Travel Northeast, India’s Rain-Soaked Rockstar Meghalaya Is Ready For The Spotlight

 

The government has just sanctioned ₹1,100 crores to develop tourism circuits in Meghalaya and Tripura. The Northeast is moving to the top of the travel list. About time! For years, the Northeast felt like India’s best-kept secret: Difficult connectivity, limited infrastructure but incredible potential. With this fresh investment in tourism circuits, Meghalaya and Tripura could finally get the roads, facilities, and eco-sensitive planning they deserve.

 

 

If there is one Indian state that feels like it was designed by a fantasy novelist with a playlist, it’s Meghalaya. Meghalaya literally means “the abode of clouds.” Home to Mawsynram, officially the wettest place on Earth, this is where rain settles down. Nearby Cherrapunji has been breaking rainfall records since before climate change became dinner-table conversation. In Meghalaya, the clouds drift so low you feel like you’re walking inside a dream sequence.

 

 

Somewhere in Nongriat, the Khasi community did something extraordinary centuries ago. They “grew” bridges, literally. Using the aerial roots of rubber trees, they trained them across rivers over decades, creating living, breathing bridges that can last hundreds of years. The famous Double-Decker Living Root Bridge is proof of their tradition of sustainability. Climbing down 3,000 steps to see one is humbling.

Stand before Nohkalikai Falls (one of India’s tallest waterfalls) and you’ll understand perspective. It drops dramatically into a turquoise pool, framed by cliffs that look photoshopped. Then there’s the Seven Sisters Falls, which comes alive during monsoon like nature decided to multitask. Everywhere you turn, water is either falling, flowing, or preparing to.

 

If biodiversity were a stock, Meghalaya would be undervalued. Places like Nokrek Biosphere Reserve and Balpakram National Park are treasure chests of rare orchids, medicinal plants, and wildlife. You’ll find clouded leopards, hoolock gibbons, and more species of butterflies than you can pronounce.

Think Meghalaya is just for honeymoon couples with umbrellas? Think again. Caving in the limestone caves near Mawsmai is equal parts thrilling and humbling. Meghalaya has some of the longest cave systems in India. Kayaking in the crystal-clear waters of Dawki feels surreal. The water is so transparent the boat looks like it’s floating in air. Add canyoning, zip-lining, and ridge treks, and suddenly Meghalaya becomes the cool cousin of Himachal.

 

Often called India’s rock capital, Shillong has a deep relationship with music. Western rock, indie, jazz — it thrives here. The NH7 Weekender Shillong draws major artists and serious crowds. The Cherry Blossom Festival blends global music acts with pink-hued landscapes that look straight out of Japan. In Meghalaya, someone’s always rehearsing. And someone’s always listening.

Let's hope development doesn’t dilute identity. Meghalaya’s strength is community-run homestays, its bamboo architecture, its matrilineal traditions, its food. Tourism should amplify that, not replace it.