Heading to the northeasternmost part of India, you will find one of the most beautiful hilly states ever to be tread upon by human feet. Meghalaya is a tiny hill state and a stunning treasure of the natural world, rich with lush and rainy mountain forests. It is well known for its gorgeous waterfalls and both natural and man-made bridges. This stunning small state is located in the northeast corner of India and is both matriarchal and matrilineal which essentially means all inheritance and ancestry are held in the hands of the women of the community.
(By फ़िलप्रो (Filpro), Wikimedia Commons)
Meghalaya is also one among the prized seven sister states of Northeast India, which also includes Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam, which Meghalaya was once a part of. These states are found in the northeast corner of the country and are surrounded on all sides by the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
(By Furfur, Wikimedia Commons)
While Meghalaya was once a part of Assam, it has since been granted its own autonomy and as of 1972, the state was deemed independent and within its borders stands the Khasi district, the Garo district, and the Jaintia Hills, which are divided based on the respective tribes that inhabit these districts.
(By RaviC, Wikimedia Commons)
Meghalaya also holds records as the wettest region of India, experiencing approximately a minimum of 470 inches of rain on an annual basis. Due to this heavy rainfall, as well as the fact that 70% of the state is covered in forests, Meghalaya stands as a relatively independent agricultural economy and deals in the trade of numerous crops. Despite being a smaller mountain state, it also has a great role to play in cross-country trade, such as that with Bangladesh, as it has around 730 miles of national highways running through it. Meghalaya is a hub of beauty, culture, nature, and tourism. We’ve collected 25 lovely pictures of all the incredible sights, hiking trails and wildlife that you can find in this must-see destination in India.
1. Sohra, a famous tourist attraction near the Mawsmai Caves of Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya, which holds a record for the most rain in a single calendar month.
(By Arkadeep Bhattacharya, Wikimedia Commons)
The sign at the entrance of Cherrapunjee, also known as Sohra
(By RMehra, Wikimedia Commons)
2. Ward's lake located in Shillong, Meghalaya, named after Sir William Ward
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
3. Laitmawsiang landscape, wrapped in fog
(By Rajesh Dutta, Wikimedia Commons)
4. Tea Plantation and farm on the way to the Capital City, Shillong
(By anas shaikh, Wikimedia Commons)
5. Here’s an aerial view of the stunning capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong
(By ChanduBandi, Wikimedia Commons)
6. A Farm in Kukon, Meghalaya
(By Sharada Prasad CS, Wikimedia Commons)
7. Mawphlang hydroelectric dam reservoir, which supplies electricity to the town of Shillong
(By ChanduBandi, Wikimedia Commons)
8. Traditional Khasi dress worn by the girls at the Shad Suk Mynsiem dance
(By Bogman, Wikimedia Commons)
9. The Dance of Meghalaya Mural
(By Homen Biswas, Wikimedia Commons)
10. A man sits by the Double-Decker Living root bridge in Nongriat village
(By Arshiya Urveeja Bose, Wikimedia Commons)
A closer view of the double-decker living root bridge in Nongriat village
(By Harikrishnan S, Wikimedia Commons)
11. One of the many limestone caves created by the heavy rains, perfect for caving adventures in Meghalaya
(By Sharada Prasad CS, Wikimedia Commons)
12. Shillong Bypass road, built through the surrounding mountains
(By Sandydessert, Wikimedia Commons)
13. One of the many drops within Elephanta Falls of Shillong, Meghalaya
(By Chitta.crb, Wikimedia Commons)
14. Krang Suri Waterfall in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
15. Umiam Lake, a reservoir north of Shillong, Meghalaya, India
(By Benoy, Wikimedia Commons)
Umiam Lake at sunset
(By Vikramjit Kakati, Wikimedia Commons)
Scenery near Shillong and Umiam Lake
(By sangeeta1975, Wikimedia Commons)
16. The many stunning drops of Nohkalikai Falls, with the main drop in the center, in Cherrapunjee
(By Kunal Dalui, Wikimedia Commons)
17. Wei Sawdong Waterfall, in Cherrapunjee
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
18. Laitlum Canyon, Shillong in the state of Meghalaya. In a literal sense, it means “The End of Hills” or “The End of The World”
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
19. A Road to Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya
(By Sumanjit100, Wikimedia Commons)
20. The limestone Caves of Jaintia Hills
(By Biospeleologist - F Simpson, GFDL, Wikimedia Commons)
21. Jhum cultivation, or cut-and-burn shift farming, in Nokrek Biosphere Reserve of Meghalaya
(By BMC Ecology, Wikimedia Commons)
22. A View from the mountain tops of Meghalaya
(By ঈশান জ্যোতি ব, Wikimedia Commons)
23. Camp Zingaro site at Bacardi NH7 Weekender, music festival, held in Meghalaya in 2018
(By Mitu Gogoi, Wikimedia Commons)
24. The traditional standing-stones, mawbynnah, near the village of Laitlynkot in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, Northeast India
(By Bogman, Wikimedia Commons)
25. Roadside view of Cherrapunji, a subdivisional town in the East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
26. Mawphlang Sacred Groves, Meghalaya, India
(By Khushboo Damani, Wikimedia Commons)
27. You can also get a lovely view of Bangladesh from Meghalaya
(By Ashwin Kumar, Wikimedia Commons)
28. The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Shillong, Meghalaya
(By Sankhaneelbaruah, Wikimedia Commons)
29. Dawki Bridge, a suspension bridge that stands over the Umngot river, in Dawki, Meghalaya, India
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
30. Umngot River
(By ANKAN, Wikimedia Commons)
31. Much like the double-decker bridge, there is the Living Root Tree Bridge, Meghalaya
(By Samratg59, Wikimedia Commons)
32. Black Lili Cobra Plant, a unique Flora found in the jungles of Meghalaya (India)
(By Harish Bhattad, Wikimedia Commons)
33. Grey Commodore-Bhagadatta austenia, found in Meghalaya
(By Vkchandrasekharanlic, Wikimedia Commons)
34. Hoolock gibbon, found in Meghalaya
(By Madhur Mangal, Wikimedia Commons)
35. Peacock pheasant, native to Meghalaya
(By Daniel Giraud Elliot, Wikimedia Commons)
