Churches of Northeast India

Presbyterian Church of India, Arunachal Pradesh, NE India

I am taking you off the Charleston peninsula this evening for a tour of Christian Churches in Northeast India.
The first one was far north in Arunachal Pradesh and in a military encampment area. I nodded, tried to look innocent and showed my camera to the Indian Army soldier guarding the remote border area to let him know I simply wanted a photo of the church.

Meghalaya, India

I am not sure about this one. Any ideas? Certainly a surprising sight on a country road in the hills of India. The wording above the entrance is the latin "Venite ad me omnes" which means "Come to me all". I am guessing it is a Catholic Church.

Meghalaya, India

Meghalaya, India

This is an Anglican Chapel in the old British Cemetery in Shillong. There were relocated tombstones from the years of British occupation here.

Meghalaya, India

I spotted this one perched on the side of a hill on a hike up to the Khasi Sacred Forest.

House of Prayer, Arunachal Pradesh, India

This House of Prayer was in the mountain area far north and on an Indian Army base.

I thought this was in interesting collection and reminded me of many of the village churches I worshiped in as a kid.  No worries - I have albums full of Buddhist Monasteries as well!  You should be able to click on the image to get a higher resolution view.

Northeast India Trip - Sacred Forest & Living Root Bridge

Khasi Monoliths near the Sacred Forest

We took a few side trips from our guest house in the city of Shillong, traveling on crazy mountain roads that reminded me at different parts of the journey of Ireland, the Peruvian Andes, lush Costa Rica and the Canadian Rockies.

My brother James and his wife have a peaceful piece of property in a beautiful valley. He built a comfortable cabin and has wood cut and drying ready to build a few more that will eventually make a peaceful retreat for travelers looking for a base to explore the area. We had lunch, snooped around his solar panels and the wind turbine already in place, crossed the river and hiked up to the Sacred Forest.

Maplepine Cabins, Mawphlang

School kids on a picnic eager to practice their English

Memorial monoliths in the Sacred Forest at old sacrificial sites

Khasi Chief's Meeting Hall

We passed this structure on our drive to the forest and were invited in for a partial tour. The village courthouse is next door. A piece of string tied in a secret way is sent to area village head men to announce the date and time of their meeting. This entire building is built without a single nail. 

Along the road we passed many of these tiny thatched shacks built out of flattened mustard seed oil tins. Roadside workers were constantly at work chipping rocks into gravel for road repair and they built these shelters along the way.  The lady in this one worked as a school teacher in the morning and made extra money smashing rocks in the afternoon. She welcomed us in for tea when I asked to stop for a photo op.

Driving to the Living Root Bridge took us to a little village called Mawlynnong which was a complete surprise. It looked like a flower garden and had wicker basket dustbins tied along the paths. It is billed as the cleanest city in India and I could easily believe it. I had to duck my head to avoid hanging blossoms to enter the tea shop for lunch.

Blossoms in Mawlynnong

The Living Root Bridge was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I'd seen it on a National Geographic video a few years ago. Tree roots are gradually woven and trained to completely cross a river. It is strong enough that paving stones are put in place. It was a lovely spot. Googling to find a good link I found this travel entry from some years ago by a photographer who mentions my brother helping him find the village and bridge.

Living Root Bridge - Mawlynnong

 

Farewell committee

This is today's entry. I'll post a couple more of these and then get back to my usual Charleston photos! This is a good exercise in sorting and remembering my visit.

She is off!

Charleston, S.C.

My plane isn't until 3:30ish but I might as well go to the airport now. My mind is buzzing and I can't sit still. Woohoo. This is so exciting.

I've talked about bits and pieces of my story but this is the short version. My father was a school teacher in Canada who decided to go to north east India in 1963 to serve as headmaster of a little elementary school that was sponsored by his church. My mother had been a nurse and although she primarily helped teach in the school she also set up a first aid shop in our living room. I was seven years old and the third of eight children.

Actually I was the third of seven children at that time. My mother was pregnant when they moved and she didn't tell anyone. My father delivered my youngest brother Jim during a wild windy night in the room next to me. My parents tossed us all in the local school barefoot with little chalkboards to write on. I sharpened my pencils with a straight razor and we hiked to the rivers on the weekends to wash clothes and bath.

Meghalaya is a beautiful part of India, tribal and hilly. Most years it is the rainiest place in the world.  The British used to call it the Scotland of the East. The Khasi tribe is matriliniel with the youngest daughter inheriting and the children take the mother's name. When it came time for high school we walked three miles into Shillong to St. Mary's High School which was taught in English. As we each finished high school we were at a bit of a loss and one after another came back to Canada or the states to fend for ourselves. I landed in Toronto for Nursing School with waist length braids, dorky glasses and everything was new and fresh. Everything.

My brother Jim came back at the age of fourteen and years later after a trip back to visit he decided Shillong was where he felt most at home. He married Val, a Khasi wife and they have three adorable boys. They lead adventure eco tours of remote areas and that is where I am going. I am taking my daughter back to see what I have been talking about all these years.

We will meet up in Newark, fly Newark to Delhi (15 hours....help me...) where a lovely lady I have only met on Facebook is going to pick us up for a quick overnight. The next morning we fly to the northeast. Jim is to pick us up and we head immediately to a village which is holding a drum festival. Beside visiting my childhood haunts, we will go to Arunachal Predash the furthest north state close to China and visit Buddhist villages. The finale before heading home is the elephant safari in Kaziranga. Back to Charleston on Dec 1st.

I doubt I will have much internet access so other than quick messages I will shut down but I'll be back!  Keep the place looking nice, no feet on the coffee table. Pick up your socks. Have a great thanksgiving and know that I am so thankful for you - all the folks who drop by and leave a friendly comment. You make my life a treat!

Going Back Home

Shillong Peak, Shillong, Meghalaya, India

I'm going home. Next month at this time I will be in the hills of north east India. I haven't to Shillong since I graduated from St. Mary's High School in Laitumkrah many years ago. I went back to India once but at that time the hill states were closed to travelers and Darjeeling was as close as I could get. This time my daughter is going with me to see what I've been talking about all these years.  Sorry folks - my Khasi is so very rusty! I'll be embarrassed to open my mouth.

I've  been warned that things have changed - there is more traffic and noisy congestion, the sweet cottages with flower gardens are now buildings made of cement. My old bedroom where four of the eight Perry kids slept in a double bunk bed is now a classroom in the elementary school where my father was headmaster. I've asked to walk to the river where we washed clothes on Saturday mornings, picnicking and playing wild games while our laundry dried on the bushes.

The state's name "Meghalaya" means Abode of the Clouds and the British liked to call it their Scotland of the East. Most years it is the rainiest place in the world.  We are going north to places I've never been and will ride elephants on safari in Kaziranga. As soon as we land we are heading to a village drum festival.

My brother Jim lives there still with his wife and three young sons. I asked what I should bring and he emailed a link to a cookie press. They want to make Christmas cookies. It is the only thing already packed in my suitcase. I stopped at Micheal's today and picked up cookie cutters (still need gingerbread men), piping tips for icing and food coloring. Send me any of your best holiday cookie recipes! This should be interesting!

I don't leave until the second week in November but it is starting to feel like I am going on an adventure. It is all very exciting!
 

Living Bridges of Meghalaya

Strangler Fig living bridges in Meghalaya, India from Christiaan on Vimeo.

This is the neck of the woods I grew up in. My daughter has suggested that it might be time for a visit and this video makes me think she is right. I haven't been back since I finished high school and it would be her first trip to the north east of India. Isn't this beautiful?

Weekend Field Trip

Mawlai, Shillong, India

Okay, okay, I admit this one isn't from my Charleston album.

I have received emails lately from folks who have landed on my blog because of the Indian connection. It has been delightful to hear from you! I don't run into many Khasis in Charleston.

I did grow up in Meghalaya - the home of the clouds, and this is my elementary school photo. If you look closely you can spot a few pale faces scattered in the group and my mum on the left. I am on the top row center and am one of eight siblings. My dad was headmaster of the elementary school in Mawlai.

It was a terrific place to grow up and certainly one of the most beautiful parts of the world. We played wild late night games with packs of kids, washed our clothes in the rivers and our hair in the waterfalls. We took picnics to the old British polo grounds, Shillong Peak and rowed the boats on Wards Lake. I don't remember wearing shoes regularly until we hiked in to Shillong to high school.

My brother Jim lives there still and has written a traveler's guide to the north east available from chillibreeze. On Saturday 3/12, Jim successfully helped coordinate the Guinness book of world records Cheraw Bamboo Dance in Mizoram.

This is the link to my sister Shirley singing a Khasi favorite: Sier Lapalang.

To any Khasi who comes by I say "Khublei!" and want to show you that there is a greeting for you inscribed in the streets of Charleston. Of course I have no idea who did it. ;)