Must See Places In Shillong City

THE SHILLONG GOLF COURSE

THE GLENEAGLES OF THE EAST

The Shillong Golf Link. Photographed by Alan West

Shillong has one of the largest golf courses in Asia and the golf course which ocated at an altitude of around 5200 ft. The Shillong Golf Course is sometimes equated with "Glen-eagle Course" in the United States because of its beauty and unique location, hence it's called the "Gleneagles of the East. It enjoys the rare distinction of being one of the few natural golf courses in Asia. Not only is the Shillong golf course scenic and enjoyable, it is also challenging. 

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A group of British Civil Service officers introduced golf to Shillong in 1898 by constructing a nine hole course. The present 18 hole course was inaugurated in 1924. The course is set in an undulating valley covered with pine and rhododendron trees. The tight fairways, carpeted with a unique local grass which hardens the soil, are difficult to negotiate. The number of out-of-bounds streams that criss-cross every fairway makes it all the more trying. Obstructions come in the form of bunkers, trees and rain. The longest hole is the 6th, which is a grueling 594 yards.

The Golf Link is indeed the pride of Shillong. It scenic beauty and serenity it what has attracted people from near and far. On weekends and other holidays, happy families along with children can be seen running and playing around together with a cheerful heart and happy laughs. Golf being a rich man's sport is being played only by the affluent class. For the common men a walk in the Golf course is what every they crave for. Morning joggers and sports enthusiast running the entire stretch is a common sight. It is also the first choice for a photo-shoot for the Just Married couple.  There is a lot to be done for it's beauty and elegance to be known to the outside world.

THE MAJESTIC WARDS LAKE

                                                       

This century old picturesque (horseshoe-shaped) artificial lake lying beneath the Raj Bhavan (Governor's Residence) is located at the heart of the city and has it's own charm. It is extremely popular for its garden walks and boating. The lake is chock-full of fish it's a common sight to see tourists feeding fish from the bridge.

The Beautiful Wards Lake. Photographed by Catherine Eunice Dohling

The lake is encircled by a winding walk-way and is inter spread with gently sloping flowerbeds and innovative illumination, edged in by luxuriant greens. Sundays are days when the whole place is jampacked with tourists, families, honeymooners and lovers on their rendezvouz.. The adjoining Botanical garden offers a wide array of orchids and other flora typical of the temperate rainforests.deal place to spend a lazy afternoon and certainly not to be missed if you are visiting Shillong.

A view of the mesmerizing Wards Lake. Photographed by Catherine Eunice Dohling

Legends have it that Khasi prisoner bored with his penetentiary routine requested the warden for some creative release. The warden asked him to dig up holes and fill them up again. He however hit a natural spring and the digging finally took the shape of a lake and garden developed around it. Major F. T. Pollock, an Executive Engineer is the first person to start the excavation work, hence the present Wards Lake is better known by the Khasis as Ka Nan U Pollock, or Nan Pollock which literally means Pollock's Lake. The lake was named after Sir William Ward, Then Chief Commissioner of Assam who caused its construction. The construction was however carried out by Colonel Hopkins during 1894.

THE BEAUTIFUL UMIAM LAKE

The Umiam Lake, also known as Barapani (Big Water) is a scenic place that renders a breath-taking view is located in the hills around 15 km to the North of Shillong. The Umiam Lake is a confluence of the two streams Umkhrah and Umshvrpi form the Wah Ro-ro stream in the north-west of the town and joins River Umiam, the main source of water for the lake. It was created by damming the Umiam river in the early 1960s. The dam has the distinction of being the first Hydel power project in the North-east region of India.

Apart from storing water for electricity generation, the lake also provides a large number of ecosystem services at micro, meso and macro levels. Downstream irrigation, fisheries and drinking water cater to local anthropogenic needs. The Lake is popular for the Water Sport and adventure facilities that it offers. Kayaking, Water cycling/ scooting and boating are a few of the facilities available at the Umiam Lake.

The Lake has been developed as a tourist spot by the State authorities and the Meghalaya Tourism Department, runs the Orchid Tourist home overlooking the lake, Lum Nehru Park is located adjacent to Orchid Lake Resort it is noted for its aviary, orchid-house and superbly maintained lawns.

Some of the pictures of the Beautiful Umiam Lake



THE CATHEDRAL OF THE MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

The Cathedral Church was built over 50 years ago. This place of worship stands on the very site of the first Church built by the German fathers (Salvatorians from Germany). The earlier 1913 building – the Church of the Divine Saviour – was a wooden structure. It was destroyed in the Good Friday fire of April 10, 1936. Built by the first Catholic missionaries to these hills, the Salvatorians from Germany, it was the first Catholic Cathedral Church in what was then the Mission of Assam.  Described as modern Gothic, the Church building plan was approved on August 22, 1936 by the then Chairman of the Shillong Municipality, who was also the Deputy Commissioner of former United Khasi & Jaintia Hills District, Mr. Keith Cantlie. The first stone of the new Church was blessed on October 25, 1936 the feast of Christ the King.  A unique feature of the Cathedral Church building is that is stands on sand. The type of foundation was recommended since the region, where Shillong is located, is prone to severe earthquakes. The elasticity is provided by the sand on which the structure has been made to stand. At the time of building the foundation, trenches were cut from rock and half filled with sand. The structure has no direct connection with the rock. Theoretically the Church building, in times of Earthquakes, can rock safely on the shock absorbing sand which is supposed to reduce the violence.

The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is one of the most beautiful churches and is perched on a hill. It is located in the Laitumkhrah locality in Shillong. It has high arches and stained glass windows which add to its grandeur. Directly below, carved out of the hill is the Grotto Church. This Cathedral is named after Mary the mother of Jesus Christ. Besides being the pride of the Catholics of the region, the church has also become a great tourist attraction. In 1980, the centenary year of the Catholic Church in North East India, the then Archbishop, the late Rt. Rev. Hubert D’Rosario, declared the Cathedral Church a shrine, duly approved to be a pilgrimage centre. Since then special church services are held here every Wednesday the year round.

On the flanks of the inside of the Cathedral Church are another set of 14 Stations of the Cross. Made of terracotta in relief, these works of art also depict scenes from the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. These depictions, it is said, earlier adorned the old Cathedral Church. They are reported to have been produced by the Art Institute in Munich (Bavaria) in Germany. The inside of the Church also holds several works of church art which portray scenes from Holy Scripture and the life of Saints. Of special beauty are the set of stained glass windows made of Grenoble, France in 1947. On the extreme left, as one faces the main altar is the grave of the first Archbishop of Shillong, His Grace the late Rt. Rev. Hubert DRosario, SDB., DD. His mortal remains are interned in the Church in accordance with centuries-old Catholic Church tradition. Next to the grave, just in front of the statute of Mary and the Child Jesus, is another altar. It is here that the special nine-day devotions are held every month.

Over the decades the Cathedral Church has also become a house where people of other faiths also come to pray, seeking blessings and Divine favours through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.Its high location and alluring design has also made the church a prominent landmark of Shillong. It is said, on a clear day from this vantage point where the Church stands, the mighty Brahmaputra and the snow-crowned peaks of the Himalayas can be seen. Shillong has, within its fold, a number of churches and cathedrals as if to justify the desire of the British to make the city of Shillong a little England. Some of these churches are so spacious and large that they can easily accommodate a few thousand worshippers

The bronze life-size monument of the Calvary on the other side of the cathedral was unveiled by Mgr Perier  on November 8th 1934to mark the 19th centenary of the redemption.  Since its erection the monument has aroused immense tourist interest. The original structure stands no more. It has made way for a new structure as can be seen on the picture. No matter how much one praises the beauty of the new monument, one will agree with me when I say it lacks the grandeur and elegance of the original one.

SWEET FALLS

BEADON FALLS

CRINOLINE FALLS

DBCIC

BUTTERFLY MUSEUM

RHINO HERITAGE MUSEUM

LADY HYDARI PARK

SHILLONG PEAK