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Meghalaya- "the Abode of the Clouds"- is a composite of the territories of three ethnic groups, Khasi, Jainta and Garo, believed to have their origins in diverse locations- Myanmar, (Burma), Khymer, (Thailand), Tibet and the Munda, (North Central India).  The Wettest Place. The Khasi- Jaintia Hills rise in an abrupt 1500 metre, (5,000 ft) rampart behind the Sylhet Plains, Bangladesh and present a formidable barrier to the eastern monsoon which generates in the Bay of Bengal. This sudden uplift releases the greatest downpours of rain and hail on earth. Cherrapunjee, the modern name for ancient Sohra- the capital of the Khasi kings, claims to be the wettest place in the world. |
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Some meteorological data from Cherrapunjee:
Wettest recorded annual rainfall: 1974 = 24,555.3 mm.(24.5 metres, 80.5 feet). Wettest 24 hours: 16th June 1995 = 1563 mm. (1.5 metres, 5.13 feet). Heaviest shower: 50 mm, (2 ins), in 15 minutes. For further on Cherrapunjee weather see Cherra Resort pages. |
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The Crown Stone row at the entrance to Mawsmai. |
| The Khasi are famed for their wealth of megalithic remains. Long chains of standing stone rows and cromlechs extend for tens of kilometres north and south of the ancient capital Sohra, now known as Cherrapunjee. One of the most impressive groupings is in and through the quiet, pretty village of Mawsmai four kilometres south of Sohra. |
| This fine 10 stone row straddles the entrance road to the village. The largest menhir is 25 ft, 7.62 m tall and adorned with a unique capstone carved in the shape of a crown. | 
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| This capstone appears to have a mortise and tenon joining which survived the great earthquake of 1897. This quake was centred on Sohra a few miles from here. It is now estimated as a Richter 8 or beyond event and destroyed most buildings and damaged many megalith complexes. |
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Meridian alignment.
The orientation of this row is very near true north/south. The astronomical alignment of most rows in the Khasi Hills have been noted as generally north/south with some evidence for loosely east/west alignments also. These observations are reinforced by the oral traditions of the Khasi. They claim erection dates for their megaliths as no earlier than the 10th Century AD. Their oral history is quite clear on who erected these fine megaliths and what their purpose was, and indeed, is as monoliths commemorating deceased relatives are still erected in the present time though constructed of dressed blocks since the late 19th century AD. To date no claims for high-resolution alignments in Meghalaya have been noted. |
| Cromlechs.
Almost as numerous as standing monoliths, (male), are the associated large stone tables or cromlechs, (female). Here is an unusual sample laid in four parts associated with the Mawsmai Crown Stone Row. The Khasi have very elaborate funerary ritual characterized by periodic displacement of the bodily remains of the deceased to a series of different megalithic monuments till they find their final resting place inside the megalithic ossuary or beneath the cromlech belonging to a matrilineal clan. 
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Male and female stones. |
| Cists, cairns, cromlechs and monoliths near Mawsmai.
Stretching for over a kilometre in a south/south west direction from the village are many examples of megalithic remains. 
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Large cromlech with small monolith. |
| Mawsmai megalith field.
This extensive series of linear stone rows stretches for over a kilometre to the south of Mawsmai village. 
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| Mawsmai cist tomb.
This finely carved cist tomb may still be a venue for ritual practice, (as well as an animal-safe table for stacking the plant material used in broom making.) |
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In the interior a small, recently used, hearth and two rock seats lie on adjacent walls and many small round stones have been placed around three sides reminiscent of the collection of votive 'eggs' seen with the meridional stone row near the Ganju shrine at Punkree- Barawadhi, Hazaribag.
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Noncet Market. Nartiang Market. Lumsohpetbneng. Lumsohptbneng 2. Lumsohptbneng 3. Ummonoi Living Root Bridge. |
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