Shillong


Shillong is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with a population of 143,229 according to the 2011 census. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. Hence, they would refer to it as the "Scotland of the East".
Shillong has steadily grown in size since it was made the civil station of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills in 1864 by the British. In 1874, on the formation of Assam as the Chief Commissioner's Province, Shillong 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 Shillong was much cooler than that of tropical India. Shillong remained 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.

History

Shillong was the capital of composite Assam during the British regime and for a quarter century in independent India until a separate State of Meghalaya was formed in 1972. David Scott, the British civil servant of the East India Company, was the Agent of the Governor-General North East Frontier. During the First Anglo-Burmese War, the British authorities felt the need for a road to connect Sylhet and Assam. The route was to traverse across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. David Scott overcame the difficulties his administration faced from the opposition of the Khasi Syiems – their chiefs and people. Impressed by the favourable cool climate of Khasi Hills, they negotiated with the Syiem of Sohra in 1829 for a sanatorium for the British. Thus began the consolidation of British interests in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
In early 1829, a Khasis confederation mounted a serious uprising against British occupation. But by January 1833, their leader Tirot Sing surrendered to David Scott and was detained in Dacca. A political agent was posted in Sohra, also known as Cherrapunjee.
But the British did not like the climate and facilities of Sohra, and they moved to Shillong. "Ïewduh" is the biggest market in Shillong. The name "Shillong" was later adopted, as the location of the new town was below the Shillong Peak.
In 1874, a separate Chief Commissionership was formed with Shillong as the seat of administration. The new administration included Sylhet, now a part of Bangladesh. Also included in the Chief Commissionership were the Naga Hills, Lushai Hills, as well as the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Hills. Shillong was the capital of composite Assam till 1969, when the autonomous state of Meghalaya was formed. In January 1972, Meghalaya was made a full-fledged state.
The Shillong Municipal Board dates 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 Municipality of Shillong was agreed to by Haiñ Manik Syiem of Mylliem under the agreement of 15 November 1878. But, there is no trace of Shillong in the British era maps dating back to 1878, up to 1900.
The great earthquake of 12 June 1897 of moment magnitude 8.1 killed 27 from Shillong and destroyed much of the town.

Geography

Shillong is at. It lies on the Shillong Plateau, the only major uplifted structure in the northern Indian shield. The city lies in the centre of the plateau and is surrounded by hills, three of which are revered in Khasi tradition: Lum Sohpetbneng, Lum Diengiei, and Lum Shyllong.
Shillong is just from Guwahati, which can be accessed by road along NH 40, a journey of about 2 hours 30 minutes through lush green hills and the Umiam lake in between.

Smart Cities Mission

Shillong has been selected as the 100th city to receive funding under the centre's flagship "Smart Cities Mission" Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. In January 2016, 20 cities were announced under the Smart Cities Mission, followed by 13 cities in May 2016, 27 cities in September 2016, 30 cities in June 2017, and 9 cities in January this year. The total proposed investment in the finally selected 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission would be 2,050,180 million. Under the scheme, each city will get 5000 million from the centre for implementing various projects.

Climate

Weather conditions in Shillong are typically pleasant and pollution-free. In the summer, the temperature varies from. In the winter, the temperature varies from.
Under Köppen's climate classification, the city features a subtropical highland climate. Its summers are cool and very rainy, while its winters are cool yet dry. Shillong is subject to vagaries of the monsoon. The monsoons arrive in June and it rains almost until the end of October.
Shillong is ranked among top 10 Indian cities with the cleanest air and best AQI in 2024.

Demographics

As of the 2011 Census of India, Shillong had a total population of 143,229, of which 70,135 were males, and 73,094 were females. As per 2011 language census report, 67,154 of the city's population speak Khasi as their native language, 28,984 speak Bengali, 15,559 speak Hindi, 14,085 speak Nepali, 4,069 speak Assamese, 2,632 speak Punjabi, 3,580 speak Garo, 1,088 speak Urdu and 6,115 speak other languages. 14,317 were aged 0 to 6 years. The literacy rate was 83.5% or 119,642 people: 84.8% for males and 82.3% females. The effective literacy rate of people aged 7 years and older was 92.8%, 94.8% for males, and 90.9% for females. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 1,551 and 73,307, respectively. Shillong had 31,025 households in 2011. As per the 1971 census, non-tribals constituted 58.53% of the population of Shillong.

Governance and politics

Civic administration

Shillong is administered by the Shillong Municipal Board, which originated in 1878 and became a municipality in 1909 under the Meghalaya Municipal Act of 1973. The area that is covered by the Municipal Board is 25 square kilometres, and there are currently 27 wards.
According to 2011 census, Christianity is the dominant religion in the city, practised by 46.49% of the population, followed by Hinduism at 41.95%, Islam 4.89%, and to a lesser degree, that is, 2.01% includes Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. An ancient indigenous religion of the Khasi and Jaintia tribes is still followed by 4.5% of the population. The Shillong metropolitan region, which includes the towns of Laitumkhrah, Lawsohtun, Madanrting, Mawlai, Mawpat, Nongkseh, Nongmynsong, Nongthymmai, Pynthorumkhrah, Shillong Cantonment, Umlyngka, and Umpling,
had a population of 354,759, 12% of which was under six years of age. The literacy rate in the metro region was 91%.

Places of interest

Tourist sites in and around the city include:
  • Elephant Falls: 12 km on the outskirts of the city, the mountain stream descends through three successive falls set in dells of fern covered rocks.
  • Ka Phan Nonglait Park: The park stretches over a kilometre and has an adjacent mini zoo.
  • Ward's Lake: Known locally as Nan-Polok. It is an artificial lake with garden and boating facilities, built during the colonial era.
  • Shillong Golf Course: 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. It was set in a valley at an altitude of 5,200 ft in 1898 as a nine-hole course and later converted into an 18-hole course in 1924 by Captain Jackson and C. K. Rhodes.
  • Motphran: The "Monument of France", which is locally known as "Motphran" was erected in memory of the 26th Khasi Labour Corps who served under the British in France during World War I.
  • Shillong Peak: A picnic spot, 10 km from the city, 1966 m above sea level, offers a panoramic view of the scenic countryside and is the highest point in the state. Obeisance is paid to U Shyllong at the sanctum sanctorum at the peak's summit every springtime, by the religious priest of Khyrim/Mylliem State.
  • Ever Living Museum: Founded by Kyntiewbor War and located in Mawshbuit, Shillong. It is an ethnographic museum that exhibits the culture of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities of Meghalaya. This museum showcases an extensive collection of artefacts, including traditional weapons, musical instruments, and bamboo crafts. It also houses a "stone museum" displaying various rocks, gemstones, fossils, etc. Alongside a vibrant garden which is full of indigenous orchids, herbal plants, and fruits.
  • Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures: The Don Bosco Museum is part of DBCIC. DBCIC comprises research on cultures, publications, training, animation programmes, and the museum, which is a place of knowledge-sharing on the cultures of the northeast in particular, and of culture in general.
  • State Museum: Located at the State Central Library complex
  • Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is in Don Bosco Square
  • Bishop and Beadon Falls: Both cascade down the same escarpment into a deep valley
  • Spread Eagle Falls: 3 km from polo grounds
  • Sweet Falls: Sweet Falls is a waterfall located about 5 km from the Happy Valley and is about 96 m in height.
  • Crinoline Falls: Near Phan Nonglait Park
  • Umiam Lake: En-route Guwahati to Shillong

    Transport

Although well connected by road, Shillong has neither rail connections nor a proper air connection. Umroi Airport located from the city centre has only limited flights.

Roadways

Shillong is well-connected by roads with all major northeastern states. Three major National Highways pass through:
Private bus operators, as well as state transport buses from other states, come to and from Shillong daily. Taxi services are also available to destination like Guwahati, Agartala, Kohima, Dimapur, Aizawl and other North Eastern towns and cities.
The Shillong Bypass is a two-lane road that stretches across, connecting Umiam to Jorabat, which then leads to other northeastern Indian states of Mizoram and Tripura. The project was estimated to have cost around and was completed in a span of two years.