Cherrapunji - Home of the Clouds
Among the misty valleys and the milky waterfalls, lies Cherrapunji that is situated about 4,500 feet. A stunning location in the magical plateau of Meghalaya, Cherrapunji is welcomed by rain throughout the year and was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the wettest place on earth with a record of 10,871 millimetres. Meghalaya deserves to be called the €Abode of Clouds'. Due to the climatic changes, however, Cherrapunji is out of the topmost list, but it stills boasts of its pristine beauty, its unusual landscape, the continual mists and the clouds€¦ The title is now snatched by a place barely 10 kms away from Cherrapunji by a place named Mawsynram with a record of 12,163 millimeters of rainfall.
Perhaps Cherrapunji is the only place in India which has just one season: the monsoon. The rainfall varies from light to medium to heavy. It's surprising that it always rains at night; however the day-to-day activities are not really affected by the rains. The awesome sounds that the heavy rains make on the rooftops, cannot be found anywhere but in the north-eastern states.
With time, Cherrapunji has changed in its pattern of rainfall. During the months from May-September, Cherrapunji has its heaviest downpours. The dark and menacing clouds cascade towards the earth with force. The aftereffect is just marvellous. Surprisingly, in spite of the heavy rains, it also receives a good amount of warm sunshine. As the cloud drifts away, you also get a spectacular view of Bangladesh.
Cherrapunji turns into a sea of tiny rivers. The sky turns into its peak blue and that fresh and clean feeling is just incomparable. You usually see a rainbow over the valleys after a heavy shower that is a photographer's delight. The valleys turn into a misty orange with the touch of the sunset.
The home of the energetic Khasi clan, Cherrapunji's highest rainfall is not only its claim to fame. It is also blessed with the fourth highest waterfall in India which is called the Mawsmai falls at a cascading height of 1,035 ft. and is located just a few kilometres beyond Cherrapunji.
Fascinating maze of underground passages lie beneath the age old caves, that attracts a lot of explorers. Elsewhere, there are numerous number of Khasi monoliths (sacred standing stones in memory of their ancestors); an amorphous reminder of the forests of Bastar.
Cherrapunji is also famous for orchids and it also produces the best oranges and pineapples. In fact, the oranges are the ancestors of the famous Nagpuri oranges in Central India. A visit to this nature-oriented place won't disappoint you. This beauty can be explored any time of the year. Every season has its own beauty.
Perhaps Cherrapunji is the only place in India which has just one season: the monsoon. The rainfall varies from light to medium to heavy. It's surprising that it always rains at night; however the day-to-day activities are not really affected by the rains. The awesome sounds that the heavy rains make on the rooftops, cannot be found anywhere but in the north-eastern states.
With time, Cherrapunji has changed in its pattern of rainfall. During the months from May-September, Cherrapunji has its heaviest downpours. The dark and menacing clouds cascade towards the earth with force. The aftereffect is just marvellous. Surprisingly, in spite of the heavy rains, it also receives a good amount of warm sunshine. As the cloud drifts away, you also get a spectacular view of Bangladesh.
Cherrapunji turns into a sea of tiny rivers. The sky turns into its peak blue and that fresh and clean feeling is just incomparable. You usually see a rainbow over the valleys after a heavy shower that is a photographer's delight. The valleys turn into a misty orange with the touch of the sunset.
The home of the energetic Khasi clan, Cherrapunji's highest rainfall is not only its claim to fame. It is also blessed with the fourth highest waterfall in India which is called the Mawsmai falls at a cascading height of 1,035 ft. and is located just a few kilometres beyond Cherrapunji.
Fascinating maze of underground passages lie beneath the age old caves, that attracts a lot of explorers. Elsewhere, there are numerous number of Khasi monoliths (sacred standing stones in memory of their ancestors); an amorphous reminder of the forests of Bastar.
Cherrapunji is also famous for orchids and it also produces the best oranges and pineapples. In fact, the oranges are the ancestors of the famous Nagpuri oranges in Central India. A visit to this nature-oriented place won't disappoint you. This beauty can be explored any time of the year. Every season has its own beauty.
