Tourism in Meghalaya

  

With lush green landscapes, picturesque surroundings, white clouds and mists, the north eastern state of Meghalaya has been rightly called the ‘abode of clouds’. This Indian state is an incredibly beautiful tourist destination and over the years tourism in Meghalaya has proliferated immensely.

There are several national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and majestic waterfalls which enhance the beauty of the state. Meghalaya also offers adventure tourism in the form of mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking and hiking, caving and water sports. Discussed elaborately below are the prime activities and places that facilitate tourism in Meghalaya:

Cherrapunji: One of the wettest places on Earth, the town of Cherrapunji stands at an elevation of 1,484 m above the misty valleys and foaming rivers, sheltered in swirling clouds and perched on an escarpment. Most of the tourist attractions of Meghalaya are located here in this town, starting with waterfalls to caves and even national parks.

Some of the famous tourist spots in Cherrapunji are the Mawsmai Cave, Krem Mawmluh Cave, Nohkalikai Falls, double decker Living Root Bridge, Seven Sisters Falls, Dainthlen Falls, Krem Phyllut, Thangkharang Park, Eco Park, Kynrem Falls, Motrop or Khoh Ramhah, Dawki, Mawlynnong, Mawsmai Falls, Nongsawlia, Mawsynram, Khasi Monoliths and the Nokrek National Park.

Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya: Mostly common in the state of Meghalaya, the Living Root Bridges are handmade from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees and has a life span of up to 500 years. The Umshiang double decker Root Bridge of the Nongriat village is the most popular and is traversed by tourists frequently. There are three known examples of double bridges with two parallel or nearly parallel spans. Out of these, two are in the West Jaintia Hills near the villages of Padu and Nongbareh, and one is in Burma Village, in the East Khasi Hills.

Waterfalls of Meghalaya: The waterfalls of Meghalaya cascade down a great height into the steep mountains and are major tourist attractions. Nohkalikai, one of the tallest waterfalls in India is a major attraction in the state. Some of the other popular waterfalls in Meghalaya are the Elephant Falls, Shadthum Falls, Weinia Falls, Bishop Falls, Langshiang Falls and Sweet Falls.

Caves of Meghalaya: The state of Meghalaya is home to few of the longest cave passages in the country. It is seen that a large number of caves in Meghalaya are located in the low mountainous regions of the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts. Studies have revealed that out of the ten longest and deepest caves in India, the first nine are in Meghalaya. The Krem Liat Prah is the longest natural cave and Synrang Pamiang is the deepest.

National Parks of Meghalaya: There are many parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Meghalaya, some of them are Balpakram National Park, Nokrek National Park as well as the Nokrek Biosphere Elephant Reserve, Siju Bird Sanctuary, Baghmara Pitcher Plant Sanctuary and Nongkhyllem Sanctuary.

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Raaga, Indian Classical Music

  

Raaga is the most important concept in Indian classical music. Raaga has been derived from the Sanskrit Language word 'Ranja', standing for an element that delights and enthralls the mind. Raaga is a combination of notes illustrated by melodic movements. There are numerous types of Raagas, like - Multani, Jaunpuri, Gaud, Sorath, Maand and Pahadi, Ahiri, Gurjari, Asavari, including several others. Raaga utilizes the entire range of the octave, starting with Aroha and ending in Avaroha, where the singer culminates the recital.

Structure of Raaga
The various formations of scales become the basis of the Raaga. That is to say, the infinite permutations and combinations obtained by the arrangement of the seven Svars plus all the Srutis, provide the basis for the formation of innumerable tunes or melodies which are called the Raagas and Raaginis of Indian music.

Features of Raaga
There are certain essential features which characterize every Raaga. A Raaga must have at least five notes, and it cannot omit Sa and must also contain some form of ma or pa as well. A Raaga uses a certain selection of tones: ones that are omitted are termed "forbidden" and cannot be used without destroying the Raaga. There are many Raagas have strong tonal centers, called Vadi and Samvadi. For Gaur Sarang, for example, these are G and D respectively. Typically, these two notes are a fourth or a fifth apart. The Vadi-Samvadi does not substitute for the importance of the tonal center Sa in a Raaga, and do not always function the same way for each rag. Certain moods are typically associated with each Raaga, and often a time of day or season of the year. Again, Gaur Sarang is an afternoon Raaga with the moods of peace and pathos. Prescribed melodic movements that often recur, like catch phrases, identify the Raaga. In Gaur Sarang one such phrase is G R m G. There can be precise use of timbres and tonal shading, heightened by the use of microtonal pitches that vary from one rag to another, lending particular character to the rag. Raga is a combination of sounds along with "Varnas". A "Raga" is particularly the different series of notes within the octave which forms the basis of all Indian Raagas. The source of Raaga is Thala. Similarly two notes of same denomination should not come one after another. Again in a Raaga notes 'Pa' and 'Ma' cannot be put together. A Raga should have Varnas that include "Aroha" and "Abaroha" and it must also have fixed "Vadi" and a "Samavadi" note.

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Wrestling in India

  

Wrestling in India is the most ancient sports whose past is enriched with glory. Wrestling in modern India is concentrated in the Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Haryana. The game of wrestling is considered to be one of the most significant games in the Olympics and was included in 708 BC at the Olympics. Sakshi Malik, Sushil Kumar Solanki, Udey Chand, Satender Dagar, Gobar Guha, Jatindra Charan Goho, Ambika Charan Guha, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, Yogeshwar Dutt, Ghulam Muhammad, Dara Singh and Geeta Phogat are considered as the all time famous and popular wrestlers in India.

History of Wrestling in India
In India, wrestling is also known as ‘Malla-Yudhha’. Some forms of Malla-Yuddha were practiced in India even before the invasion of the Aryans. The famous Indian epic, Mahabharata has numerous references of the game of wrestling in the country. Bhima, an important character in Mahabharata is believed to be a great wrestler. Karna, Jarasandha and Duryodhana were the other great wrestlers mentioned in this epic. Ramayana has also asserted about the activity of wrestling and Hanuman has been described as a talented wrestler here.

Wrestling in India, during the ancient times, used to get regular patronage from the emperors and kings of the nation. During the British rule, wrestling in India got another big push, as the British rulers included the game into the military practise. Wrestling in India continued to increase its popularity till the modern days and India was considered among the top 10 countries in wrestling till the 1960s. India also hosted the World Wrestling Championship in New Delhi in 1967.

Types of Wrestling in India
Wrestling in India can be divided into two main categories like ‘Malla Krida’ and ‘Malla-Yuddha’. While Malla Krida is the sports form of the game, Malla-Yuddha is the battle version of wrestling. There are also some other forms of wrestling in India, out of which, the free-style varieties are more common than the other forms, since Vedic times. The free-style varieties of wrestling in India are known as ‘Pushti’ or ‘Kushti’. Wrestling in India can also be divided into four types like ‘Bhimaseni’, ‘Hanumanthi’, ‘Jambuvanthi’ and ‘Jarasandhi’, based on the technique and methodology.

Based on the methods of selecting the winner, wrestling in India can also be divided into another two categories like the ‘Orthia’ and the ‘Kato Pale’. In Orthia type, the wrestler has to throw the opponent on the ground for three times consecutively to win the match. The Kato Pale type of wrestling demands the wrestler to accept defeat by raising his right hand with the index finger pointed. However, the rules of wrestling in India vary according to the various regions of the country.

Wrestlers of India
Wrestling in India has witnessed the rising of several eminent wrestlers, so far. The legendary Indian wrestler, Karim Bux became the first wrestler to defeat Tom Canon of England in 1892. Another eminent Indian wrestler, Gobar Guha became the World Champion in Wrestling in San Francisco in 1922, by defeating the hook wrestler Ad Santel. The renowned Indian freestyle wrestler, Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadav won bronze medal in the 1952 Olympic Games. Another eminent Indian wrestler was Salwinder Singh Shinda, who won the Chandigarh Kesari Award, four times. Some of the other legendary wrestlers in India include Kikkar Singh, Gulam, Rajeev Tomar, and Arjuna Awardees in wrestling like Anuj Chaudhury and Malkit Singh Kanjli.

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Indian Sherbets

  

Indian Sherbets are the traditional beverage of India. It is typically prepared from fruits, herbs as well as flower petals. Sherbet and Lassi are considered as coolers and are meant to provide refreshment from the hot Indian summer. They are also served on festive occasions when guests are treated with snacks and sweets accompanied by these rejuvenating drinks.

History of Sherbets in India
Sherbet is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian, sweet chilled drink that is prepared from fruits or flower petals. Sherbets were introduced in India by the invading Turks and Persians and were originally consumed in large quantities because they replaced the large loss of body water which occurs in the tropical climate of India. For this reason, sherbets are still offered as refreshment in India.

Significance of Sherbets in India
Sherbets are a symbol of celebration and are often consumed at weddings, dinner parties, banquets and similar events. Indian beverages comprehend a significant portion of the Indian food section. In fact, a traditional Indian meal is considered incomplete without sherbet. The umpteen recipes, fruits, even vegetables employed to serve a sherbet is absolutely blissful. The humid Indian summers can be turned into a chilled atmosphere, by a mere drinking of sherbets. The sweet, salty, tangy or chilli taste of Indian sherbets, topped with ice, brings a serene effect to the mind.

It is a ritual in India, when anyone comes home, not to let them go without having anything. So these drinks are very handy and are prepared just in few minutes and can be served to the visitors. A lot of Indian households keep a stock of home-made sherbets meant to be served to family members and guests during the summers. These summer drinks mainly contain ingredients that can help the body cool down to survive the soaring temperature outside. Common ingredients used in summer drinks in India include lime juice, water melon, mint, cucumber and sometimes even curd. Every region has their traditional specialty.

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Ayurvedic Diet

  

Ayurvedic diet is a holistic health treatment that includes herbs, meditation, massage and yoga. The science of Ayurveda teaches that right diet is the foundation of healing. The ancient Indian science of medicine ‘Ayurveda’ emphasizes that every individual requires balance and considers diet as one of the essential tools for achieving balance. Ayurvedic diet suggests a personalised diet for people whilst considering factors like age and gender, the doshic tendencies that needs to be balanced at a given time, the potency of the body tissues and the digestive abilities.

Significance of Ayurvedic Diet
Ayurvedic diet is an essential form of Ayurvedic treatments as foods provides the nutrients, which are necessary to carry out the activities pertaining to digestion and metabolism. Ayurvedic food is not merely a mixture of proteins, vitamins, fats and carbohydrates but is a basis of energy for the mind and soul. It just not only nourishes the body but also supports in restoring the balance of Tridoshas which is again a must thing in maintaining health.

Ayurvedic Diet for Doshas
Ayurvedic diet can be categorised depending on dosha or constitutional type and also based on the six types of tastes namely, madhura, amla, lavana, katu, tikta and kashay. These Rasas or tastes are present in all types of Ayurvedic food.

According to Ayurveda, the tastes can increase or decrease the three doshas namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Ayurveda therefore recommends specific Ayurvedic diet for Kapha Dosha, diet for Pitta Dosha and diet for Vata Dosha.

Ayurvedic Principle of Diet
An Ayurvedic diet is complete only when a wide variety of food is consumed which balances the nutritive content required by the body. Any diet, which solely concentrates on one type of food, is incomplete as it is unable to balance all aspects of the physiology.

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Folk Dances of North East India

  

Folk Dances of North East India are mainly focussed on the dances of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Dance is the language of freedom of the soul and when it comes to the folk dances, the sky is enormous as the dances are devoid of the intricate grammar akin to the traditional and classical dance forms. Folk Dances of North East India thus unambiguously pinpoint the dance that is the symbol of the natural, unprompted and the spontaneous life of the common people.

Different Folk Dances of North East India
North East India is known for its interesting culture and eclectic dance forms. Following are the Different Folk Dances of North East India:

Bihu Dance: This is a happy dance that is contributed by men as well as women. The Bihu Dance is a folk dance of Assam which is extremely connected to the festival of Bihu. All dancers dress in the traditional and colourful Assamese clothes that attach charm to the complete dance. The important features of the dance are subtle movements of the hips, wrists, arms along with squats and curves but with no jumps. The dance is executed along with beautiful Bihu Music.

Zeliang Dance: The members of the ‘Zeliang’ tribe let their women members to take part in dance along with the men. Zeliang is a unique dance form of Nagaland. The members enter the dance stage with some unusual movements that are characterized by the foot beating sounds. Dancers change their beats relatively in this dance and some unusual chants and hand clapping sounds punctuate the whole presentation.

Hojagiri Dance: The Hojagiri dance is presented by ‘Riang’ clan of Tripura tribes. Only women are permitted to participate in this Puja and there are 5-7 members in each dance team. It is normally performed on the propitious occasion of the Hojagiri Lakshmi Puja.

Pung Chalom Dance: This is a famous Manipuri Dance. This is an exclusive dance that is an introduction to the famous ‘Ras Lila Dance’. Dancers move to the beat of the ‘pungi’ which is a kind of hand operated drum. Acrobatics are performed without breaking the tempo of the dance.

Singhi Chham Dance: Singhi Chham is a type of masked dance presented in Sikkim. This dance centres on the Snow Lion which is the symbol of Sikkim. The Snow Lion is formally identified as the symbol of the state of Sikkim as ordered by spiritual Guru Padamsambhava. This beautiful dance is performed in the month of September and demonstrates a great depiction of Sikimese culture.

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