The wettest place on earth

I had lost my travel diary in Shillong. For a fresher blogger, who is just beginning to write about her experiences, this was a rookie mistake. I recall with fondness the points I wrote while our amiable driver was telling us about his native place in East Khasi hill district of Meghalaya.

Although Meghalaya is not an easy place to get lost in. It is small, largely uninhabited. Around three-fourth of the area is covered with forests. The roads wind through this scenic beauty which seem to be blessing for eyes of a delhi native. The guwuhati to shillong journey boasts of one of India’s best quality roads suprising for a region which is tucked away in one corner of the country. Another thing the region can boast about is its rich natural and cultural heritage.

The region receives most rainfall in a year in the world. Paradoxically, water availability, even for drinking purposes is insufficient. Most of the water just runs off the plateau region of Meghalaya causing havoc on downstream Assamese. However, it has helped in creating a unique biodiversity site. Many of the flora and fauna of region is a kind of its own. As a child, I always wanted to see the infamous carnivore plant, the pitcher plant and the only place it is found is in Meghalaya.

The (over)abundant rains have also led to plethora of caves in the region. The adventure-seeker I am, caves exploring was on a must-to-do list. Although some caves could be treacherous and risky. So adventure with logic and practicality might be better suited for the job.

This excellent natural architecture is preserved by the tribals who inhabit this region. They have held onto their heritage and developed it further in a way no policy or law could have made it happen. They have created eco-parks, celebrate festivals around nature, and evolved their own governing councils to take care of this unique culture. However, economic considerations seems to be taking a toll. Intensive agriculture, mining and even tourism are increasing and overabundance of that as well might just be too much for the fragile region.

The fragility could also be seen among the ethnic diversities of Meghalaya. The outflux of tribal students and youth is on rise while influx of labourers and blue collared workers from northern india is too on increasing trajectory. The multitude of houses displaying homestays boards might indicate a sense of desperation for secure means of living. Education and health has always been good enough for natives, and as demand outpaces opportunities, restlessness for a good future grows.

Another thing which is restless here are the tree roots. They grow and grow to such an extent to be developed into bridges. Double-storey, single-storey root bridges rise up the river as a gentle reminder of the tribals who inhabit these forests, using and respecting them in an admirable way.

Also, admiring are the sights of the clean villages here, the customs and traditions of khasis, the big churches of the region and the rolling topography of the region. Calling this region Scotland of the East might be an injustice to the peculiarity this place offers on its own. It is the region’s incomparable beauty both in nature and in people which settles in the heart. And that is the reason why this blog post could be written even when the diary was lost.