From 1874 unitil 1905 Shillong was the capital of Assam and known as the Scotland of the East. Surrounded by pine trees and veiled in clouds, you can quite understand why it reminded the Brits so strongly of home. Standing at an altitude of 1496m it provided a welcome relief from the heat of the plains. They built a championship golf course (the world's wettest), and a polo ground and soon the surrounding hills were dotted with neat Victorian bungalows and little churches.

Shillong A three-hour drive uphill from Guwahati takes you to Shillong.

One of the first places that a newcomer to Shillong should visit is the Lewduh Bazaar. It is a women dominated market, the largest of its kind in the entire north east. The prominent role of women is highly visible in the Khasi Hills, where the Khasis follow a matrilineal society. Under this custom, the children take the name of their mother and the youngest daughter becomes the custodian of family property. Other sites to visit are the Orchid Lake Resort, amongst pine wood overlooking the lake; Umiam also known as Banapani where a large lake was formed after a hydro- electric dam was built across a stream; Wards lake for a leisurely stroll or boating; the Botanical Garden; the Golf club; cathedral of Mary; the butterfly museum; the sweet falls near Happy Valley, the prettiest of the many waterfalls in Shillong.

Cherrapunjee A 56 kms. drive along a narrow winding road takes you to Cherrapunjee, one of the wettest places in the world. Here, apart from the lovely waterfalls, you can also visit the Limestone Caves.