SHILLONG:
Meghalaya is blessed with an abundance of natural beauties be it the flora and fauna or its caves and waterfalls, most of which have stories linked to them. One such place is the Garden of Caves, which is located around 10 km from Laitryngew and close to the village of Laitmawsiang. It is said that the garden was once used by the first King of Sohra as a refuge from assassins.
The Garden of Caves or Ka Bri Ki Synrang is a series of hollows, rock under-hangs and waterfalls located within a Khlaw Ri-Raid – a protected forest for the people in Sohra. The custodian of this particular Khlaw (forest) is the Lyngdoh clan of Sohra and as such has come to be known locally as Ka Khlaw Lyngdoh.
The actual word for caves in Khasi is krem, while synrang refers to hollows or rock under-hangs that are formed by outcroppings of rocks and boulders. These under-hangs are used as shelters and are extremely popular for hiding from both the summer sun and the relentless monsoons in the region.
According to the stories of old, the Kingdom or state of Sohra was founded after a period of many battles that were waged between the people of Mawphu and Laitnïam. To avoid more bloodshed, the surrounding provinces of Khatar Shnong (12 Villages), Khathynriew Shnong (16 Villages) and Ki Lai Shnong (3 Villages) came together to form a new Hima (Kingdom/State).
As with the formation of most Kingdoms, war and strife continued for a period, and it was at this time that the first King of Sohra – Buhsing Syiem and his second, Basan Swer, used the synrang, which had a network of passageways, to evade and take refuge from assassins. It is said that he used this time to ponder about the future of his new Kingdom and the alliances he needed to forge, to ensure that his line continued for generations to come.
The Site
Surrounded by a dense forest, the Garden of Caves is situated in a 2.5 hectare property and it comprises seven places of interest, namely, Ka Synrang Syiem or the King’s cave, Sum Syiem Falls or The Waterfall of Kings, Ki Stieh Maw, which are shields made of flat rocks. The site also includes U Mawdohnud, which is a heart-shaped natural carving found on a rock face, U Mawkhyllung, another natural carving along the side of a rock, shaped like a foetus, and the Arsdad Falls and Riat Umlwai Falls.
Unlike other places that see a huge tourist footfall, the lesser known Garden of Caves still offers people a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Story and pictures curated from Instagram account The Adventures of Mr Biped/mr_biped