our 3 days in cherapunjee and a room with a view that no one could visit!!

From my previous posts about Meghalaya you all might know that this was our second visit, sorry for the absolutely irregular updates here, promise to be more regular going forward, Though this trip was more than 6 months ago I remember it like yesterday and this post is about our last two days in Sohra AKA Cherapunjee.

We had explored the town of Cherapunjee last time and this time we had actually planned something different which was to visit the Kongthong village as a day trip which I thought would be possible looking at the google maps but we were told just a day prior to the trip by our driver and guide that the roads there were in pretty bad shape and we would probably have an extremely long and tiring day with a very short stay there which was not really what I wanted with a 3 year old so we decided to call it off!! well we need a reason for a third visit dont we??!! The Kongthong is said to be a whistling village while its obviously as beautiful and scenic as the rest of Meghalaya, the most interesting part is its people who all have a unique name for themselves a whistle tune which their mother sets on their birth!!

So we decided to go all the way back near Shillong to the Laitlum canyons!! Well if you are visiting Meghalaya don't come back without seeing this!! The greenery here is like food for your nature hungry soul that's loitering around the bustling polluted city!! while its best to do this as a day trip from Shillong, it was not very difficult from Cherapunjee the roads were great and we left in good time and so had ample time hanging around there!! The Laitlum canyons are a view point very easily accessible by cars and are raising in popularity now so yes it can get pretty crowded but not as much as Dawki!! are you someone like me who cant walk much, are not very adventurous but yet are craving for some unbelievable views this one is for you, are you adventurous? up for some challenging hikes and want to escape the crowd? well the Laitlum has enough trails for you!!

Imagine grabbing a hot cob of corn or a steaming bowl of maggi and sitting down to this view and just taking it all in for as long as you want to!! sigh!! take me back there now!! The entry for this place is free and the views are different during different seasons, While this is what we found on a December, The monsoon months would reward you with all shades of green and you would have to walk and see through clouds during the pre and post monsoon seasons!!

Just us having the time of our lives there!!

once done we were back to Cherapunjee and visited the lesser known Lyngsikar water falls about which I have already blogged, check related posts and yes we had the most humble and simple cottage to stay in but with the most unreal view!! I would say the best in my life!! This room came with the view of a waterfall which was shut for the general public owing to some disputes between two local communities. But we are not complaining, I mean views like this!!!

View of the Dainthlen falls from our room!!

on our last morning in Cherapunjee it was time for us to bid goodbye to this wonderful view and home we had for 3 days and move on to the bustling town of Guwahati!! enroute we decided to visit one last spot for our vacation which was the Mawphlang sacred forest!! While home to a number of hiking trails like the David scott trail which was shut when we went, the forest was open to visitors with just a short 30 min forest walk!! if you have a child or a toddler who loves to run around the open meadows right outside the forest are a bliss!! This forest holds the very soul of the Khasi tribe and is witness to the ancient traditions and cultures which they still follow and have been practicing for more than a 1000 years. While its believed that the visitors are not allowed to take anything home from the forests, by anything they mean literally not even a dry twig or leaf stuck in your outfit and so dont even imagine plucking a leaf or a fruit or flower you find there!! well its believed if you do take it home you would be cursed for generations!!

Is it really true? well who knows I did not bring anything home and even if its really not true its a good way to stop people with zero civic sense from plucking leaves and flowers of the forest vegetation. At the entrance of the forest you would be greeted by these fairly big monoliths reminding you of stone henge in UK. The vertical Monoliths are considered Masculine and the horizontal ones are feminine and the members of the Khasi tribe before entering the forest are supposed to pay their respects to these monoliths and then enter for conducting any sacred rituals. While the rituals are conducted if they spot a leopard in the forest it means the forest deity is happy and satisfied with the ritual while if they see a snake it means the forest deity is unhappy and certain remedial measures are taken.

December was not really the season for anything to grow, we just found these Mushrooms and Rudraksh (which is also sold there for those who want to purchase it) but the forest was one of the most unforgettable spots we visited and a reminder about the divinity that lies with mother nature!! so to go or Skip, go 100%!!

oh yes and we got the sweetest surprise from our local partners there, a local meal turned into a picnic!! made my day!!

It was a very interesting take on devotion which happens in our very own country and seriously it never ceases to amaze me how much of a myriad history and culture we have, while we in the cities are fighting over religion and places of worship a tribe here literally just worships the forest for whatever it has to offer and has been sincere and devoted to it for over a 1000 years now. while they do allow tourists in for a fee and also make a living out of it, they still allow only limited access to the public and have ensured that they protect the sanctity of the forest.