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Adventure of George in Shillong - Short Story

Enjoy the short story based in Shillong

Mr. George Stevenson from New York, USA had come to Shillong for his research on that hill station. He is living in a hotel at Shillong named Hotel Shillong. He has a guide named Ram Das who told him, “This is northeastern portion of our country and it is Meghalaya’s capital. It indicates abode of clouds. This has been the district of East Khasi Hills. Shillong has been 330th city in terms of population in India.” George asked, “What is the population?” Mr. Das said, “It is 143,229 as per 2011 census. This has been like the Scotland. It is named as "Scotland of the East".

Mr. George said, “Shillong is growing in terms of size and it is the civil station of Khasi along with Jaintia Hills around 1864 by the rulers of British. In 1874, Assam has been formed which is the province of the Chief Commissioner. They are the headquarters of new administration due to the location between Surma and Brahmaputra. They are amazing valleys. I read some facts in the guide books of Shillong.”

Mr. Das said, “Shillong has been quite cool rather than tropical India. Shillong had been capital of Assam in undivided state. Meghalaya has been formed on January 21, 1972. Shillong had turned out to be Meghalaya’s capital. Assam had turned out to be capital for Dispur in Guwahati area.”

Mr. George asked, “ Tell me more about Shillong!”

Mr. Das said, “David Scott has been a British civil servant under East India Company. This was Agent of that Governor-General North East Frontier. At the time of First Anglo-Burmese War, there were authorities of British who had the requirement for road to join the Assam and Sylhet. The route had come across Jaintia and Khasi Hills.”

Mr. George asked, “ Can you tell me about the Khasi uprising?”

Mr. Das said, “The khasis have been against the occupation of the foreigners of that land. It started in 1829 and it went on upto January 1833. There were confederate chiefs of Khasi. We cannot match their power with the British rulers!”

Mr. George asked, “ Is there any negotiation for surrender?”

Mr. Das said, “David Scott had made a negotiation for the surrender of Khasi leader’s resistance. Tirot Sing was taken towards Dhaka. The goal was detention. In the year 1874, there was Chief Commissionership which has been created in Shillong for administration.”

Mr. George asked, “I heard that Shillong was part of Assam until 1969? Is it true?”

Mr. Das said, “Yes, there was Meghalaya which was autonomous. In 1972, Meghalaya became a new state.”

Mr. George asked, “ I came to know about earthquake at Shillong. Is it true?”

Mr. Das replied, “ Yes! There was an earthquake which happened in 12 June 1897. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 8.1. About 27 people died in Shillong and most of the Shillong town had been destroyed.”

Mr. George asked, “What are the names of the hills around Shillong?”

Mr. Das replied, “They are Lum Sohpetbneng, Lum Diengiei, and Lum Shillong.”

Mr. George asked, “How to reach Shillong?

Mr. Das replied, “It is 100 km from Guwahati and you can take NH 40 and the time taken is 2 hours 30 minutes across the green hills.”

Mr. George asked, “Mr. Das, can you take me for a tour around Shillong? What are the popular sites?”

Mr. Das replied, “ They are elephant falls, Lady Hydari Park, Wards Lake, Shillong Golf Course, Mortphran, Shillong Peak, Capt. Williamson Sangma State Museum, Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, Wankhar Entomological Museum, Beadon Falls, Spread Eagle Falls, etc.”

Mr. George replied, “ Lets go and watch each and every spot. I will make a documentary video on each one of them. “

Mr. Das replied. “ Sure! You are welcome!”

More By  :  Prof. Pratanu Banerjee


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