Shilling is a beautiful exotic city with rolling green hills, a placid blue glimmering lake with sandy shores, and the most pleasant climate, situated in the North East of India with an area of 10.36 sq km.
Shillong means, The Abode of Clouds". It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with a population of 143,229 according to the 2011 census.
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and lies in the eastern part of the state. Perched at a high altitude of 1,520 meters (4,990 feet) above sea level, the city stretches for about 6 km on an elevated tract. The city lies in the center of the plateau and is surrounded by hills, three of which are revered in Khasi tradition: Lum Sohpetbneng, Lum Diengiei, and Lum Shyllong on the northeast by the hills of the Assam valley. The Umshyrpi and the Umkhra Rivers finally join and form the gushing Umiam River.
History of Shillong and the Khasi People:
The history of Shillong is intriguing. The Khasi people come from the Austroasiatic tribes in Southeast Asia. According to Peter Wilhelm Schmidt, the Khasi people are related to the Mon-Khmer people of Southeast Asia. Multiple types of research indicate that the Austroasiatic populations in India are derived from migrations from Southeast Asia during the Holocene period. Many of the words are similar to other Austroasiatic languages such as Palaung and Khmer language.
According to one famous legend, Shillong got its name from the famous peak of this hill station “Shillong peak”. But another legend says that a boy named “Shyllong” took birth from a virgin mother in a village close to Shilling named Bisi. The locals say he was an incarnation of a Shillong deity. Therefore, this magnificent hill station got its name from this boy’s name.
Shillong was a small village until 1864 when it became the new civil station of the Khasi and Jaintia hills. It remained the summer capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam for many years. In 1874, on the formation of Assam as a Chief Commissioner’s region, it was chosen as the capital of the new administration. An earthquake destroyed the city in 1897, and thus it was completely rebuilt and in January 1972, Shillong became the capital of the newly formed state of Meghalaya.
Till 1864, Shillong was not a very big or well-developed place. Under one treaty after 1864, it was granted the title of the new civil station of both the hills – Khasi and Jaintia hills. This hill station was the core part of the former British regional state of Assam and continues to be the capital for a long time after Independence also. Shillong also remained for many years as the summer capital of Assam and Eastern Bengal.
Unfortunately, the beautiful city was completely destroyed because of a massive earthquake in 1897. After restoration, when the Meghalaya was declared as a separate state in January 1972, Shillong served as a capital city and since then, it is one of the wonderful capital cities of India. Some Fascinating Places In Shillong:
The Spread Eagle Falls or Sati Falls is located about a mile away from the Polo Ground. It is a famous picnic spot.
The Crinoline Falls is about 12–13 m in height and lies to the west of the Survey of India Office. There is a swimming pool at the base of the falls.
The Gunner’s Falls 1 is about 24–26 m in height and is near the military establishment on the Upper Shillong road. It is about 1.6 km from the GPO.
The Sweet Falls (also called “Weitden,” in the native dialect) is the most beautiful of all the waterfalls in Shillong. It lies about 5 km from the Happy Valley and is about 96 m in height.
The Elephant Gait and the Elephant Falls are located near Upper Shillong. These are beautiful sights, especially in the rainy season and are favorite picnic spots among the locals. Beyond the Elephant Falls, one can also view the Upper and Lower Elysium Falls.
The Beadon Falls lies about 2 km from Bara Bazaar. There is a hydroelectric powerhouse at the base of the falls. The Bishop Falls is also nearby and together they mingle and flow into the Umiam River.
Shillong is also famous for its churches. The most beautiful church is that of the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians. Directly below the hill is the Grotto Church. The All Saints Church opposite the State Central Library is an attractive structure made out of wood.
About 56 km from Shillong is Cherrapunji village (East Khasi Hills district), now called Sohra. Located on the Shillong plateau about 55 km southwest of Shillong, Cherrapunji and Mausynram (another village nearby) are reputed to be the wettest places in the world. The heavy rains here often swell the waters of the Nohsngithiang Waterfall. The town is famous for its limestone caves and orange honey. It has the oldest Presbyterian Church. Krem Mawmluh is a 4.5-km-long cave near Cherrapunji.
A little further down the road to limestone caves, there is a graveyard where British missionaries and their close relatives lie buried. The visitors are awed by a series of giant pillars or megaliths that have been erected near a stream. Such megaliths are to be seen in different parts of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills and are usually erected to commemorate great deeds or to honor dead chieftains. Accommodation is available at the Circuit House.
The summer capital of the Jaintia kings, Nartiang, is about 65 km east of Shillong. There is a park of megaliths, some of which are as high as 8 m. A 500-year-old temple of Durga is another attraction at Nartiang.
En route Nartiang, 64 km from Shillong, is the small lake of Thadlaskein. It is a beautiful picnic spot.
Cherrapunji with its magnificent waterfalls, Seven Sisters Falls, experiences the world's heaviest rainfalls known as heaven in the clouds, one of the most famous places to visit, located on the Shillong Plateau about 35 miles (55 km) southwest of Shillong. , Cherrapunji, India. Cherrapunji is noted for having one of the world's highest average annual rainfall levels, about 450 inches
The languages spoken are English, Hindi, Khasi, Garo, and Assamese and the main religion is Christianity. The beautiful state has heavy rainfalls and the best time to visit is between October–November, and March–April.
Events and Festivals :
The festivals vary according to the tribes. Christmas, Easter, Good Friday and the New Year Day celebrations are the most important. Ka Pomblang Nongkrem, or the Nongkrem dance, is one of the most important Khasi festivals. Shad Sukmynsiem is another important festival of the Khasis. Behdiengkhlam, the festival of the Jaintias, is celebrated in July. Wangala is the festival of the Garos and is dedicated to the Sun God.
Shopping
The main shopping areas are Police Bazaar, Bara Bazaar and Laitumukhrah. On Iewduh, the first day of the eight-day long Khasi week, people from all over eastern Meghalaya come to sell their products here. In the centre of Police Bazar, on the corner of Kacheri road, there are shops selling finely woven baskets of all sizes. For hand-woven shawls, handicrafts, orange flower honey and cane work, one can visit the various emporia like Meghalaya Handicrafts, Khadi Gramodyog and Purbashree.
Distance
The nearest airport and railhead is Guwahati in Assam. The Guwahati–Shillong Road connects the two cities. Pineapple plantations and pine trees on both sides line the road. There are buses every half an hour to Guwahati. Taxi services (Ph. 223895) are also available at cheap rates.
Shillong is at a distance of 104 km from Guwahati, 295 km from Kaziranga, 578 km from Siliguri, and 658 km from Darjeeling.
Do try to visit this enchanting place, Shillong!
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