The quaint hill town of Shillong

The quaint hill town of Shillong Shillong, Meghalaya, India Monday, May 25, 2009  06:18 Entry 1 of 1 | show all | print this entry Shillong, the capital of the state of Meghalaya, in North East India, has always evoked great nostalgia in me. I spent many happy summer holidays there, escaping the scorching heat of Kolkata. My first memories of the beautiful hill town were of an idyllic month spent in a rented cottage at the Shillong Club. The Club has cottages for tourists, surrounded by gaily colored flowers and lush green grass and pine trees. The tranquil green waters of Ward Lake, teeming with fat black and orange fish form a backdrop to the cottages. Ward Lake is set in the middle of the town, bordered by flowering shrubs, with swans floating by on the water. Visitors can hire paddleboats and roam around the lake. There is a greenhouse with plenty of exotic plants. A narrow wooden bridge stretches across the Lake. A great favorite with kids and adults alike is the Lady Hydari Park and Zoo. Surrounded by misty grey hills, the Park has beautiful landscaping, with a strong Chinese influence. Weeping willows cascade over a pond where ducks, pelicans and geese swim and dive for fish. Red water lilies float on another adjacent pond. There are flowers of every hue, pansies and poppies in the spring and hydrangeas and hibiscus in the summer. Visitors can sit in miniature pagodas and look out at the children's park, usually full of lively young boys and girls. The Zoo has many species of birds and animals, including the Himalayan black bear, eagles, owls, monkeys, deer and jackals. Shillong is a fascinating mixture of old and new, historical and modern. Traditional rice and tea stalls selling fried fish, vegetable and egg curries, rice, tea and sweets stand alongside modern cafes offering pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers and milkshakes. Rosy cheeked pretty Khasi tribal women carrying babies on their backs chew betel nut as they walk around the hilly roads. Purple morning glory flowers creep over the rocks of the hillsides. Breathtaking views of high hills sweeping down to the sunset hued waters of the spectacular Burrapani Lake are a feature of evenings in Shillong, with picturesque wooden cottages surrounded by cream colored lilies and crimson roses built in steps up and down the hillsides. Local handicrafts include painted wall hangings of dignified old matriarchs, beautiful handmade tribal necklaces of wooden and glass beads and painted ceramic, miniature Khasi household implements, woolen shawls and woven straw mats. The weather is always cool and becomes very cold in winter. It rains fairly often, but the sun also shines brightly, encouraging impromptu picnics. Police Bazaar is a large shopping area and has many hotels and restaurants. Local flowers and fruits such as strawberries are sold at small roadside stalls. Fashionably dressed young women walk briskly while the ubiquitous black and yellow taxis, both shared and reserved, form a steady stream of traffic. Shillong is comparatively large and covers a wide area, unlike other hill towns in North East India. Several call centers and IT companies have set up base in Shillong. There are many government offices in the town because it is the capital of Meghalaya. Business is booming and the town is vibrant and bustling during the day though night falls fast in the hills and shops generally down shutters by 8 p.m. in most areas. The relatively disturbed political scenario is symbolized by groups of khaki clad soldiers carrying guns walking around. There is militant and terrorist activity in North East India but Shillong is mainly untouched by the bombs that frequently rip through places like Guwahati, the capital of Assam. There are many well known schools and colleges in Shillong and each student proudly bears the uniform of their educational institution. Khasi is the regional language. Healthcare is effective in large private hospitals like Nazareth and Woodlands and free medical care is offered by government funded hospitals. Most people in Shillong are Christian and attend church regularly on Sundays. Beef and pork are sold at local stalls and in the large neighborhood markets. It is possible to live a good life on a relatively low income and housing rents are still much less than in the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. The sheer beauty of the sloping hilly terrain, the extensive forests and cascading waterfalls like the Elephant Falls can be seen on a trip up to Shillong Peak, the highest point overlooking Shillong which offers a splendid birds-eye view of the town. Photographers and nature lovers will delight in this beautiful town, and morning and evening walks up and down the hilly roads afford much pleasure. Stop for a cup of coffee at Flavours restaurant in Laitumkhrah and perhaps an American breakfast. Shillong has something for everyone and you will rediscover the peace of mind you may have lost in the stress of living a fast paced modern life. If you would like to find out more about North East India, you can visit the online bookstore at  www.chillibreeze.com and buy James Perry's Electronic Travel Guide titled "North East - India's Paradox Worth Visiting" priced at $25.

The quaint hill town of Shillong Shillong, Meghalaya, India Monday, May 25, 2009  06:18 Entry 1 of 1 | show all | print this entry Shillong, the capital of the state of Meghalaya, in North East India, has always evoked great nostalgia in me. I spent many happy summer holidays there, escaping the scorching heat of Kolkata. My first memories of the beautiful hill town were of an idyllic month spent in a rented cottage at the Shillong Club. The Club has cottages for tourists, surrounded by gaily colored flowers and lush green grass and pine trees. The tranquil green waters of Ward Lake, teeming with fat black and orange fish form a backdrop to the cottages. Ward Lake is set in the middle of the town, bordered by flowering shrubs, with swans floating by on the water. Visitors can hire paddleboats and roam around the lake. There is a greenhouse with plenty of exotic plants. A narrow wooden bridge stretches across the Lake. A great favorite with kids and adults alike is the Lady Hydari Park and Zoo. Surrounded by misty grey hills, the Park has beautiful landscaping, with a strong Chinese influence. Weeping willows cascade over a pond where ducks, pelicans and geese swim and dive for fish. Red water lilies float on another adjacent pond. There are flowers of every hue, pansies and poppies in the spring and hydrangeas and hibiscus in the summer. Visitors can sit in miniature pagodas and look out at the children's park, usually full of lively young boys and girls. The Zoo has many species of birds and animals, including the Himalayan black bear, eagles, owls, monkeys, deer and jackals. Shillong is a fascinating mixture of old and new, historical and modern. Traditional rice and tea stalls selling fried fish, vegetable and egg curries, rice, tea and sweets stand alongside modern cafes offering pizza, hotdogs, hamburgers and milkshakes. Rosy cheeked pretty Khasi tribal women carrying babies on their backs chew betel nut as they walk around the hilly roads. Purple morning glory flowers creep over the rocks of the hillsides. Breathtaking views of high hills sweeping down to the sunset hued waters of the spectacular Burrapani Lake are a feature of evenings in Shillong, with picturesque wooden cottages surrounded by cream colored lilies and crimson roses built in steps up and down the hillsides. Local handicrafts include painted wall hangings of dignified old matriarchs, beautiful handmade tribal necklaces of wooden and glass beads and painted ceramic, miniature Khasi household implements, woolen shawls and woven straw mats. The weather is always cool and becomes very cold in winter. It rains fairly often, but the sun also shines brightly, encouraging impromptu picnics. Police Bazaar is a large shopping area and has many hotels and restaurants. Local flowers and fruits such as strawberries are sold at small roadside stalls. Fashionably dressed young women walk briskly while the ubiquitous black and yellow taxis, both shared and reserved, form a steady stream of traffic. Shillong is comparatively large and covers a wide area, unlike other hill towns in North East India. Several call centers and IT companies have set up base in Shillong. There are many government offices in the town because it is the capital of Meghalaya. Business is booming and the town is vibrant and bustling during the day though night falls fast in the hills and shops generally down shutters by 8 p.m. in most areas. The relatively disturbed political scenario is symbolized by groups of khaki clad soldiers carrying guns walking around. There is militant and terrorist activity in North East India but Shillong is mainly untouched by the bombs that frequently rip through places like Guwahati, the capital of Assam. There are many well known schools and colleges in Shillong and each student proudly bears the uniform of their educational institution. Khasi is the regional language. Healthcare is effective in large private hospitals like Nazareth and Woodlands and free medical care is offered by government funded hospitals. Most people in Shillong are Christian and attend church regularly on Sundays. Beef and pork are sold at local stalls and in the large neighborhood markets. It is possible to live a good life on a relatively low income and housing rents are still much less than in the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. The sheer beauty of the sloping hilly terrain, the extensive forests and cascading waterfalls like the Elephant Falls can be seen on a trip up to Shillong Peak, the highest point overlooking Shillong which offers a splendid birds-eye view of the town. Photographers and nature lovers will delight in this beautiful town, and morning and evening walks up and down the hilly roads afford much pleasure. Stop for a cup of coffee at Flavours restaurant in Laitumkhrah and perhaps an American breakfast. Shillong has something for everyone and you will rediscover the peace of mind you may have lost in the stress of living a fast paced modern life. If you would like to find out more about North East India, you can visit the online bookstore at  www.chillibreeze.com and buy James Perry's Electronic Travel Guide titled "North East - India's Paradox Worth Visiting" priced at $25.