Shillong, “The Scotland of the East” is situated in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya and serves as the capital of the state. It is as well the District headquarters of East Khasi Hills District and lies on the eastern part of the state in the Khasi Hills. The presence of many well reputed educational institutions, many of them established by various missionary groups make this hill town a centre for education for the entire north-east. Matriarchal society can be witnessed in the city and Christianity is the religion practiced in the state. The city derives its name from "Leishyllong", the Superpower or God who is believed to reside on the Shillong Peak overlooking the City. Nestled in the cradle of the tall pine conifers and pineapple shrubs, Shillong's surging terrain has attracted both domestic as well as international tourists. The Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes add color to this Hill City. Geography and Climate Situated at an average altitude of 4,908 feet (1,496 m) above sea level, Shillong lies at 25.57°N 91.88°E. The city stretches for about 6 km on an elevated tract. It is situated on a plateau bound on the north by the Umiam gorge, on the northwest by the great mass of the Diengiei Hills that rise up to a height of 1,823 meters (6077 ft.) above sea level, and on the northeast by the hills of the Assam valley. The Umshyrpi and the Umkhra rivers, which finally merge and form the Umiam River, water it. The city is at distance of 104 km from Guwahati, 295 km from Kaziranga, 578 km from Siliguri and 658 km from Darjeeling. Shillong features subtropical highland climate and is dependent on vagaries of the monsoon. The monsoon season arrives in June and lasts until the end of August. The climate is hot and humid during summers but quite cold during winters. October and November and March and April are the best months to visit Shillong. Demographics As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Shillong in 2011 is 143,007; of which male and female are 70,028 and 72,979, respectively. Total literates in the city are 119,313 of which 59,420 are males while 59,893 are females and have an average literacy rate of 92.34 % of which male and female literacy was 94.46 % and 90.33 %, respectively. The sex ratio of the city is 1042 per 1000 males and the child sex ratio of girls is 937 per 1000 boys. The majority of the population constitutes of the Khasi tribe. However, there are population of all the other North East tribes as well as Bengali, Nepali, Assamese, Biharis and Marwaris making it a fairly cosmopolitan city. Christianity is the dominant religion in the city. A large section of the population follows the original Khasi religion named Niam Khasi and Niamtre, besides other religions. History of Shillong Shillong was a small village until the year 1864, when it became the new civil station of the Khasi and Jaintia hills. The history of the city traces back to 1878, when a proclamation was issued constituting Shillong and its suburbs, including the villages of Mawkhar and Laban, into a station under the Bengal Municipal Act of 1876. Inclusion of the villages of Mawkhar and Laban within the Municipalty of Shillong was agreed by Hain Manik Syiem of Mylliem under the agreement of 15th November 1878. In 1874, on the formation of Assam as a Chief Commissioner’s Province, it was chosen as the capital of the new administration. In 1874, on the formation of Assam as a Chief Commissioner's Province, it was chosen as the headquarters of the new administration because of its convenient location between the Brahmaputra and Surma valleys and more so because the climate of this hill town, which was much cooler than the rest of India. An earthquake destroyed the city in 1897, necessitating its complete rebuilding. It remained as the capital of undivided Assam until the creation of the new state of Meghalaya on 21 January 1972, when Shillong became the capital of Meghalaya and Assam moved its capital to Dispur in Guwahati. Culture of Shillong The city offers a glimpses of the matriarchal society, in which the mother is head of family, youngest daughter owns all the property and mothers surname is passed on to children. The Khasi traditional female dress is rather elaborate with several pieces of cloth, giving the body a cylindrical shape. On ceremonial occasions, they wear a crown of silver or gold on the head. A spike or peak is fixed to the back of the crown, corresponding to the feathers worn by the men folk. Like the other tribes in the North-East, the Khasis also ferment rice-beer, and make spirit out of rice or millets by distillation. Use of rice-beer is a must for every ceremonial and religious occasion. Christianity being the dominant religion, Christmas and New Year Eve are celebrated in a grand manner. However, one of the most important festivals of the Khasis is Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, which is an annual thanksgiving dance held in Shillong in April and lasts for 3 days. Tourist Destinations in Shillong Surrounded by lush green hills, pine wood forest, gushing waterfalls and incredibly beautiful flowers, Shillong is one of the most beautiful hill stations of North-East India, which has over the years managed to attract travelers from various parts of the World. It has been one of the important tourist destinations of the North East. Away from the bustles of busy cities, Shillong is a popular place among the peace lovers and nature lovers. The city offers a number of places of tourist interest. Some of these are: Lady Hydari Park Spread Eagle Falls or Sati Falls Elephant Falls Beadon and Bishop Falls Shillong Peak Ward's Lake Cathedral Catholic Church Capt. Williamson Sangma State Museum Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures Golf Course Sweet Falls Motphran State Museum Crinoline Falls Transportation Shillong is well connected by roads with all major northeastern states. Two major National Highways pass through the city, namely National Highway 40, which connects to Guwahati and National Highway 44 connects to Tripura and Mizoram. Private bus operators as well as state transport buses from other states ply to and from Shillong daily. Taxi services are also available to destination like Guwahati, Agartala, Dimapur and other North Eastern towns and cities. Nearby places can be visited on foot; however, local taxis are available that can be hired for a tour of the city. Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport is the only airport that is mostly used for charted flights.
