Truly , there is no way to put into words what a succour the north-eastern India is to all eyes saturated with sightings of concretization . Wilting under the extreme summer temperature in Kolkata , made worse by the humidity ; a trip to Assam , Meghalaya and Cherapunjee rejuvenated as nothing else could have .We kicked off our trip with a flight to Guwahati - that was the easy bit ... the difficult part lay in making way to our hotel through the narrow ,choc-a-bloc roads of Guwahati and this is after you have covered the 20 k.m. stretch which connects the L.G.B.I. Airport to the periphery of the city . One awesome treat as soon as you enter the city is seeing the bountiful Brahmaputra . The city is situated between the southern bank of the Brahmaputra and the foothills of the Shillong plateau . The big draw in Assam is of course the Kaziranga national park and the the temples , the primary among the later being the Kamakshya and the Navagraha temple . We had to give Kaziranga a miss on account of it being shut down due to the monsoon while at the Kamakshya temple - it was a test of our faith since our darshan happened after a five hour wait . The temple complex is huge , situated on the Nilachal hills at a distance of about 7 km from Guwahati . This ancient Shakti temple is an important seat of Tantric and Vajrayana Buddhism . The main temple has a bee-hive like' shikhara ' and surrounding the principal structure are various individual temples dedicated to the worship of the different forms of the Mother Goddess .
Srimanta Shankardev Kalashetra was next on our list . it is a multipurpose cultural complex which houses a central museum which showcases the various tribes of Assam along with their housing , clothing and culture . There is also an open air theatre , a library and an artists' village which replicates the village society of Assam .
If you are looking for places from where you can take back a piece of Assam with you , then Nedfi haat , Artfed , Pragjyotika and Purbashree in Ambari are places to visit . They showcase the states' produce wonderfully ; be it handicrafts , handloom or traditional food-items . Besides this Assam has it's fair share of bazaars too - Pan bazaar , Paltan bazaar and Fancy bazaaar , to name a few .
A visit to Guwahati is incomplete without a ride in the luxury cruise liners on the mighty Brahmaputra . The calm waters , the sunset and the twinkling lights of the city at some distance - aah , bliss .
So this is pretty much a wrap up of all our action in Guwahati ; though lots more can be done by way of shopping or darshan , for the so inclined , but hey ! we are aiming for the peaks . So Shillong- here we come ...
Driving down the 100 km stretch on the Shillong Guwahati road , with Assam to your one side and Meghalaya on the other , is a great visual treat .The roads are good and the traffic , fast moving . True to it's name 'Meghalaya' (abode of the clouds) , the rain Gods showered their benevolence on us as soon as we entered the state and gave us company through out our stay . Dodging in and out of the rain , as you visit one scenic spot after the other , is what i feel the Meghalaya experience should be like .The twisty , curvy hills paint one beautiful picture as terraced hills give way to deeply furred ravines where you are craning your neck to see the deep , deep pit .
Shillong , the capital of Meghalaya , is located at an altitude of 1496 metres above sea level in the hills of eastern sub-himalayas . It gets it's name from "lei shyllong " the super power of God , who is said to reside in the Shillong peak .This entire belt is rich with waterfalls , the prominent ones being Elephant falls , Sweet falls , Bishop falls , Beadon falls , Crinoline falls , to name a few ; and you are sure to find vehicles pulled on to the side of the G.S. road as travellers feast not only their eyes , but their stomachs as well , as enterprising locals sell tea , murri or the locally abounding pineapple (trust me when i say that it's sweetness is to be savoured to be believed )
One of the first things to strike you as you near Shillong is it's absolutely small , compact and doll-like houses . The in-roads to the main city are narrow and the colonial architecture is impressive ; that's putting it mildly .
For the shopaholics , the place to head to is Shillong's Police bazaar and Lewduh market . They abound with wares that are intrinsic to the state and the time i spent giving things a look-over was well spent .
The place however to which my mind goes back again and again is the Shillong Golf course . It enjoys the rare distinction of being one of the few natural golf courses and is also one of the largest in Asia . What adds to it's beauty is the fact that it is set in an undulating valley covered with Pine and Rhododendron
trees .
Situated in the heart of the city is the Wards Lake . It is an artificial lake with sprawling gardens and boating facility - so soothing to the eyes .
Nearby is the Lady Hydari park which is a charming tourist spot . It also houses a mini zoo .
If you are looking for a perfect window to the north-east , then Don Bosco Museum is the place for you .Spread over seven floors , it showcases the various ethnic groups of the north-east completely - their culture , dress , housing , occupation . . . each minute detail has been impeccably displayed and for additional information are the touchscreens installed nearby . What completed the experience is the skywalk they have on the terrace .
A beautiful and imposing facade is the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christian . We found it to be beautiful and soothing inside as well as outside.
At a distance of 10 km from Shillong is the Shillong peak . It is the highest point in the state and offers a breathtaking view of the scenic countryside and the Shillong city below . You can partake of some of the choicest and freshest fruits here , as they are hawked expertly by the farmers or pick up some handicrafts or handloom from the shops set around the peak .
Umiam lake or 'bara pani ' is about 17 km from Shillong and offers water sports like speed boating , sailing and water skiing .The state tourism has done a good job by opening an eatery and some pretty gardens at an elevation near the lake but there is scope for lots more .
The Ri kynjai resort at a distance of 27 km from Shillong , is the perfect setting for catching the beauty of the lake before sunrise and during sunset . The hills opposite the resort mesmerise you no less with the 'now twinkling and now gone ' traffic lights on it's roads at night .
It was with some what of a heavy heart that we set out for Cherapunjee , knowing that our idyllic holiday was on it's last legs . Previously known as ' Sohra ' , Cherapunjeee is set upon a plateau on the southern slopes of the state . At a distance of56 km from Shillong , the region is dotted with waterfalls cascading over deep gorges . It is famous for it's limestone caves and orange honey .
The Rama Krishna mission , we visited while on our way to Cherapunjee and is a repository of information on the seven states .
I am glad we visited just two of the seven sister states , three fold of our present joy would have made it too much of a sacharine affair . However the other five beckon , and go we will - Godwilling sooner than later .
