A Weekend in Shillong

While Assam is almost entirely plains (Brahmaputra River Valley), Meghalaya is almost entirely mountainous (Khasi Hills). Shillong is just around 100 km from Guwahati, and that’s where I headed for a short break.

Ascending the mountains was beautiful – the greenery contributed to the pleasant coolness (Chhaygaon and Guwahati are now getting warmer during the days). Special mention to Bara Pani just before Shillong. It is a vast expanse of lake which you can view from atop the mountain (picture below). The green-blue spread out in the valley below, glinting slightly golden in the sun – Wow!

Shillong itself is a lovely place. Beautiful like any hill station, but did not seem as commercialised as the other popular spots. The population in Meghalaya is mostly Christians, so on Sunday the entire place looked like a ghost town as EVERYone headed to church. Almost all shops remain closed on Sunday – the Khasi people take their rest very seriously!

Shillong has a distinct social and cultural structure. On the way our driver told us about the matriarchal society in Meghalaya. The woman is the head of the family here, and the children adopt the name of the mother’s family. Property and assets pass from the mother to the youngest daughter. And most often, it’s the women of the family which work longer and harder. The whole setup seems so different from what I have experienced so far, wish I could have had a chance to interact properly with a Khasi family.

I also visited IIM Shillong that evening. The campus in the main city is a temporary one, quite small, almost looks like someone’s house! But it is set in a very beautiful surrounding, and there is the amazing weather of course!

All in all, Shillong was a completely relaxed place, great for getting refreshed and rather perfect for a short lazy break!

Bara Pani, 20 km before Shillong