Welcome to the “Abode of Cloud”, Meghalaya. Let me take you on a trip to the wettest place on earth…yes, you guessed it right…Cherrapunjee.
Cherrapunjee, locally and officially known as Sohra, is 56 kms from Shillong, and a “must see” destination for all tourists. Apart from being the record holder for the heaviest rainfall, it was the headquarters of the Khasi/Jaintia province during British rule, which was later, moved to Shillong in 1864, due to the inconvenience caused by excessive rain during the monsoon months.
The average rainfall is 12,000 mm a year and the record for a single day was 2455 mm recorded in 1974 confirming it as the “Wettest place on Earth”.
Let the pictures explain the journey and beauty of this place.
The journey from Shillong towards Cherrapjunjee is through the narrow, serpentine roads with valleys and gorges on either side. You can experience the splendid beauty of nature from a height of 1500 metres above the sea level.
As you drive, you see roaring waterfalls leaping into the deep gorges, including the famous Nohsngithiang falls, which is certainly an unforgettable visual treat.
For all adventure lovers, there are provisions for trekking on these deep gorges, and believe me, the experience is breathtaking.
You can also wash yourself or even take a bath in the clear fresh water to refresh yourself but be careful, the water is real chilly.
The trip cannot be over unless you explore the beautiful caves. Some of the caves are accessible and the walks through them are just amazing. You can also see stalactites formations in the caves.
There are numerous other enchanting and unexplored beauties in Cherrapunjee like the living root bridge, many waterfalls, a Meteorological Observatory, the Ramakrishna Mission Museum, First Presbyterian Church, David Scott Memorial, Thangkharang Park etc.
No matter how much I write or how many pictures I insert here, the real beauty of nature is to be felt and it is here in Cherrapunjee.
Kaushik Bijoy Sarma, Chennai
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