East Garo Hills District Website
The almost complete absence of written records prior to the coming of the British leaves the past history of the Garo very far from certain. For the past, we have to depend entirely on their legend and oral traditions, their folklore and folksongs, and other circumstantial evidence which are, however, most uncertain and reliable sources of information.
The Garos’ own traditions relate that they came originally from Tibet to what is now Cooch Behar, whence they moved on to Dhubri whose king received them warmly. However, later on, being afraid of them, he did not allow them to settle permanently. From there they moved to their neighourhood of Jogighopa where they remained for about 400 years but they were again forced to leave the place, driven towards the south by the ruler of that country, crossed the Brahmaputra on rafts and advanced towards Gauhati, where they settled at Ka’magre or present Kamakhya Hills and along the Brahmaputra valley. As the place was infested with tigers, the Garo relinquished the place and then spread into Habraghat Pargana in Goalpara. Tradition also tell us while in the neighbourhood of Habraghat Pargana, the Garo appear to have become rich and prosperous and the first Garo Kingdom was established, of which the first reigning price was Abrasen who has his palace and capital at Sambol A’ding, an isolated hill near the Dakaitdol Village not far from Goalpara town
Medieval Period
With the passage of time in the medieval period, while the Garos in the hills were still divided into a number of petty Nokmaships, the plain tracts along the fringes at the foot of the hills came to be included in the many Zamindari Estates, which eventually developed into fewer but larger complexes. During the mediaeval era and the Mughal period, the more important estates bordering the Garo Hills were Karaibari, Kalimalupara, Mechpara and Habraghat in Rongpur district, Susang and Sherput in Mymensing district of Bengal and Bijini in the Eastern Duars. Early records describe the Garos as being in a state of intermittent conflict with Zamindars of these large estates.
Modern Period
The contact between the British and the Garos started towards the close of the 18th Century after the British East India Company had secured the Diwani of Bengal from the Mughal Emperor. Consequently, all the estates bordering upon Garo Hills, which for all practical purposes had been semi-independent were brought under the control of the British.
Though political control had passed from the Mughals to the British, the latter, like Mughals, had no desire to control the Estates or their tributaries directly. The Zamindars were not disturbed in the internal management of their estates. In fact, they were entrusted, as they had been by the Mughals, with the responsibility of keeping the hill Garos in check with help of their retainers. Thus in the beginning, the intermittent conflict between the Zamindars and the Garos went on unabated until the situation deteriorated to the extent that the British were forced to take notice. This development led ultimately to the annexation of the Garo Hills in 1873. Captain Williamson was the first Deputy Commissioner of the unified district. The district was bifurcated into two districts viz. East Garo Hills and West Garo Hills districts in October 1979.
The Garos constitute the majority in the East Garo Hills district as is evident from the name of the district. The district also is home for a sizeable population of Rabhas, Hajongs, Koches, Dalus, Banais and Boros.
The Garos are the second largest tribe after the Khasis in Meghalaya. The Garos refer to themselves as A'chik or Mande and their language belongs to the Bodo branch of the Bodo-Naga-Kachin family of Sino Tibetan phylum. The Garos are distributed over the three Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya, the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh and the Kamrup, Goalpara and Karbi-Anglong districts of Assam. They are also scatterred in a few numbers in Tripura and Nagaland.
Since the Garos are scattered far and wide, and since these scattered units were in isolation from each other over time, they have developed their own separate identities and dialects. Still, features like their traditional political setup, social institutions, marriage systems, inheritance of properties, religion and beliefs are common between these groups. Moreover, these groups are endogamous generally. The various dialect groups that comprises the Garos are the Ambeng, Atong, Akawe (or Awe), Duals, Matchi, Matabengs, Chibok, Chisak Megam or Lyngngam, Ruga, Gara-Ganching. The most significant difference is that between the groups who live closer to the plains and the hill dwellers who constitute the remaining groups. The Garos of the hills practice slash-and-burn agriculture or jhum-cultivation while the Garo of the plains practice wet-rice agriculture and live in a cultural and ecological environment entirely different from that of the Garo of the hills
The Garo Society
The Garo society is entirely a casteless society. It is matrilineal and inheritance is through the mother. All children, as soon as they are born, belong to their mother’s Ma’Chong, whence Dalton’s Term "motherhood". Inheritance of property among the Garos is generally linked with matrimonial relations, and although men may have no property to pass on, they have an important say in deciding to whom it should pass. The hieress is generally, the youngest daughter or the Nokna. If the nokna is unmarried, as she often is, since selection generally takes place before she get married, the father will try to get a young man from his own lineage, commonly the son of his own sister, as the husband of the heiress. The nokna's husband is called the Nokrom.
The Garos live in semi-permanent villages varying in size from 10 to 60 houses. Village populations rarely exceed 300. There are five named, exogamous, matrilineal phratries called chatchi. Only two of these, Sangma and Marak, are found throughout. The other three viz. Momin, Shira & Arengh are not widely distributed. The phratries are divided into many named, matrilineal sibs, each of which is restricted to a specific locality. The sibs are divided into unnamed lineages referred to as mahari. Each village is built around one or two of these lineages, and most of the lineage women, with their husbands, live in the village, as do some of the men with their wives. One household is usually considered to be the most senior, and the other houses are thought to have branched out from it. This household holds all the village land, and the husband of the heiress is considered to be the headman of the village or the Nokma.
Historically, the Garos did not own land - whatever land they hold in possession, they do so without any ownership documents and the land belonged to the tribe as a collective property, cultivated under a cooperative system. Theoretically, land is owned by the Nokma, and new sections are distributed among the households each year. Among the hill Garos, all subsistence is based on jhum cultivation. Dry rice is the primary crop, and millet is also important. In addition, bananas, papaya, maize, manioc, taro, squash, large-pod beans, sorrel, gourds, and many other vegetables are grown to supplement the diet. Important cash crops are cotton, chili peppers, and ginger. Wet rice has been grown more recently in some of the low areas, and this has changed the land tenure system to one of individual ownership, a situation which has had profound implications for the social structure.
Religion
The Garos traditionally follow their own religion known as Songsarek, which has roots in agriculture. They also have a belief system with an underlying principle of fear and dread of the supernatural powers, which led many scholars and researchers to wrongly think that the Garos are animists. The Songsarek belief is presided over by the Godhead known as “Dakgipa Rugipa Stugipa Pantugipa or Tatara Rabuga Stura Pantura”, or the Creator. Saljong is another deity which is more intimately concerned with human affairs. He is basically a sun god, the source of all gifts to mankind. Saljong is honoured with the Wangala celebrations. Another benign deity is Chorabudi, the protector of crops. The first fruits of the fields are offered to him. He is also honoured with a pig sacrifice whenever sacrifices are offered to Tatara-Rabuga.
Living so close to nature, the early Garo people the world around them with a multitude of spirits called mite, some of them good and some of them capable of harming human beings for any lapses they might commit. Appropriate sacrifices are offered to them as occasions demand.
In all religious ceremonies, sacrifices were essential for the propitiation of the spirits. They had to be invoked for births, marriages, deaths, illness, besides for the good crops and welfare of the community and for protection from destructions and dangers. The Garos also show reverence to their ancestors by offering food to the departed souls and by erection of memorial stones.
Like other religions, the Songsarek religion ascribes to every human being the possession of a spirit that remains with him throughout his lifetime and leaves the body at death. There appears to be a belief in reincarnation, people being reborn into a lower or higher form of life according to their conduct in their lifetime. The greatest blessing a Garo looks forward to is to be reborn as a human being in his or her original ma'chong or family unit.
The Garo normally do use many ornaments. The common ones are string of beads and earring worn both by men and women. The latter ornaments are considered to be very essentials as they serve as guarantees of the safe journey of the soul to the other world, being offered to the spirit Nawang should he try prevent the soul from going to the land of the dead.
The Garo prefer simple food. They gradually avoid spiced food, and usually with rice they take boiled meat and vegetables. They boil this curry quite plainly, adding a kind of alkaline Kalchi vegetable "salt " to it just as it comes to the boil. It has been suggested that this practice account for the comparatively low incidence of gastric ailments in these hills
Amusement & Festivities
There are no organized games a such among the Garos, though this does not imply that they have nothing to amuse themselves with. Games are generally played occasionally. Jumping contests and other competitions are indulged in more as tests of strength. The young males, members of the Nokpantes or Bachelor’s Dormitories, may organize themselves into groups and engage in such contests as the wa’pong sika, the Garo version of the tug-of-war, in which a stout bamboo pole replaces the rope and the contesting teams try to push each other beyond a marked line instead of pulling. Again, the villages may turn out in strength to take part in communal fishing.
The common and regular festivities are, of course, those connected with agricultural operations. Greatest among Garo festivals is the Wangala which is more a celebration of thanksgiving after harvest in which Saljong, the God who provides mankind with Nature’s bounties and ensures their prosperity, is honoured. There is no fixed date for the celebration, this varying from village to village, but usually, the Wangala is celebrated in October. Preparations take place well before the date; items of food are among the first to be collected.
The Nokma of the village takes the responsibility to see that all arrangements are in order. Rituals in his house and in the individual fields precede the feasting at which guests are literally force-fed by the hosts. A large quantity of food and rice-beer must be prepared well ahead. The climax of the celebrations is the colourful Wangala dance in which men and women take part in their best clothes. Lines are formed by males and females separately and to the rhythmic beat of drums and gongs and blowing of horns by the males, both group shuffle forward in parallel lines.
Variety is added by the performance of a skilled dancer who ties a large fruit to the end of a string about half a metre in length and by a skilful manipulation of his body sets it swinging round and round behind him. This part of the dance usually wins enthusiastic applause.
| Civil Sub-Divisions | 1 (One) Civil Sub-Division Resubelpara Civil Sub-Division |
|---|---|
| C&RD Blocks | 3 (Three) C&RD Blocks Dambo-Rongjeng C&RD Block Samanda C&RD Block Songsak C&RD Block |
| Revenue Villages | 891 (Eight Hundred & Ninety-One |
| Parliamentary Constituencies | 1 (One) Entire district falls under 2-Tura (ST) Parliamentary Constituency |
| Assembly Constituencies | 7 (Seven) Assembly Constituecies 38-Rongrenggiri (ST) Assembly Constituency 39-Rongjeng (ST) Assembly Constituency 40-Kharkutta (ST) Assembly Constituency 41-Mendipathar(ST) Assembly Constituency 42-Resubelpara (ST) Assembly Constituency 43-Songsak (ST) Assembly Constituency 44-Bajengdoba (ST) Assembly Constituency |
| Autonomous District Council Constituencies | 7 (Seven) ADC Constituencies |
| Urban Level Bodies | 2 (Two) Urban Level Bodies Williamnagar Municipality Resubelpara Municipality |
Agriculture is the mainstay of about 90 percent of the population and rice is the most important of the food crops grown in the districts, both in the pains areas where it is grown in wet paddy fields and in the hill areas where it is chiefly grown on jhum fields. Even here, the deteriorating condition of jhum lands and, on the other hand, the awareness of the comparative advantage of wet rice cultivation particularly After the introduction of high-yield varieties has induced a number of farmers in the hill areas to turn away from jhumming.
The major crops raised in the Garo hills are paddy, maize, jute, mesta, cotton, ginger and mustard. Wheat is grown but because of the low demand, much of the yield goes to markets outside the districts.
Subsidiary crops are millet, pulses, potatoes, sesamum, chillis, turmeric, arhar, tobacco, tapioca, sweet potato and soya bean.
Vegetables grown included pumpkin, gourd, cucumber, brinjal, onion, peas, carrot, melon, radish, squash, turnip, garlic, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, knol-khol, tomato, etc.
Fruits included papaya, pineapple, orange, pomelo, jack-fruit, litchi, mango, pears, sapota, cashewnuts, bananas, etc. coconut and areca nut are also grown widely.
The increased demand for jute, mesta, mustard, ginger, cotton, rubber and other cash crops has also encouraged farmers to increase the area of cultivation for these crops. Improved road communication and marketing facilities as well as improved methods of cultivation and crop protection have also contributed to the increase in the production of food and cash crops, though these advantages have been offset in certain cases by scarcity of good cultivatable land and fluctuations in the market prices of some items.
The department of Agriculture has come forward with several schemes designed to increased food production, chiefly those involving distribution oh high yield varieties and improved varieties of seed, better soil and water management and plant protection measure
Horticulture
Due to widespread practice of shifting cultivation and deforestation, the Agriculture Department has taken up Horticulture in the district as the topmost priority.
The important fruit crops of the district are oranges, pineapple, litchi, banana, jackfruit and other citrus fruits. Important plantation crops are arecanut, cashewnut, coconut, tea, black pepper, bayleaf, betel leaf and rubber.
The East Garo Hills District with its undulating topography and high intensity of rainfall, suffers acute erosion problem and ecosystem degradation. The problem is further compounded by unscientific agricultural practices such as jhumming/shifting cultivation on steep slopes, rampant deforestation, burning etc., which has resulted in degradation of land and water resources. With a view to reduce the process, the Government of Meghalaya, through the Soil Conservation Directorate, has taken and is taking up variety of measures that would conserve and protect and which would also make the people aware of the fact that their age-old practices are responsible for the abrupt changes in the ecosystem in this pocket of our globe.
To combat the harmful effects of jhumming, the Soil Conservation Directorate has taken up a major Scheme called the "Jhummia Rehabilitation Scheme", which is designed to offer an alternative method of food production, which would also improve the socio-economic condition of the people of this District.
Apart from the aforesaid major Scheme, the Directorate of Soil Conservation has other Schemes as the former is effectively implemented in the worst jhum affected areas and are briefed as follows.
- Watershed Management Scheme - in different catchments areas.
- Cash/Horticulture Crops Development.
- General Schemes.
The component of works under each scheme are identical; Land Development Programme – terracing, contour bunding, stream bank erosion control, land reclamation, water harvesting, conservation & distribution, irrigation & check dams, gully plugging, afforestation etc., and are being implemented by the Territorial Division.
And in regard of Cash/Horticultural Crops Development Schemes, a separate Division called the "Cash Crop Division" under the same Directorate is carrying out the implementation of works.
Irrigation has so far played only a minimal role in agriculture in the Garo Hills. The topography itself makes alignment and construction of channels difficult and comparatively costly. However, even in areas where the lay of the land is more favourable, irrigation is confined to areas bordering rivers and streams. Farmers in the hills have traditionally depended upon rainfall, the months of heavy rainfall being May to September. The abundant supply of rain during the growing season reduces the dependence on artificial alternatives, except during the brief dry spell before the monsoons. Wherever irrigation is feasible, the Department of Agriculture as well as the Soil Conservation Department has taken up a number of small-scale irrigation schemes and more are being investigated, especially to meet the needs of farmers in areas where double cropping is in vogue.
The economy of the East Garo Hills district is basically agrarian and rural based. Agriculture is the mainstay of about 90 percent of the population of East Garo Hills and most earn their livings directly or indirectly from agriculture. Traditionally, agriculture in the district is mostly of food crops and it is only in the recent years that cash crops agriculture is gaining popularity. There is a great potential for Agro-based industries in the district. Rice is the most important food crop that is grown in the district, both in the plains and i the hills. Other food crops that are widely grown in the district is tapioca or manoic, yam, maize and millet. The district produces substantial quantities of fruits like oranges, pineapples, bananas and jackfruit and spices like chillies, ginger, tumeric and bay leaves. In recent years there has been an increase in the coverage of plantation crops like rubber, coffee, tea, cashew nuts. The latest horticultural introduction is vanilla vines. There is also scope for floriculture to flourish, due to favourable climate enabling low cost cultivation. The district is ideal for growing orchids and tropical blooms like anthurium and bird of paradise (Strelitzia Reginae). However, the market potential for flowers is still at it's nascent, developmental stage.
Although the economy of the state is largely agrarian, agriculture and agro-based industries has not been fully exploited in the district. There is tremendous potential for investment and development in food processing and ample scope for setting up a viable large scale fruit processing units in the district. Besides agriculture, a small part of the economy is occupied in small-scale industries such as sericulture & weaving, animal husbandry and dairy farming, carpentry & bamboo-working, brick-making, etc. Mining is another important industry. The district has fairly large reserves of coal, limestone and clay.
The Garos have a tradition of self-sufficiency in many of the articles of everyday use, which have in time become part of their material culture. Among these may be mentioned their textile, their pottery, their basketry and the products of a large number of other crafts.
Their environment has been a generous provided. The forests provide an almost limitless quantity of timber, bamboo and cane, which are so necessary for their dwellings or for household articles. Their fields yield cotton for their yarn.
A brief account of the industries that flourish in the district is given below:
Weaving
Weaving is one of the most important vocations in the economic life of the Garos. The Garo Hills have for long produced short-stapled cotton and the weavers of Garo Hills are known for their exquisite skill in weaving various types of fabrics.
The principal products still are the Dakmanda and Daksaria. These are famous for their texture and their variegated colourful designs.Besides these, the artisians also produce other articles like gamchas, bed covers etc. Training centers for artisan weavers are located at Tura, Resubelpara, Baghmara, Williamnagar and Shyamnagar (Phulbari) in all the three districts of Garo Hills.
Sericulture
Sericulture can be a very important source of subsidiary income for those families which are engaged in shifting cultivation, provided they can be persuaded to take up settled agriculture. Mulberry and other plants suitable for rearing Eri and Muga Silkworms grow well in the Garo Hills though most of the plantations are in the interior hills and forests. The Eri silk-growing centers are located at Samanda and the Muga silk-growing centers at A’dokgre. Like the cotton industry, this industry also faces problems as dearth of trained technical personnel, inadequate landholdings and dearth of rearing accommodation for individual silk-worm rearers and absence of research facilities.
Handicrafts
Garos are well known in north-east India for their handicrafts and textiles, specially for handloom industries. However, they produce only for local consumption and not in large scale. Most of the Garo handicrafts are Am (Mat), Kera or Kok (Conical basket), Ruan (winnowing fan), Gitchera (winnowing net), Chokki (chair), and domestic items such as Bamboo-spoon, rice stick, bamboo mug etc. The household furniture are made out of cane, bamboo and wood
Cottage Industries
Some other types of industries in which people in the districts engage themselves are described below:
Carpentry, Bee-Keeping, Cane and Bamboo Work, Pottery, Pulse Processing, Black smithy etc.
Bamboo is used by Garo farmers in making borangs, watchtowers from which they guard their crops from wild animals and thieves.
Role of Industrial Cooperatives
At present there are 20 Industrial Cooperative Societies and 6 Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Societies in Garo Hills Districts. The industrial cooperative societies as voluntary organizations of artisans and craftsmen seek to promote and develop the economic and cultural interest of their members. The main objectives of these societies are to provide for members economic facilities for obtaining raw materials, equipment and other requirements for the smooth running of their industries, to organize the industrial activities of members so that the maximum output is obtained with the minimum of effort, to give technical advice and assistance and to provide training facilities, to maintain the highest possible standard of work and design, to arrange disposal of finished product in most profitable manner as well as to provide finance to the members for industrial expansion.
Mineral Wealth
Limestone
Limestone is the main raw material required for production of cement. Rich limestone deposits occur in a narrow but continuous belt in the Garo Hill from Athabeng in the East through Siju to Dapri Garure, west of Tura. But the largest deposit of limestone lies near Siju Arteka and Siju Songmong in the Simsang valley. In addition, a few isolated deposits are to be near Rongrenggre Jarkhare, Rongthek and Darrang-Era-Aning in the West Darranggre coal field.
Coal
The Coal of Garo Hills can be utilized for smokeless domestic coke and for a fertilizer project. The non-cooking coal is available in the west Darranggre coalfield.
Pozzolana Cement
Lithomargic clay and dry hydrated limestone is available in Nongalbibra and Siju respectively.
The Lime Burnt Clay Pozzolana mixture (L.B.C.P.M) can be used for making masonry motar and plaster building blocks, etc., as foundation concrete in levelling courses under floors, for soil stablization in the construction of roads and airfields, as pavement base as well as for other sundry purposes. It cannot, however be used for reinforced concrete work. The Burnt Clay Pozzolana when ground without the addition of lime may be used as partial replacement for cement (upto 25% by weight) in the cement and motar and concrete work.
Clay Kaolin
Important clay deposit are concentrated in the central parts of Garo Hills. Of the inferred reserves of clay in the State which are over 80 million tonnes, the major occurance is in the Garo Hills. Recent detailed investigations and ceramic tests on this clay have shown that most of the samples range from high-heat duty to super heat duty refactory clay suitable for making refactory bricks. This clay can be fruitfully utilised for producing crockery, sanitaryware, insulator, stoneware, pipes, tiles, white-ware, etc. This clay can be used even in the manufacture of aluminium sulphate. The huge amount of Lithomargic fireclay which is likely to be mined along with the coal in the Simsang Colliery Project in the Garo Hills should favour the setting up of a refactory brick industry in the area.
Kaolin or China clay can be extracted by washing Kaolinized rocks. The deposits of Kaolinized rocks in the state yield 20% of Kaolin the quality of which may be compared with best Kaolin deposits any where else in the world. The Kaolin thus obtained is found suitable in the manufacture of high quality chinaware and porcelainware. Kaolin can also be used in the paper and rubber industries. Important Kaolin deposits are found in Darugre
- Railhead: Guwahati is the nearest railhead and is well-connected to the rest of the country.
- Airport: Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport of Guwahati is the nearest airport from where the district can be reached by bus or car.
- Road Transport: Daily buses connect Williamnagar with Shillong, Guwahati & Tura. Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) runs a regular bus service between Williamnagar & Shillong. There are numerous buses and taxi services from Tura to Williamnagar. A daily night bus service from Guwahati to Williamnagar is also available. There are also several bus services to other places in the district like Mendipathar / Resubelpara & Nongalbibra from Williamnagar & Guwahati.
- Accomodation: There are very few hotels in the district for the tourist. However, there are quite a number of Government Guest Houses and accommodations.
- Best Season to Travel: September to May.
East Garo Hills being a land-locked, hilly terrain with sparse population, means of communication has not developed much. There are no railway heads and airports within the district and the rivers here are also not navigable. The road network too is quite under-developed with a road-length density of only 19.86 km per 100 sq. kms. However, the district headquarter is connected to the neighbouring district headquarters of Tura, Baghmara and Nongstoin and the the state capital, Shillong. The road network also connects it with Guwahati and Goalpara in Assam.
The nearest railway station is Guwahati in Assam. The nearest airport is the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport of Guwahati which is well connected by air with New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. The Guwahati railway station is about 182 kms., while the airport is about 165 kms. from Williamnagar by road. There is a daily helicopter service by Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, under the aegis of the Government of Meghalaya, from the airport connecting Guwahati with Shillong & Tura, the district headquarter of West Garo Hills which is just about 76 kms away from Williamnagar. Tura is very well connected with Williamnagar and other destinations in East Garo Hills by buses and taxi services. Williamnagar has a helipad, but there is no helicopter service plying here at present.
Two National Highways pass through the district, forming the backbone of the road communication in the district. The Paikan-Tura-Dalu highway passes through a little distance in the north-western part of the district and the Dudhnoi-Siju-Baghmara road passes through the eastern part of the district. Both these highways run north to south and both highways connects with NH 37 in Assam. The district also has a network of state highways and roads that connects important places within the district with the above mentioned national highways.
There are several places in Garo Hills that can be developed for tourism. Some of them are of historical importance; others are important because of their association with the cultural traditions of the Garo people and many of them again have deservedly earned fame for their scenic beauty. Much of the area still remain untouched, retaining almost intact the original flora and fauna which should have more of the attention of the scientists, or even the ordinary lover of Nature. Tourism. If properly developed, could be a potentially rich source of revenue to the district as well as to the State.
Ta'sek Lake
Formed by River Damring during the Great Earthquake of 1897, this lake was believed to be the habitat of a huge water serpent called Sangkini by the locals. Located near Songsak block, just off the Darugiri-Songsak road, this beautiful, natural inland lake is a popular picnic spot and camping site. The lake has an immense potential for pisciculture.
Rong’bang Falls
Locally known as Rong’bang dare, this waterfall is situated 25 miles away from Tura on the Tura- Williamnagar Road, a little beyong Rombagre village. It is a tributary of the Simsang River which can be seen from this road but the real beauty and magnitude of it can be experienced when one goes down to the place at the bottom of the waterfalls.
This Sprightly fall, though perennial, is at its best during the monsoon months. It presents motorists driving from Asanangre towards Williamnagar, a romantic visual of lasting satisfaction. Although the fall is located about crow-flight kilometres away from the highway, the width and depth of the falls are enough to make it clearly visible and a sheer delight. Clustered on either side by vast evergreen hills of bamboo’s which sway, leaving the viewer with memories of ecstatic joy.
Domre Falls
Located just off the Williamnagar-Songsak road, near Dadengpara, this pleasant looking waterfalls is small and is only of moderate size during monsoon. Although it's not far off the road, it is nestled deep in the thick jungle and steep hillside and is not easily reached for a vantage view.
Mokma Dare
Located at Mejolgre village, this beautiful waterfalls falls from a great height and makes a deafening sound.
A few of the more important places are described in the following paragraphs:
Dainadubi
This thriving village is situated on the banks of the Manda river, a few kilometers from the Trunk Road leading to Goalpara town some 60 kms to the west. It has a Post Office, a Dispensary, a Veterinary Hospital and a Police Station. The weekly market is held on every Thursday at Damra which is 1 km away.
Mendipathar
The village is situated in northern Garo Hills on the banks of the Damring or Krishnai River. It is situated some six kilometers away from the Community Development Block headquarters at Resubelpara. It has a post office, a dispensary, a veterinary hospital, a police station, a telephone exchange and an inspection bungalow. A thriving market is held here every Saturday.
Nongalbibra
This important place is situated near the confluence of the Nongal and the Simsang Rivers in East Garo Hills District.
There are rich deposits of coal in and around this place. The place is electrified. Both mining and electrical undertakings are being undertaken by the Government and progress has, as a result, been fast. A Hospital and a Post Office are located here.
Naphak or Napak
It is situated about 6 km away from Songsak, the headquarters of the Songsak Development Block. The local Inspection Bungalow stands close to a beautiful lake called Ta sek Wari, on the most beautiful natural lakes found in the Garo Hills. The lake which is located in the middle of the village is very wide and deep. It was formed by the damming up of part of the upper reaches of the Krishnai during the great earthquake of 1897. Through the very clear water, stumps of trees long submerged can be seen. There are many varieties of fish in this lake which people have begun to catch for their own consumption having thrown away all their former superstitious dread that whoever caught fish from the lake would be afflicted with sickness and die. Local people say that the lake is a habitat of a large water serpent which is called Sangkni. The lake has long been a popular resort for the many tourists who regularly visit it to enjoy its beauty.
Nongchram
This large village is situated on the Khasi Hills border in the eastern part of East Garo Hills District. It is 6 kilometers away from Rongjeng, the headquarters of the Dambo-Rongjeng Development Block. With the establishment of the Meghalaya Bamboo Chips factory here, the village has started growing steadily. Since bamboos grow abundantly in the whole of Garo Hills, the chipping unit is expected to maintain a regular flow of its produce for the foreseeable future.
Rajasimla
Located in the north-eastern corner of the district, Rajasimla is one of the earliest villages to be visited by the American Missionaries in the early years of the last century.
The name Rajasimla was given to this place to commemorate the treaty between the Rajah or Zamindar of Bijni and the villagers which recognized this particular spot as the boundary between the territory of the Rajah and the independent Garo villages.
The place is of particular interest to Garo Christians because it was here that the American Baptist Missionaries laid the foundation of a church on 14th April, 1867. Prior to this the Missionaries had gained two converts, uncle and nephew, named Omed and Ramke who were baptized by dr. Miles Gronson on 8th February, 1863, at Sukhleswar Ghat in Gauhati. These two persons worked actively to spread the Christian message and also opened a school in Damra. The School at Rajasimal was opened later.
At present, Rajasimla has one High School, a Hospital and a Veterinary Hospital. It serves as a base for socio-cultural contacts among all the surrounding villages and here such plays as Kalsin-Sonatchi, Serejing Wal’jan and other dramas are regularly staged. Local theatres are still in a formative stage and need time to develop, but the local people deserve credits for their talents in this art form.
Resubelpara
This important village is located in the northern part of the district. It is the headquarters of the Resubelpara Development Block. It has a Post Office, a Hospital and Veterinary Hospital as well as a number of Government Offices. It also has a Government Aided School and a Government Aided Girls’ High School as well as a Basic Training Centre for Lower Primary School Teachers.
Williamnagar
It is the district headquarters of East Garo Hills. Williamnagar is situated on the upper reaches of the Simsang River, and for this reason it was originally called Simsanggre, the name being changed in 1976 to Williamnagar, after the name of the first Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Captain Williamson Sangma.
The presence of an a ‘sim or salt-lick nearby still attracts many kinds of wild animals. Surrounding thick jungles provide an ideal haunt for wild animals like elephants and tigers.
This place is becoming an important center for cultural, educational and socio-economical activities. The rural people of surrounding areas are also provided with agricultural training facilities.
The township has one Civil Hospital, a Veterinary Hospital, a Post Office, a Telephone Exchange and a Police Station.
As Williamnagar is the district headquarters, major offices are being established here together with accommodation for the government staff serving here. The government Circuit House and the District Council Inspection Bungalow overlook the beautiful Simsang River.
Bus services ply daily between the township and other places within the Garo Hills and outside. One such service connects Williamnagar to Shillong. The service may use the alternative route via Nongstoin in West Khasi Hills in the event of floods in the plains.
As a planned town, it has the advantage that older towns in Meghalaya do not have, which give a better look and a better layout to it.
The land is very fertile and suitable for horticultural products of various kinds.
Rongrenggiri
Located on the left bank of the River Simsang close to Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills, Rongrengiri and its environs are covered with tall, elegant and mature Sal trees which constitute the Rongrengiri Reserve Forest covering an are of over thirty six square kilometers. During the British Expedition to annex Garo Hills to British India, they faced the last major Garo resistance to their intrusion at Rongrengiri. After days of seize, they succeeded on 12th December 1837 to fell the Garo Warrior Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma who led the Garos, at Chisobibra near Rongrengiri. This broke the Garo resistance and the British annexed Garo Hills with ease. A simple Memorial to Pa Togan has been erected at Chisobibra within Rongrengiri Reserve Forest. A function to commemorate the fallen martyr Pa Togan, is held annually at the site of the Memorial, on the anniversary of his martyrdom.
Rongrengiri is ten kilometres off Williamnagar on the Tura- Asanangre-williamnagar state Highway. At Rongrengiri, the River Simsang provides an excellent spot for anglers to try their hand for big as well as small catch.
Wildlife lovers will find flocks of Imperial-Pigeons grazing for calcinates, on the sandy banks of the Simsang River, at Chisobibra.
Darugiri
Alongside the Dudhnoi- Damra-Darugiri-Baghmara road, at Darugiri, one comes across a vast expanse of Reserve Forest, covering an area of approximately ten-and-a-half square kilometres. This is the Darugiri Reserve Forest set up towards the close of nineteenth century. The Reserve forest located between Songsak and Rongjeng consist of mature Sal plantations which stand elegant and tall, spreading an eternal canopy of emerald green over vast areas with very little undergrowth except their smooth, tall trunks which look like pillars set to uphold and bear the weighty canopy of Sal foliage, above.
On the periphery of the Reserve Forest, at Darugiri, is the century old Darugiri forest Rest House, still maintained in its original state of simple rustic opulence, yet enough to meet the requirement of officials and visitors who frequent the place in search of all things natural that a mature Reserve Forest can offer.
The Darugiri Reserve Forest-a naturalists’ paradise, to be sure.
