Sunday, May 1, 2011

Sunday Special: Sacred Groves of Mawphlang

Sacred Groves! It sounds special, doesn't it?! A large stretch of forest land untouched with any sort of human activity! Pure and virgin nature, that's how special it is. They are the forests preserved for beliefs associated with Khasi religion and traditions.

We (me and Soumya) visited the sacred groves of Mawphlang, one of the largest and best in Meghalaya which is about 25 km from Shillong. To explore the forest, you need a guide to take you around as finding your way back is a bhool bhulaiya! And after a point it is quite scary! Or else you have drop things on the way like Sita dropped her jewels as a direction for Rama or like the Greek hero Thesus who carried a ball of Scottish wool while entering the labyrinth to fight the devil and dropped the thread as a trail to return back safe.
Thank God that these forests are botanically rich and not rich in wild life!! :D

Here are few pictures of the Mawphlang Sacred Grove...
Google mata has more to say on the sacred groves. Few links to that are here and here..

3 comments:

Sarika said... [Reply]

Beautiful pictures..!

Aarti Badamikar said... [Reply]

Thanks Sarika tai! :) Glad you like them!

Unknown said... [Reply]

hi Aarti, wonderful pictures.! well, i also went to Mawphlang,beautiful place indeed.!