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Originally Posted by vnabhi Nice pics, Ravvs. It is nice to see the Junior Advocate surfing!
Keep them coming! |
Thanks Venu saab. The little fellow was not surfing, he was playing Monopoly that is loaded on Nazims lappie.
BTW, when does your DC to DC journey end - when do you touch down in Hyd?
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Originally Posted by J.Ravi Excellent travelogue and breathtaking photographs. |
Thanks Ravi, posting our experiences here has been as much a pleasure as the trip itself.
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Originally Posted by pulsar56 Monoliths:
These kind of monoliths are found throughout the length & breadth of Khasi Hills.
The local monoliths are erected in honour of heroes who died in battles and in remembrance of clan members. The vertical stones commemorate male members of the tribe, whereas the flat horizontal ones represent the womenfolk.
Nartiang (in Jaintia Hills) has the tallest monolith (27 feet) in Meghalaya.
View from the hotel room - New year's eve! |
I wonder if there is any symbolism (other than the very obvious) - erect vs. horizontal .........
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On our first morning in Shillong - we trooped downstairs and demolished the breakfast buffet. Then we attacked the India Tourism office and picked the brains of the poor girl there asking her about things to do and see in Shilloing (we did learn that she was going to spend new years eve with her parents. Just for the record, it was not I who asked). We then proceeded to literally ransack the tourism office for brochures, guides and posters.
Thanks to the helpful girl in the tourism office, we identified the Elephant falls and Sohra, Cherrapunjee etc. as the best things to do on that day so, we shot off towards Elephant falls which are a short distance outside Shillong (just past the Air Force Station) on the road to Cherrapunjee.
The elephant falls are divided into three parts (if I am not mistaken) and the upper and middle falls are nice but not really special. The lowest part of the falls which one gets to via a narrow path, bridge and staircase are truly wonderful.
The lower falls are not spectacular or gushing or loud. They are instead blessed with a tranquility, a sedate pace and very unusual for water falls - a soothing and calming effect. The setting of course is spectacularly beautiful. Verdant hillsides covered in varying hues of green. Moss covered rocks, the water coming down in half a dozen streams over the rocks and plunging into a pool that has water plants and fish in it. Birds popping in to fish/quench their thirst or just to gaze at the wonderful sight that the waterfalls provide.
Thankfully tourists (especially the noisy variety) were few and far between at the lower falls and we got many quiet moments there take in the gentle beauty of the place. Of course this also meant that we could take some pictures.
Though we would have loved to while away some more time at the Elephant falls, the more famous Cherrapunjee and Sohra (for those who are more 'with it') beckoned and we dragged ourselves out onto the road to Cherrapunjee.
That is one lovely road, not very steep but full of curves and turns. That is one road that made me wish we had taken the GTX instead of 'Le Tank'. With a wistful sigh, I imagined that I was in the GTX and threw the Laura into the curves only to have Arun and Nazim protest from the rear seats (the little chap got to sit in the front as a special treat, since it was a short trip). I quickly adjusted my driving to 'cruise' mode which suits the Laura much better and thereby mollified the back benchers.
Frankly, Sohra and Cherrapunjee have nothing going for them except the 2 line reference in school-books and the "I have been there" factor. I was quite disappointed and regretting not having spent more time at the Elephant falls, when Arun, perhaps sensing this, mentions that there are some interesting caves in the vicinity - aah good!
We therefore take directions down from the nearest tourist info board and set off for the Mawsmai Caves. It is with interest that I learn that the caves are in the middle of a sacred forest. There is no mention of the caves being shrines etc. I guess the Khasis have their fundas right, took a holistic view of things and declared that the whole of the area is sacred and therefore to be kept scrupulusly pure (and clean). This is much better than a cave that has been declared a holy temple and thereafter destroyed by smelly unguents, lamps and offerings (bio-degradable).
The set-up at the caves is very orderly, there is a clearly defined path leading to the entrance. The caves are 'one way' and one comes out at the other end.
The first few chambers are merely interesting. The farther one goes, the more beautiful it gets.
One finds more and more intricate galleries, delicate formations on the roof and walls as one proceeds. A few of the middle chambers have stalactites that sparkle, a few are phosphorescent and others sparkle from crystalline structures that catch the light and reflect it - much in the manner of diamonds.
A few narrow passages add to the adventure and a few would be really forbidding for anyone suffering from claustrophobia.
Above and below: Nazim and the lil chap posing in front of one of the narrow passages
Right at the end is a tall chamber with the walls in a yellow-white. The ceiling here soars up into the darkness. The texture of the walls, the manner in which they converge and their colour reminds one of lace. The shape of the chamber makes one think he is in a steeple.
Little man at the foot of that towering chamber Looking up!
The highlight of the caves for us was Arun's discovery. He noted that one particular formation of stalactite/stalagmite was in the shape of Buddha's head, complete with nose, mouth, eyes, matted hair surmounted by a crown.
Above and below: The head of Buddha Used a flash for this one: Taken without a flash:
We stepped out of the gloom inside into the gloom outside. It was already dusk and we decided to eat at a hotel right next to the scary wooden bridge. The food was sumptuous (including the oversized chicken) and we ate heartily before we set off for Shillong.
On the way we caught sight of a hill side on fire and it was a magnificient sight. I do not think we got any shots of it though.
Cheers,