Famous State of Meghalaya in india

  By Dhananjai | September 4, 2012 | INDIAN CULTURE

History As the legend goes, there were originally 16 families, nine in heaven and seven on earth. The golden vine that connected them was severed when sin polluted the earth. From then onwards, the people were divided into 16 warring families with different chiefs. These families belonged to the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes. Today, they are the people of Meghalaya and this is their legendary beginning! And they do fight amongst themselves quite a bit! Tribal law prevailed until the British took over the administration in 1820 and allowed Christian missionaries into the area. Today, most people are Christians. Present day Meghalaya was incorporated into the state of Assam after the independence of India in 1947. On 21 January 1972, Meghalaya was made an independent state of the Indian Union.

Economy 85% of Meghalaya’s population is engaged in agriculture. Maize, rice and vegetables are grown here. Its major cash crops are oranges, potatoes, jute, cotton, areca nut, ginger, turmeric, betel leaf and black pepper. Pineapple, lemon, guava, jackfruit and bananas are its fruit products. Forest products include timber, bamboo, reed, cane, medicinal herbs and plants. It is rich in minerals like mica, coal, and gypsum and provides 95% of India’s total sillimanite produce.

Language The Garo, Jaintia and Khasi tribes who inhabit Meghalaya have a matrilineal society. That is, the inheritance goes to the women of the house. It also means that the men are married into the women’s families. They come to live in their wife’s home and the children bear the surnames of their mothers. The Garos are of Tibetan stock; Khasis are related to the Jaintias who, in turn, are related to the Shaan tribesmen of Myanmar. The Garos live in western Meghalaya, the Khasis in central Meghalaya, and the Jaintias in eastern Meghalaya. They are said to be one of the earliest ethnic group of settlers in the Indian sub-continent, belonging to the Proto Austroloid Monkhmer race. The Garo Hills is predominantly inhabited by the Garos, belonging to the Bodo family of the Tibeto-Burman race, said to have migrated from Tibet. The Garos prefer to call themselves as Achiks, and the land they inhabit as the Achik-land. The people of Meghalaya are cheerful, sociable and hardworking and have exemplary dignity of labour. Physically, they are short, muscular and robust with fair complexions. Predominantly Christian, their society is casteless. They are devout and practice their faith with fervour. On Sundays, the cities, towns and villages wear a festive look as hordes turn up in church in their Sunday best. There are three major languages spoken in Meghalaya – Khasi, Garo and Jaintia. English is spoken widely, especially in business circles.

Religion The people of Meghalaya are predominantly Christian. A relatively small section of Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists coexist. The state is free of religious tension and festivals of all communities are celebrated with much ado.

Food The cuisine of Meghalaya is mostly rice, dried fish and meat. The food is bland but is seasoned with hot fish chutney. One of the local favourites is “jadoh”, a dish prepared with pork and rice. With the food, people drink a lot of rice beer locally called `Kyat’. Alcohol features in the menu for everyday and on every festive occasion. They chew unripe betel nut with tobacco, betel leaf and lime; guaranteed to give a first timer a headache and vertigo!

Culture and Crafts Song, dance and rhythm permeate the souls of the people of Meghalaya. They are people who live their lives to the rhythm of nature and the beat of tribal drums. Today, the educated youth have almost said goodbye to their tribal lineage and the state is western in the way it dresses, sings and speaks. The Garo women are expert at weaving. The “Dakbanda”, a kind of saree, is decorated with woven designs. Other crafts of Meghalaya include intricate bamboo and cane work.

Tourist info centres

Directorate of Tourism Polo Road, Shillong – 793001 Tel: 0364-2222731/ 2224933

How to get there by Air The nearest major airport is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati (Assam), which is well connected by air with New Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai. A four-hour scenic drive up the hills will get you to Shillong from Guwahati airport. Rent a car and cab facilities are available from the airport. There are, however, no direct bus connections from Guwahati Airport to Shillong.

How to get there by Rail The nearest railhead is Guwahati (Assam), which is well connected to the rest of the country. There are train services from Calcutta, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum.

How to get there by Road Meghalaya is accessible by road from Assam at various points on the border between these two states. The National Highway 40 connects New Delhi and other major cities in India to Meghalaya. The roads are good and well frequented with traffic moving to and fro. However, do watch out for the heavy monsoon season which slows you down on the roads.

Getting around A good deal of investment has been made in connecting all towns and cities and most of the villages by road. For most parts, these roads are metalled but give way during the torrential rains (June to September). Private taxis and buses ply throughout the state linking important commercial areas, such as Shillong, Nongpoh, Tura, Dawki, Jowai, Nongstoin and Cherrapunjee. For internal transport, Shillong, the capital city, has a large fleet of yellow and black taxis, which are regularly available. Share Taxis also run on fixed point-to-point basis and charge a flat rate. The State Transport Corporation covers a few routes while the Shillong City Bus Syndicate runs regular bus service. Mini buses are also available with same fare structure.

Where to Stay in Meghalaya

There are plenty of good hotels and accommodation to choose from in the capital city, Shillong. Most of them are in the Police Bazaar area, the business centre. Severe water shortage is a perennial problem. You will get limited accommodation in the other cities and towns of Meghalaya.

Best Time to Visit Meghalaya

Visit Meghalaya any time of the year except the rainy season, which is June to September. This is, after all, one of the wettest places on earth!

Climate There are only two seasons in Meghalaya – winter and monsoon. Cherrapunji, one of its towns, gets an annual mean rainfall of 430 inches. Once it had 788 inches of rainfall! The monsoon season stretches from June right up to October. The temperatures in this hill state range between 10° and 30° Celsius, and even the months of April and May are pleasant. Its temperate weather, among other things, will delight you.

Things to do in Meghalaya

The North-Eastern state of Meghalaya, renowned for its nature and scenic beauty offers a traveller with several options on what to do in Meghalaya.One can take a trip to the picturesque city of Shillong and visit the lakes, waterfalls, churches, and parks. The Barapani Lake and the enchanting caves of Siju are worth a visit.
Shopping in Meghalaya is all about buying orange honey, and handmade shawls. Adventure enthusiasts will have a wonderful time in Meghalaya, as there are many things to do like angling, boating, caving, golfing, trekking, and various water sports.
Festivals in Meghalaya are a significant occasion to celebrate and make merry. The Nongkrem Dance, Wangala Dance, and Behdienkhlam are major festivals celebrated by the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes, respectively.