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Area : 22,429 sq km
Population : 2,318,822
Capital : Shillong
Principal Languages : Khasi, Garo and English
Meghalaya was created as an
autonomous state within the state of Assam on 2
April, 1970. The full-fledged State of Meghalaya
came into existence on 21 January, 1972. It is
bound on the north and east by Assam, and on the
south and west by Bangladesh. Meghalaya,
literally meaning the abode of clouds, is
essentially a hilly state. It is predominantly
inhabited by the Khasis, the Jaintias, and the
Garo tribal communities. The Khasi Hills and
Jaintia Hills, which form the central and
eastern part of Meghalaya, is an imposing
plateau with rolling grasslands, hills and river
valleys. The southern face of the plateau is
marked by deep gorges and abrupt slopes, at the
foot of which, a narrow strip of plain land runs
along the international border with
Bangladesh.
Meghalaya is basically an
agrarian state, in which about 80 per cent of
the population depend primarily on agriculture
for their livelihood. The State has a vast
potential for developing horticulture due to
agro-climatic variations, which offer much scope
for cultivation of temperate, sub-tropical and
tropical fruits and vegetables.
Besides the major food crop of rice and
maize, Meghalaya is renowned for its oranges
(Khasi Mandarian), pineapple, banana,
jackfruits, temperate fruits like plum, pears
and peaches, etc. Cash crops, popularly and
traditionally cultivated include potato,
turmeric, ginger, black pepper, arecanut,
betelvine, tapioca, short staple cotton, jute
and mesta, mustard and rapeseed. Special
emphasis is presently laid on the
non-traditional crops, like oilseeds (groundnut,
soyabean and sunflower), cashewnut, tea and
coffee mushroom, medicinal plants, orchids and
commercial flowers.
The
Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation
Limited, as the Industrial and Financial
Institution of the State, has been rendering
financial assistance to the local entrepreneurs.
District Industries Centres have been working in
the field for the promotion and development of
small-scale, village, tiny and cottage
industries. A number of industrial projects have
been set up for the manufacture of iron and
steel materials, cement and other industrial
products.
A
five-day long religious festival of the
Khasis, Ka Pamblang Nongkrem, popularly
known as Nongkrem dance is held annually at
village Smit, 11 km from Shillong Shad
Suk Mynsiem another important festival of
the Khasis, is held at Shillong, during the
second week of April. Behdeinkhlam, the
most important and colourful festival of the
Jaintias is celebrated annually at Jowai in
Jaintia Hills in July. Wangala festival
is observed for a week to honour Saljong (Sun
God) of the Garos during October-November.
Roads : Six
national highways pass through Meghalaya. The
State has 7,860.16 km of both surfaced and
unsurfaced roads under PWD.
Aviation :
The only airport of the Meghalaya state
is in Umroi, 35 km from Shillong.
Meghalaya is dotted with a number of
lovely tourist spots, where nature unveils
herself in all her glory. Shillong, the capital
city, has a number of beautiful spots. They are
Ward’s Lake, Lady Hydari Park, Bishop Beadon
Falls, Elephant Falls, Umiam Lake, Mini Zoo and
Shillong Peak overlooking the city and the
Shillong Golf Course, which is one of the best
in the country.
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