Meghalaya is a quaint state with so much mysticism all around, surrounded by hills, clouds playing hide & seek and covering the hill tops. I decided to do my maiden visit not only to Meghalaya but to the North East of India as I’ve never visited any of the seven sister states in that part of our country.

I make plans for my travels during Durga Puja one year in advance and last year after my return from Madhya Pradesh I decided Meghalaya it is to be in 2019. Doing all kinds of google searches on places to visit and stay I decided on Shillong, Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong. Made my flight bookings to Guwahati as I didn’t get a direct flight to Shillong and having taken my friend Tinat’s help on a good place to stay I booked Heritage Castle Hotel in Shillong. The hotel was far away from the city centre and that didn’t bother me a wee bit. My room, a suite was a good one and services were okay. Tinat said it was safe for a solo traveller. The food services were of bad quality as waiters made me wait for the food to arrive and to take the order. Anyway, I wrote a bad feedback on Trip Advisor. I hired a car and visited Loreto Shillong as being an ex student of Loreto House in Calcutta, I was looking forward to my visit. I visited a tea garden and did many street photography. Visited the Elephant Falls and did some shopping of stoles made by SHG’s of Meghalaya. I love promoting local handicraft items. Then moved on to visit Don Bosco Museum which is a museum of Indigenous cultures and covers the entire Life & Geography of North East India. Wonderful learning experience.

I had asked the driver that I was keen to have local Meghalaya cuisine and he took me to a tiny roadside dhaba which had one of the best local food. The lunch was sticky rice, fried green veggie, beef fry, beef curry and red chilli pickle with tea. The dhaba didn’t have much impressive appearance but the food had a mind boggling taste. I truly enjoyed my lunch. Told the driver that for the next couple of days that I was staying I would have local cuisine only. He smiled. That evening returned happy with lot of photo captured in my camera much on street photography. The next day visit was to Ward’s Lake where the Navy troops were performing some instrumental music and that was so soothing to the ears. Walked around the lake and enjoyed myself. Later I set out for Waterfalls and while going towards West Khasi hills I stopped by a roadside dhaba. While waiting for lunch purchased shrimp pickle which I loved so much when I had later. The next visit was the Waterfall in Amlarem and the waterfall was a spectacular one indeed! Loved all the Waterfalls I saw during my trip to Meghalaya. The mysticism was truly mind capturing and camera capturing.

My next destination was Cherrapunjee, a place that we have studied so much during childhood on getting the highest rainfall but now no longer. Mawsynram has surpassed Cherrapunjee. Nevertheless I think I should have spent more days in Cherrapunjee than Shillong. Shillong being a city is like any other city but true beauty is in Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong. I spent two nights and that wasn’t enough I truly felt.

I had a home stay and the location was away from the town but the maintenance was spic and span. Three rooms and the lady opened the home stay some seven months ago. I had home cooked food one day and a pork dish but was wee bit expensive I would say. The other meals I had it brought from a nearby restaurant and taste was okay. I mainly had Chinese.

The best part of Cherrapunjee are the Waterfalls namely Seven Sisters, Wei Sawdong. The view of the local church built during British times was truly spectacular. I did not go to the root bridge which is a trek and a tad bit difficult for me. So kept that for the next time. The visit to Sohra was also special with the mystic hills on both sides.

The last part of my trip was Mawlynnong which is the cleanest village in India. The village is truly quaint. I was in the heart of the village in a homestay. The warmth of the owners who are three sisters were great but the room that I stayed in had lot of disadvantage. No mirror in the room, no toilet tissue paper in the toilet, no linens provided in the bathroom etc. Due to the location of the homestay my walk to the Mawlynnong village was 10 mins, walk to the Living Root bridge was 15 mins and everything was at close proximity.

I enjoyed my 9 days trip thoroughly and promised to re visit Meghalaya for sure in the future

@Madhumita Bishnu