BEAUTIFUL  LABAN

..There could be no better way to experience the summer vacation with your family to near by hill station and for people who stays in Guwahati , shillong has been the always first option to run away from the busy city life of Guwahati We started off from Gauhati in the early morning and it took us nearly four hours to reach Shillong . Our booking was done by MR. Dean who owns a bungalow in upper Laban which is about 3 km uphill ride from Shillong . we had to follow Mr. Deans car as we wear not familiar with the road. The road itself was a mystery for us, full of silence, one could only hear the whispering of the pine trees all through the road. Every step was quite refreshing. My thoughts were interrupted by the loud sound of the opening of the big gate which took us to the beautiful, Hill Top Chaetau, who was standing like a monarch on the hillock. The name chaetau comes from a French word which means a bungalow.

As the sun was setting in the western sky, our host invited us for a cup tea and she took us towards d balcony, as I was about to take the last sip of tea, it started raining, and I did not wanted to lose the opportunity to get myself wet hearing the sound of the wind touching the pine trees. It was amazing to see the pine leaves drooped luxuriously as rain slithered down to their tips and fell in thick drops to the ground below. It was a happy shivering added to the overall effect The peace around Laban was unfamiliar, quite alien to us because our ears having become all turned to traffic noises in Guwahati city.

Dinner was served early, with the food made by Mrs. Dean herself. On the dinner table we wear discussing about how the couple had started the home stay in such a beautiful place; Mr. Dean told us that he made all the furniture himself. The bungalows have three different rooms, mostly meant for families.

Morning brings light and colour and we decided to take a drive to the Smit village which is 11km from shillong and we took the Jowai-Dawki Road, not aware of the weather change, we started to feel cold. It started to rain and we were forced to get inside the car. After the rain had stopped I saw some Khasi farmer busy with terrerace cultivation and I couldn’t stop myself to take few pictures of this fairy land which was waiting to welcome every tired traveler. The rain drops made it shine like a diamond on a ring. Every step into the village was a dream come true. After watching the beautiful landscape, it was time for us to visit the place of the Khasi King which depicted a history in itself and the kingship with nature. Smit village is the cultural centre of the Khasis where Kapemblang Nongrem Dance Festival is performed to please the powerful Godness Ka Blei Synshan for a rich harvest and prosperity of the people.

The Syiem of Khyrim along with the high priest performs the pemblang ceremony by sacrificing a cock. The Pemblang festival is celebrated by offering a goat. Offering are also made to the ancestors and ancestress of the ruling clan. Religious part of the festival precedes dances in which unmarried girls in all their exotic costumes participates and man’s dance is performed with energy and by holding Religious part of the festival precedes dances in which unmarried girls in all their exotic costumes participates and man’s dance is performed with energy and by holding a sword in their hand and a white yak hair whisk in the left hand keeping time to the changing beats of drums and playing the tangmuri or pipes. Although my heart was not allowing me to say: goodbye: we had to drive back to Laban. The sun was glowing red as the vehicle sped by. A hazy moon was passing by making the grassland silvery.

A visit to laban would be incomplete, if I do not visit the Porgung Thuptin Chowlung Tibet monastery which is 137 yrs old, with near about 400 monks staying like a community For me visiting a monastery was full of gratitude, full of submission to the almighty. One of the youngest monks agreed to tell me something about my future, and I really found out something very interesting about myself. Towards the end of my journey, every breath I had taken in a place like this had made me feel so close to nature and coming to the place again and again.

By Rashmi Das.

Email : rashmialahkak@gmail.com.