One rule of thumb is that when you want to travel and see things, don't let anyone stop you. My colleagues were like - let's do this together, and I kind of changed my plans for them and then they had other things to do. So unfortunately I had to skip Dawki River and the Living Root bridge which were a three hour ride from Shillong and instead settled for some other stuff.
After my long walk I thought the people concerned - Riaz, Pavan and Chatterjee - who had gone for practice would come along but they cried off citing tiredness. Dude, I could have gone and been on my way back by now! I took off to the taxi stand and asked the guys to take me around in the couple of hours before dusk. One enterprising driver, Pradeep Modak, who apparently also doubles up as a guide (quite knowledgeable too) took me along and suggested i see the Ever Living Museum (which I was keen to see) and then see the Sweet Falls which is on no site of 'must see' in Shillong.
Anyway we went off on a circuitous road, past the cantonment area, and landed up at the Ever Living Museum. As he parked I went to buy myself a ticket and bumped into the owner of the place, a sixty year old man who told me he was inspired by the Salar Jung museum (and surely others of its ilk to start this one). Its a small museum which he curated by himself.
The Meghalaya region is primarily of three tribes - Khasi, Garo and Jantias. His collection is of the Garo heritage. Quite impressive and clearly a work in progress.
From there we went down the road to the Sweet Falls. Quite a sight. Apparently the water does not dry up here ever. No one is allowed to go down there. A bunch of school kids came and they all stood up on the ledge to get a good look - sure as a goat. Talking of goats, I did see this bizarre sight of a woman taking a video of her four-five year old child walking on a beam (half constructed house) across a nala, sure as a goat of course. But its crazy - she was egging the child on and recording it. What if she falls!
Anyway, Pradeep told me about his family, two daughters past their degree and a son. He is half Bengali and half Meghalayan. When we went back to the taxi stand near Ward's lake he egged me on to try some khasi cuisine (since I asked) and took me to a mall joint. He ordered something - yellow rice and a chicken piece. I tasted it like a Masterchef expert and left most of it. But the shop had lovely posters - Pulp Fiction, London and Audrey Hepburn - some forgotten connection to the West.
Enjoyed my day out and headed back to the hotel. At 630 pm, an hour or so later, Chatterjee will be knocking on the door and there will be some drink, some music, some conversation.
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