Meghalaya, one of the seven sister states of India (Northeast) is famous for gorgeous waterfalls, captivating caves, majestic mountains, sublime villages, and ancient root bridges. A paradise for nature lovers, also called as “The Abode of Clouds” as the sky remains seldom free of clouds here in Meghalaya. Let us have a look at 10 amazing facts of this beautiful state which many are unaware of:
1. Meghalaya was earlier part of Assam and became full-fledged Indian state on 21 January 1972 by compounding districts of Jaintia hills, Khasi and Garo. It shares its domestic border with only one Indian state, Assam. The capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong is the oldest existing state capital after Mumbai.
2. It is one of the 3 states in India after Nagaland & Mizoram, where 75% of the local population practices Christianity and remaining peruse Hinduism, Islam and other religions.
3. Meghalaya’s tribal families are majorly practising the matrilineal descent. In this type of society, women have a dominant role in society. Like the youngest daughter of the family called Ka Khadduh inherits all ancestral property. Here, after marriage, husbands live at the mother-in-law's home. The mother's surname is taken by children and when no daughters are born to a couple, they adopt a daughter and pass their rights to the property to her.
4. The natives have a unique way of protecting their houses from heavy rainfall through Living Root Bridges, which is a kind of tree shaping. The aerial roots of rubber or bamboo trees are merged with the betel nut tree trunks which form a horizontal path. As the years passed these roots grow and form the natural bridges.
5. Mawsynram, the wettest place in Meghalaya records the highest annual rainfall on earth of 11,817 mm.
6. Mawlynnong village, located in the east of Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, is the cleanest village in Asia.
7. Meghalaya has the second-lowest unemployment rate in India, after Gujarat, with 0.4% in rural areas and 2.8% in urban areas as per the record of 2011-12.
8. The Jaintia Hills has the longest canal which stretches up to 22 km and it then connects to two separate caves. The cave is completely dark from the inside and one has to crawl through the cave.
9. Shillong Golf Link is the 2nd largest natural golf course in Asia.
10. Breakfast can be served as early as 4 am in this region as the Khasis generally wake up early for work. Breakfast normally consists of black tea, boiled eggs and sometimes puri bhaji.
India is a vast country and a mystery to most. Those who live in it, those who now live outside of India or those who are just visiting. We, at NRIClub™, serve as a centralized hub of information for the residents, non-residents and travellers who are not familiar with various aspects of this great country. We are a unique, online portal providing all of the information to our users that could be relevant to them.
India is a vast country and a mystery to most. Those who live in it, those who now live outside of India or those who are just visiting. We, at NRIClub™, serve as a centralized hub of information for the residents, non-residents and travellers who are not familiar with various aspects of this great country.
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