The minutes before touchdown at Umroi airport sets the tone for your Shillong sojourn. Undulating green hills with a patchwork of agricultural lands stretch beneath the aircraft and wispy clouds float over the verdant scenery. Your holiday in Meghalaya — the abode of clouds — is about to begin.
The lush Khasi hills Sugato Mukherjee
Suddenly in frame, is a triangular patch of turquoise blue shimmering far below on your left, subtly shifting colour and shape as the flight descends. That is Umiam Lake, a river dam 15km north of Shillong city. The Cherrapunji-Mawsynram region, one of the planet’s wettest zones, is within a couple of hours drive from Umiam Lake, and rain is your constant companion here.
A cottage in the hills
The cottages at Ri Kynjai reflect traditional Khasi-style architecture Courtesy: Ri Kynjai
Nestled in the emerald slopes of the Khasi Hills is hotel Ri Kynjai - Serenity by the Lake, perfectly perched at a vantage point for majestic views of the rain-swept canvas of Umiam Lake, ringed by woods of pine and deodar.
The architecture of this 45-acre boutique property is inspired by traditional Khasi thatched huts. The cottages, which stand on an elevated terrace on stilts, are a modern interpretation of the traditional upturned boat roof structure in metal and wood.
The red pinewood cottages are defined by understated luxury Courtesy: Ri Kynjai
The elegantly-designed red pinewood cottages are fitted with a fireplace, peppered with tribal weaves and bamboo knick-knacks and have a cosy attic. The architectural style allows diffused sunlight to stream through the roof. The best feature, however, is the roomy balcony that overlooks forested hills and the placid lake, lying just yonder.
An idyllic day in the hills
Lum Nehru Park Sugato Mukherjee
An idyllic morning starts with a leisurely stroll through the forested trail that winds its way down to the lake and a short drive to the nearby Lum Nehru Park. Green lawns, landscaped gardens full of flowering trees and shaded, cobbled walkways make the park an enticing spot for both locals and visitors. A charming cafe in the middle of this greenery is an ideal spot to have a cup of freshly brewed cup of coffee or Assam tea.
Boating on Ward’s Lake Sugato Mukherjee
About an hour away is Shillong, the state capital. With perennial traffic snarls and bottlenecks at its busy junctions, the city is a far cry from the serene haven that Tagore had immortalised in his Shesher Kobita, but still has some of its timeless charm. There's much to see in the city — an 18-hole golf link dating back to 1898, the flower-decked park around the pristine Ward’s Lake, locally known as Pollock Lake or Nan Polok. There is also the atmospheric Bara Bazaar, a traditional market run by local women and a brilliant testament to the matriarchal system prevalent in this part of the world.
The gothic, century-old Don Bosco Church that has been made earthquake-resistant by filling the rock trenches with sand, and the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, locally known as Don Bosco Museum, which provides an intimate glimpse into the rich and diverse cultures of the region are two other prime attractions for the culturally inclined traveller.
A day-trip itinerary
Elephant Falls was named after a giant rock at the base of the fall that looked like an elephant, but was destroyed in an earthquake in the late 1800s Sugato Mukherjee
Situated about 12km from Shillong is Elephant Falls, that cascades past two successive tiers of fern-covered rocks. Another half an hour's drive will take you to the Sacred Groves of Mawphlang. A primordial forest, this is where coronations and other regal ceremonies took place, where new chieftains were anointed. Marked with monoliths, the grove was also a sacred sacrificial site. The site was also hallowed ground in ancient Khasi belief system, forbidding visitors to take back anything from here — not a flower, not even a twig or a pebble.
Ri Kynjai - Serenity by the Lake is nestled along the slopes of a verdant hill overlooking Umiam Lake Courtesy: Ri Kynjai
And after this perfect day trip, the balcony at your cottage in Ri Kynjai is an ideal spot to unwind with a cuppa and a book. You could also spend a relaxed day here, looking out to Umiam Lake's changing hues throughout the day from a misty white to a mottled green to a translucent copper, while the clouds swirl and scurry on their way. And when they turn dark and hover low on the water slowly turning grey, you know it will rain, again.
Rains are a constant companion in Meghalaya and watching the clouds kiss the lake is an ideal end to the day Sugato Mukherjee
Travel details:
Ri Kynjai - Serenity by the Lake is about 9km from Shillong city centre. Room tariffs begin from about Rs 12,500; make reservations at rikynjai.com