you can have a beautiful view of the city that surrounds you and the hills that surround it.
Each of the colors contained in this picture-like scene complemented each other. Those blue skies, dense green trees and plants, colorful houses scattered here and there, and yellow roofs of buildings, were all gratifying each other.
There is also an auditorium, where some interesting videos related to the states of North East India are presented to the visitors and a song is played along with it,
through which a little bit about the famous and must-see places of Shillong. Information is given. I loved these videos and the purpose behind them was really cool.
Apart from this, some special videos showing various dance forms of the eight North-Eastern states of India were also being shown here.
Wards Lake, Shillong
We were overjoyed when we found out that our hotel is located near Vardas Lake. In the evening, this lake looks very beautiful and the view here is equally mesmerizing.
Early the next morning, we headed towards the lake with the intention of taking a walk on the stone trail along the lake and seeing the variety of lotus and lily flowers around.
But as soon as we reached there, we were stopped near the entrance and were told that this gate opens for visitors only after 9 o’clock.
Till then the entire complex is exclusively open to the locals, who come here regularly for morning walks. Most of whom are senior government and military officials.
We were a little disappointed to know this, but on later thought, I felt that it is actually true that such places should be the right of the local people first and then the tourists. The next day we got a good chance to see this beautiful lake.
The lake is surrounded by landscaped gardens, with the land fluctuating slightly at each step. Situated in the heart of the city, this place is perfect for a relaxing walk.
While roaming here, you can see the diverse and colorful types of flowers scattered in and around the lake. Apart from this, you can also enjoy boating here.
There is also a wooden bridge on which you can have a beautiful view of the lake while walking. The atmosphere and the views are such that they do not let you move forward without admiring yourself and you get lost in the wonders of nature.
Shillong Peak – the highest peak of Shillong
Shillong Peak is the highest peak of Shillong, about 10 km from the main city. It is situated on a hill at a distance of Rs.
From here you can have a panoramic view of the city of Shillong spread below the cover of clouds. There are such peaks in most of the hilly areas of India,
where there is a tower of the guard and from there you can take the pictures you want. The only difference is that, as Meghalaya is a city of clouds,
it is covered with clouds all the time, so you either have to wait for them to go away, or you can see the new vision created by them. Can captured on camera.
Elephant Falls of Shillong
To reach Elephant Falls, you have to go a little diversion from the road leading to Shillong Peak. These multilevel waterfalls were discovered by the British. It is said that when they were discovered, the rock on which these waterfalls were falling looked like the back of an elephant,
due to which they came to be called Elephant Falls. This rock broke during an earthquake but the name remained the same. The rock behind these waterfalls is black in color, on while the white water of the waterfall looks completely opposite. You can hear the sound of these waterfalls far away.
But you can’t see them without reaching right in front of them. Stairs built near these waterfalls take you to their bottom, which is about 150-200 feet down.
While descending, you can stop at each level of the waterfall to taste its beauty. While going down, there is not much difficulty, but while coming back up you do have some difficulty.
The day we visited Elephant Falls, there were a lot of people there, so there was nothing to be afraid of. But if you are alone here, then this place looks a bit deserted and scary.
Khasi tribes and their costumes
Shillong falls in the East Khasi Hills district, which is the birthplace of the Khasi tribe. In both these places, Shillong Peak and Elephant Falls, you can get yourself photographed wearing a special costume.
Their red and yellow clothes with a long circular cap decorated with plastic flowers and subtle silver ornaments look very beautiful. I too took a picture of myself in this beautiful dress.
Other places to visit in Shillong
Hydari Park and Zoo is another such place that is mostly found in the hilly areas. It is a park with a small zoo. If you are staying here for a while, this place is great for a relaxing walk.
Apart from this, there are many other things to see here, such as the Entomology Museum and the State Museum and Library which I have always wanted to visit.
These places were not present in the site overview list of taxi drivers here. On his list there were only a handful of tourist places in the city, where he would take you.
If asked to take them to any place other than these places, then their direct answer was that they had never heard of these places before and anyway if no one goes to those places then you are there.
Why do you want to go? In such a situation, I failed to convince my taxi driver and other drivers of his caste properly, due to which I could not see some places here and there.