As I write this review and invite you to visit my hometown, I was wondering what would make you visit it in the first place.... what with Shillong being in a far flung place, the north-east of India, with so much of disturbances, infiltration and terrorism and extortion all around.. but I guess you would know north-east as a troubled place more because that is what is portrayed by the media to you.. now I’m not blaming the media here, I’m a journalist’s daughter.. they do their job and get what rightfully should be known to you.
Okay, so here is why I say you should visit my beautiful Shillong:
Affordable holiday for you, including your family. Most of the other hill stations are more commercial nowadays.. everything is offered to you in a platter.. but not in Shillong.. it is still virgin beauty with not too many hawkers offering to take you for a ride alongwith all your cash! You dont have to spend much and for a good sum of money, you can afford a good stay for a week or two here.
Connections by air, road and rail are available at a distance of 101kms in Guwahati from anywhere in India. Let me see, if you come from mumbai, a one way air ticket would cost you Rs.8, 000 with a connecting flight from Kolkatta to Guwahati and then a bus or taxi from there to Shillong would come anywhere in the range of Rs.100 to Rs.1200 depending on factors such as AC or non-ac etc. From Delhi, its around Rs. 6000 one way by air and is a direct flight to Guwahati. Trains cost you anywhere between Rs.1500 to Rs.3000, I’m not aware of this much but then the Indian railway site is always there to check out fares to Guwahati.
Allright, hope I have convinced you about the convenience of travelling to Shillong. Now lets see what it offers:
My favorite market has always been Police Bazar. Located in the heart of the city, you’ll probably land up here in the first place while coming by taxi since most of the hotels are also located here. A bus would initially take you to Polo Ground from where you need to hail a cab to Police Bazar.
Dont miss ’’Delhi Mistan Bhandar’s’’ jelabis! They are the best in town and tourists make it a point to have some of this relishing sweet dish.. he’ll make them in front of you HOT!
Then there is ’’Glory’s Plaza’’ which is more commonly known as the Bhutia market, dominated by the Bhutanese immigrants who by now are more of locals what with so many years spent selling their wares here. Beautiful clothes which you will not find anywhere else adorn their stores.. a true oriental touch to each one of them. Of course, with time now commercial tshirts and jeans etc have found their way into the bhutia stores but still worth buying from.
The local people in Shillong are the Khasis. Very nice, innocent people who perhaps maintain the only matriarchal society in India. (I think there is one more in Kerela). So the guys go to the girl’s house after marriage and the children take the Mums title! I remember one of my Khasi friends: Firstway Given (Oh yes! thats a name! and you’ll find many more like these in this catholic/christian majority area) who told me that he would cry during his marriage since he would have to leave his parents! He’s a good fellow with a IT masters degree under his belt now and also a good singer and musician.
That reminds me, Shillong is music! western music at that.. I have grown up with the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, Rolling Stones and they are all music to my ears. Every second house has a rock band.
Now Police Bazar and Bara Bazar are women dominated markets ( as I mentioned since it is a matriarchal society). Superwomen in Shillong maintain shop, home and babies alltogher.. it’s a common site to see a ’’Kong’’ (lady) selling fish in Bara Bazar with her baby tied to her back in a knapsack!
Our first Indian on the moon, Rakesh Sharma, inaugurated Shillong Peak Viewpoint located in Upper Shillong which gives you a bird’s eye view of the entire Shillong. I remember locating familiar buildings from up there and even the way to my house! Its that near and still covers the entire heart of the city.. its within Airforce jurisdiction though but that doesnt matter.. you just need permission or a pass at the gate..
Then there’s Elephanta Falls where one of Salman Khan;s movie song was shot. Here I again remember my school friend Shemin who had clicked a photo with him there and the studio guy had blown it up and put it up for show in his studio for everyone to see which had really embarassed her!
Then there’s the biggest and most beautiful cathedral in the north-east.. the Don Bosco church next to my school, Loreto Convent, which if open to the public would definitely be another very beautiful tourist spot!
The present Pope has visited and my father had an opportunity to kiss his ring after which he felt really blessed!
Now if you want to hang out with the hep crowd in town, its either Police Bazar or Laitumukrah where all the colleges are situated. Now I;ve travelled almost the entire breadth and width of India, but no where have I seen a better dressing sense then the girls and guys in Shillong.. I sometimes wonder where do they get such lovely outfits.. even Mumbai comes second here!
Whew! I’ve been typing and typing and writing and writing but still cant let you have enough of my Shillong!
Ok, another favorite tourist destination is Wards lake which is at walking distance from Police Bazar.. thats the photograph Mouthshut has of shillong in this profile.. and a boat from the lake in it.
Now about the food.... local beer is called ’’kakiyat’’ and food which is a mixture of rice, pork and at times beef is called ’’jadoh’’.
Dont forget to have ’’momos’’ which are stuffed modaks of chicken of pork. Now for those of you who do not know modaks, its a Maharashtrian sweetdish with a covering made of atta/maida. Now Momo is the hot version of a modak with a stuffing of chicken or pork which is also steamed in a special vessel for this purpose. I have that vessel but have yet to make momos again after my marriage (my husband is apparently very upset about this!)
Allright, now I shall get back to work but in case I remember more, I’ll come back and edit this review. Till then, if any one would have any queries on Shillong, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back asap.
Welcome to the Scotland of the East!
I’d like to take this opportunity to Thank everyone reading this review and liking it! This is the first good looong review that I wrote with some time out of my otherwise busy schedule.. Thanks again!