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BREAKING NEWS:Debate with me: Owaisi on Amit Shah's CAA challenge.The Union home minister had challenged Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Singh and others to hold a public debate with him on CAA..AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he wants Amit Shah to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Act with him instead of others, after the Union home minister issued a challenge to several politicians such as Rahul Gandhi for a public debate on the contentious law.At a rally in Lucknow in support of the CAA on Tuesday, Shah had said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will not be withdrawn and those protesting can continue to do so even as he challenged Opposition leaders for a public debate on the amended legislation.Accusing the Opposition of "misleading" people on the amended citizenship law, Shah threw the challenge for the debate to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati.Addressing a rally in Karimnagar district on Tuesday night ahead of the municipal polls on January 25, Owaisi said, "I am here..debate with me.. why (debate) with these people.. 'Daadi wale se karo na' (Debate with a bearded man). We will talk and debate on CAA, NPR and NRC."The CAA allows citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains who entered India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 after facing religious persecution. Muslim migrants don't figure on this list.The AIMIM chief hit out at the BJP over renaming of places, while mentioning about the 'Halwa' ceremony ahead of the Union budget."BJP says it will change names. I want to ask from where did the word halwa originate? It is an Arabic word. It is neither Hindi nor Urdu (word). now remove the Arabic word.. They (BJP) say they will (continue to) change names. Inshallah people of the country will change you," the Hyderabad MP said adding "remember I am not halwa.. I am lal mirchi (red chilli)."Meanwhile, the AIMIM has requested the Telangana State Election Commission not to use face recognition app being used on pilot basis in the polls for urban local bodies, alleging that it would invade the privacy of the citizens, among other violations.
BREAKING NEWS:SC refuses to stay CAA, gives Centre 4 weeks to respondA 5-judge Constitution bench will hear the petitions..The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the Centre four weeks to respond to pleas challenging the validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and said it will set up a five-judge Constitution bench to hear the petitions.While making it clear that it will not grant any stay on the CAA without hearing the Centre, a bench headed by Chief Justice S. A. Bobde restrained all high courts from hearing pleas on CAA till it decides the petitions.The bench said it will hear petitions pertaining to Assam and Tripura separately as the problem with CAA in these two states is different from rest of the country."The petitions concerning Assam and Tripura as well as matters related to Uttar Pradesh, which is going ahead with the implementation of CAA without framing any rules, can be dealt with separately," the court said.Attorney-general K. K. Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that the government has been given copies of around 60 pleas out of the 143 petitions.He said it wanted time to respond to pleas which have not been served to it.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the bench to put on hold operation of CAA and postpone exercise of the National Population Register (NPR) for the time being.The court said it will not grant any stay on CAA without hearing the Centre on the matter."Will pass order on granting any interim relief to petitioner opposing CAA after four weeks," the bench said.The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014.President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on December 12 last year, turning it into an act.Several petitions have been filed challenging the constitutional validity of the CAA, including by RJD leader Manoj Jha, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.Several other petitioners include Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, All Assam Students Union (AASU), Peace Party, CPI, NGOs 'Rihai Manch' and Citizens Against Hate, advocate M L Sharma, and law students have also approached the apex court challenging the Act.
GOOD EVENING:Shah rules out rethink on citizenship act..The home minister described the protests as a conspiracy..The Narendra Modi government does not care about the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and will pay no heed to them, the home minister said on Tuesday.“I have come to proclaim this today from Lucknow’s soil that whoever wants to oppose can oppose it, the Citizenship Amendment Bill is not going to be taken back,” home minister Amit Shah told a rally at Ashiyana in south Lucknow on Tuesday.About 18km away, at Ghanta Ghar, a round-the-clock dharna led by women entered its fifth day.On Saturday night, police had snatched the women’s blankets, mattresses, biscuits and water. On Monday, they booked 125 of them for defying prohibitory orders. But around 5,000 women and children were at the vigil on Tuesday, one of many across India inspired by the Shaheen Bagh protest. A second sit-in in Lucknow started at Gomti Nagar on Monday night.Shah described the protests as a conspiracy of the Opposition and called upon the crowd of BJP workers to raise slogans so loud that they could be heard by the “deaf” anti-CAA protesters.He also challenged Opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Mayawati “to come for a debate on this subject. Our Swatantra Dev is ready for it”. Swatantra Dev Singh is the state president of the BJP.The women at Ghanta Ghar, 125 of whom were booked on Monday night for defying prohibitory orders that are in force in Lucknow, said on Tuesday that Shah should also be booked for violation of Section 144 that prohibits the assembly of five or more people. Thousands of BJP workers had gathered for Shah’s rally.“The police on Monday registered cases against 125 women for violating Section 144 because they gathered in large numbers at Lucknow’s Ghanta Ghar to protest against the CAA. But the same police were busy managing the traffic and regulating the crowd at Shah’s rally in Ashiyana. Can the home minister break the prohibitory orders? I think the law is the same for every Indian. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath was also there at Shah’s rally. He should also be brought to book,” said Sofiya Akhtar, a 30-year-old protester at Ghanta Ghar.Asma Siddiqui, a middle-aged woman who is on dharna in Gomti Nagar, said: “The policemen are reminding us after regular intervals that we would be booked for violating Section 144. When I asked them whether they had told the same to the home minister, they said they were acting on the orders of the state government.”When asked, a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity: “Although the prohibitory orders are in force in the city, old Lucknow is a sensitive area and so we don’t want women to gather there at Ghanta Ghar. New Lucknow, where Ashiyana falls, is peaceful.” The protests at Ghanta Ghar have been completely peaceful.Ajay Kumar Lallu, state president of the Congress, said: “The people of the state want to know in which police station they (the police) are going to file a case against Shah.”
GUWAHATI: 17-year-old Shivangi Sarma from Assam won her fifth gold at the Khelo India Youth Games 2020 on January 21.It is to be mentioned that Shivangi won 5 gold in individual events and 2 silver in team events.Earlier, Shivangi won a gold medal in the 200 m Freestyle swimming event in the ongoing Khelo India Youth Games on January 17.Maharashtra is leading the overall medal tally with total 204 medals including 63 gold and 62 silver medals on the twelfth day of the event. Haryana is following with 138 medals including 47 golds and 41 silvers.
GOOD MORNING..Supreme Court to hear pleas challenging the legality of Citizenship (Amendment) Act; Municipal polls in Telangana and panchayat polls in Rajasthan; PM Modi to chair meeting on project implementation; World Economic Forum annual meet at Davos; Greece to elect first woman president. 1. How powerful should the Speaker really be?A question: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Parliament to rethink the power of the Speaker in deciding petitions seeking disqualification of lawmakers and suggested devising an independent mechanism to deal with such pleas since the Speaker also belongs to a political party (and may not always be impartial).The case: The suggestion came in a judgment by which the top court asked the Manipur Assembly Speaker to decide within four weeks the plea of a Congress leader seeking disqualification of BJP lawmaker and the state Forest Minister Th Shyamkumar. The BJP minister had won the assembly election on a Congress ticket and later joined the saffron party and became a minister.The role: A Speaker represents the House and is required to be impartial to uphold the traditions of parliamentary democracy. He also enjoys a unique position. A government may fall if a simple majority of members present in the House votes against it during a trust vote. But to remove a Speaker, the number of votes against him must be higher than half of the total strength of the House.The politics: Before being chosen to head the House, a Speaker is like any other MLA or MP who contested the election on a party ticket. Even after he leaves the post, he stands a chance to become a minister and therefore harbours political ambitions. Not the best scenarios for him to act in a non-partisan manner. The Constitution had entrusted the Speaker with the power to disqualify an MLA to maintain the sanctity and purity of the polity of the House. Instead, it has become a weapon to help the ruling party maintain its numbers when in crisis. So, there have been cases of MLAs being disqualified even after petitions for removal of the Speaker has been moved or even when the MLAs didn't officially leave the party or defy party directives (like in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in 2016).Limits of power? In 1992, the Speaker of the Manipur assembly disqualified an MLA. The SC set it aside. The Speaker refused to obey the SC order and was summoned in contempt. Still, he refused to appear. While ordering the Union government to produce him before the SC, the court said, "no one in the country is above the law and governance is not of men but of rule of law."(2.) Is there strife after Dhoni?.The search for nailing Team India's wicketkeeping spot in white ball cricket, 'Endgame MS Dhoni' or not, may well take some time. Just think back when Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2014. Since then, five players had been tried behind the wickets in the longest format, with Wriddhiman Saha currently top of the pecking order.Indian keepers in Tests (After Dhoni played his last Test on Dec. 30, 2014) Tests.In ODIs (and consequently in T20Is, perhaps) captain Virat Kohli conceded that the experiment with KL Rahul, who found recent success in the dual role of wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman in the home ODI series versus Australia, will continue for a while as it brings great balance to the Indian side. Which means comebacks into the playing XI for Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson may take a while. And then there's the likes of KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings as well.Indian keepers in ODIs (After Dhoni played his last ODI on Jul. 10, 2019)ODIsIndian keepers in T20Is (After Dhoni played his last T20I on Feb. 27, 2019)T20IsAnd Team India's search for the gloveman could play out like the phase soon after Nayan Mongia's departure. The likes of MSK Prasad, Saba Karim, Vijay Dahiya, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra, Rahul Dravid, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were all given a go — India used five keepers in 16 months in the period — before Dhoni finally settled into the role. In fact, KL Rahul's current role is similar to that of Dravid's in the 2003 World Cup.Updates: India outclassed debutants Japan by 10 wickets in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday to all but secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Also, with Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the upcoming New Zealand series due to injury, the BCCI named Sanju Samson and Prithvi Shaw as his replacement in the T20I and ODI squads, respectively.In ODIs (and consequently in T20Is, perhaps) captain Virat Kohli conceded that the experiment with KL Rahul, who found recent success in the dual role of wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman in the home ODI series versus Australia, will continue for a while as it brings great balance to the Indian side. Which means comebacks into the playing XI for Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson may take a while. And then there's the likes of KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan waiting in the wings as well.Indian keepers in ODIs (After Dhoni played his last ODI on Jul. 10, 2019)ODIsIndian keepers in T20Is (After Dhoni played his last T20I on Feb. 27, 2019)T20IsAnd Team India's search for the gloveman could play out like the phase soon after Nayan Mongia's departure. The likes of MSK Prasad, Saba Karim, Vijay Dahiya, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra, Rahul Dravid, Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik were all given a go — India used five keepers in 16 months in the period — before Dhoni finally settled into the role. In fact, KL Rahul's current role is similar to that of Dravid's in the 2003 World Cup.Updates: India outclassed debutants Japan by 10 wickets in their second match of the ICC U-19 World Cup 2020 in Bloemfontein on Tuesday to all but secure a spot in the quarterfinals. Also, with Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the upcoming New Zealand series due to injury, the BCCI named Sanju Samson and Prithvi Shaw as his replacement in the T20I and ODI squads, respectively. 3. Does self-employment really pay in India?3. Does self-employment really pay in India?Better to be salaried: The World Employment and Social Outlook 2020 report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) damns the concept of self-employment in India, saying that the self employed in India earn just about 20% of what the average salaried worker earns. Of course, part of the reason why the self employed will earn less is because of the absence of employer contribution to social security such as provident fund or medical and health insurance.Peanuts & pakoras: More than two thirds of the people who can be classified under the category of the self-employed — including perhaps the pakora sellers — earn no more than Rs 7,500 per month. In fact, 2 out of every 5 self employed people earn up to Rs 5,000 per month.Self made paupers (3)Counting the self employed: While a majority — 60% — of India’s self-employed are farmers, there are also a high number of workers employed in the 'gig economy', such as drivers of cab aggregator companies like Ola and Uber, who are counted as self employed. They, in fact, are counted among the better earning self-employed with average earnings of Rs 10,000 per month. That's more than the average earnings of an Indian farmer, who earns less than Rs 9,000 per month. And let's not forget the humble pakora sellers, who average about Rs 6,000 a month in earnings — as per 'official' estimates. X-PLAINED4. Novel Coronavirus4. Novel CoronavirusEven as the Union Health Ministry has sounded an alert at international airports for thermal screening of passengers arriving from China for the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) — also known as the Wuhan virus — the WHO is convening an Emergency Committee later today to discuss steps to contain its spread. So what’s 2019-nCoV and how can it be prevented?Name: Coronavirus is an umbrella term for viruses that cause illness ranging from common cold to diseases such as the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).Transmission: According to the WHO, CoV are zoonotic — meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans, though the 2019-nCoV, suspected to have spread from consumption of seafood, is now starting to spread from human to human as well. This can happen when an uninfected person comes into contact with the secretions of an infected person — such as via sneezing, handshake or cough. In fact, several such CoV are present among animals which haven't yet infected humans. FYI: MERS was said to have spread from camels to humans while the needle of suspicion for SARS rests on civet cats.Symptoms: As per WHO, "common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death."Why is it 'novel': 2019-nCoV is a new strain of CoV, discovered in 2019 which is why it's written as 2019-nCoV. It's called novel since this strain has previously not been detected in humans. It was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China — which is why it's also called the Wuhan virus — and brought to WHO's notice on December 31, 2019 after cases of pneumonia caused by unknown reasons came to light.Is it fatal? Yes, unfortunately. So far, of the nearly 300 cases of the 2019-nCoV that have been detected — 291 in China, 2 in Thailand and 1 each in South Korea, Japan and now, even the US — there have been 6 deaths, all of them in China, including 2 on Tuesday. However, a report by the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London puts the total number of infected people at 1,700.Is there a cure? Unfortunately, right now there's no known cure or vaccine for the 2019-nCoV or for the other CoV. This means that prevention is the best option to reduce the risk of infection — which includes avoiding contact with people who are sick as also avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth, in addition to frequently washing your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. NEWS IN CLUES5. Who made his Bollywood debut in 1983 with 'Andha Kanoon'?Clue 1: In 1988, he made his only Hollywood appearance — in Bloodstone — where he played an English-speaking Indian taxi driver.Clue 2: He has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan (2000) and the Padma Vibhushan (2016) by the Government of India.Clue 3: Born in a Marathi Koli family, his father Ramoji Rao was a police constable.Scroll below for answer 6. Look who's coming for Republic Day this year6. Look who’s coming for Republic Day this yearSamba @ Rajpath: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro will arrive on Friday for a four-day State visit, during which he will also preside over the 71st Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest, which he had agreed to last November when PM Narendra Modi had met him at the BRICS Summit. This, however, won't be the first time a Brazilian President will be gracing India's Republic Day — in 1996, then Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso was the chief guest while in 2004, Luiz Lula da Silva presided over as chief guest.Why Brazil: India and Brazil are members of several multilateral fora, such as BRICS, IBSA, G-20 and G-4, even though bilateral trade between them is relatively low, at $7 billion. Moreover, the invite to Bolsonaro came after he announced last year that Indians will be allowed visa-free travel to Brazil. The South American country's importance has also gone up due to the requirement of crude oil by India — especially after Venezuela, which was India's fourth largest supplier, came under US sanctions, along with Iran. India's crude oil imports from Brazil have been on the rise once again, after a drastic fall in 2015-16, when India imported $1.24 billion worth of crude oil — a decline of almost 51% from the $2.51 billion worth of crude oil imported in 2014-15. In 2018-19, India's crude oil imports from Brazil were close to $1.6 billion.Who's not happy: Well, for one, India’s sugarcane farmers who have taken exception to Brazil's stance against India at the WTO regarding the prices paid by the Centre to sugarcane farmers. Brazil, which is the world's largest sugarcane producer — India being the second largest — contends that India's support prices for its sugarcane farmers, as also its export subsidy, is far in excess of the permissible limits under the WTO. Then again, Bolsonaro's own reputation as a person with far-right views, including sexist and homophobic slurs, have led many to question the Indian government's decision to invite him as chief guest for India's grand military and cultural pageant. 7. Oh Maria, that's a hat-trick!7. Oh Maria, that’s a hat-trick!There are comeback queens and then there are returning ogres. Safe to say, most tennis fans perceive Maria Sharapova as the latter these days — an unwanted intruder. A doping ban can do that to even the most celebrated of athletes. The Russian though is ploughing ahead, determined to show the fire still burns in her, sans any unwanted fuel of course. Admittedly, things aren't going her way. On Tuesday, the five-time Grand Slam winner crashed out of a major in the first round for the third straight time, losing 6-3, 6-4 loss to 19th-seed Donna Vekic at the Australian Open. That's the first undignified hattrick in the 32-year-old's long career. The road ahead isn't clear either. "I don't know," Sharapova said, post-match. "I don't have a crystal ball to tell you if I can or if I will [play the number of tournaments I would like], but I would love to, yeah." Note: Sharapova served a 15-month ban beginning 2016 for taking the banned drug meldonium.On a high note, Rafael Nadal had little trouble moving past a Bolivian bump in the road, beating Hugo Dellien 6-2, 6-3, 6-0. Nadal, remember, is chasing a Federer-equalling 20th Grand Slam title here. In other noteworthy contests, Simona Halep survived a scare (and a few tumbles) to beat the American Jennifer Brady 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. 8. Norway brought home an ISIS wife, and its PM lost her majority8. Norway brought home an ISIS wife, and its PM lost her majorityA Norwegian-Pakistani woman who had travelled to Syria and got married twice there (bearing two children) returned to Norway on Saturday. The repatriation was carried out by the Norwegian government so that one of the woman's seriously ill children could be treated in Norway. Norway has not made the name of the 29-year-old woman public; she is reported to have grown up in Oslo. The woman and her children — a boy, 5, and a girl, 3 — were brought to Norway from a detention centre in Kurdish-controlled territory in Syria, and since then has been kept in surveillance in an Oslo hospital.The humanitarian gesture, however, has kicked off a political crisis in Norway, with an anti-immigrant party that is part of the ruling coalition withdrawing its support. Prime Minister Erna Solberg, though, has vowed to stay on as the head of a minority government. The ISIS wife, though, is not free to move in Norway; she has been charged with "participation in a terrorist organisation", reports the New York Times. PM Solberg said Norway had originally wanted to repatriate just the sick child, but could not separate him from his mother. She reiterated that the decision to bring home the family was “correct”.The issue of "ISIS brides" is not limited to Norway. Last year, the British government revoked the citizenship of Shamima Begum, a 19-year-old London girl who had left for Syria in 2015, after a heated debate over the right course of action. About 12,300 foreigners were detained in camps in Syria at the end of 2018, according to reports, including more than 8,700 children from more than 40 countries. 9. Move over 5G, 6G's got a 2030 date9. Move over 5G, 6G's got a 2030 dateAccording to a report by Nikkei, Japan is planning a comprehensive strategy for "post-5G" (6G) technology. Expected to roll out by 2030, it is believed that the new technology will be 10 times faster than the current 5G. Nikkei also claimed that China, South Korea, and Finland have also started research and development (R&D) and investment in this segment. But Japan, who have been surprisingly slow with the adoption of 5G technology, is hoping to make up with an early push toward 6G.The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan will set up a government-civilian research society in January. Additionally, people from NTT and Toshiba will also be invited to discuss 6G performance goals and policy support by June. The government will promote the development of 6G technology and will pump in $2.03 billion in R&D.In November 2019, the Chinese government had announced that it would establish two 6G R&D institutions. Finnish universities and government-affiliated institutions have also launched 6G R&D projects. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics each set up research centres in 2019.6G networks will be able to use (unused) higher frequencies than 5G networks and provide substantially higher capacity and much lower latency (the amount of time a message takes to traverse a system). Also, the 6G technology market is expected to facilitate large improvements in the areas of imaging, presence technology, location awareness and AI. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITH...Source: Various BEFORE YOU GO10. Wheels of change in Iraq10. Wheels of change in IraqIraqi protesters and tuk-tuk drivers clash with riot police in Baghdad on Monday (AFP); Al Jazeera reports at least five demonstrators died after security forces opened fire in Baghdad, Karbala and Baqubah. Tuk-tuks have become a symbol of Iraq's anti-government protests as many drivers volunteer to bring protesters to Baghdad's Tahrir Square, if not participating themselves. There is also a newspaper named Tuktuk — its editor says it is "one of the few ways protesters on the street can get real, reliable reports of the unrest happening in the country". You can read our explainer on the months-long protests in Iraq here and more on those Bajaj tuk-tuks here. NICRajinikanth. Days after a Dravidian outfit — the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam — demanded an apology from the actor-politician for his comments on a rally taken out by late social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy decades ago, the southern superstar on Tuesday asserted that he will neither express regret nor tender an apology and maintained that his remark was factual. Showing clippings from magazines and newspapers, the top actor said the idols of Lord Ram and Sita were taken out without dress and the deities also featured a garland of sandals in a rally led by Periyar in 1971.
Open main menuWikipediaSearchMeghalayaLanguageDownload PDFWatchEditFor the geological stage, see Meghalayan.Meghalaya (UK: /meɪˈɡɑːləjə/,[3] US: /ˌmeɪɡəˈleɪə/)[4] is a hilly state in northeastern India. The name means "the abode of clouds" in Sanskrit. The population of Meghalaya as of 2016 is estimated to be 3,211,474.[5] Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,430 square kilometres, with a length to breadth ratio of about 3:1.[6]MeghalayaStateSohra, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northeast India, holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month.Sohra, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northeast India, holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month.Official seal of MeghalayaSealIN-ML.svgCoordinates (Shillong): 25.57°N 91.88°ECountry IndiaFormation21 January 1972†CapitalShillongLargest cityShillongDistricts11Government • GovernorTathagata Roy • Chief MinisterConrad Sangma (NPP) • LegislatureUnicameral (60 seats) • Parliamentary constituencyRajya Sabha 1 Lok Sabha 2 • High CourtMeghalaya High CourtArea • Total22,429 km2 (8,660 sq mi)Area rank23rdPopulation (2011 census) • Total2,964,007 • Rank23rd[1] • Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)ISO 3166 codeIN-MLHDIIncrease 0.650 (medium)HDI rank26th (2017)Literacy75.84% (24th)[1]Official languageEnglish[2]Websitemeghalaya.gov.in† It received the status of a full-fledged State in 1971 by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act 1971The state is bounded to the south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet, to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur, and to the north and east by India's State of Assam. The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong. During the British rule of India, the British imperial authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East".[7] Meghalaya was previously part of Assam, but on 21 January 1972, the districts of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia hills became the new state of Meghalaya. English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed a matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents.[7]The state is the wettest region of India, recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year.[6] About 70% of the state is forested.[8] The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses the state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants.Meghalaya has predominantly an agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples, bananas, papayas, spices, etc. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies. Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012 was estimated at ₹16,173 crore (US$2.3 billion) in current prices.[9] The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries.[7] The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh.[6]In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three,[10][11] with the late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age,[12][13] since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BC had been chosen as the boundary stratotype.[14]History EditAncient EditMeghalaya, along with the neighbouring Indian states, have been of archaeological interest. People have lived here since Neolithic era. Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation such as in Khasi Hills, Garo Hills and neighbouring states. Here neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil.[15] The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history through domestication of rice. One of the competing theories for the origin of rice, is from Ian Glover, who states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of the origin of domesticated rice."[16] The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times.[17]After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal, migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islam to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping/Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but the part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill.[18]Modern history EditThe British discovery of Camellia sinensis in 1834 in Assam and later companies to renting land from 1839 onwards.[19]Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972. Before attaining full statehood, Meghalaya was given semi-autonomous status in 1970.[20]The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835.[7] The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, when the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of the Government of India Act of 1919, the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act of 1935, which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas.At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam. A movement for a separate Hill State began in 1960.[20] The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accorded an autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, and an autonomous state of Meghalaya was born out of Assam. The autonomous state had a 37-member legislature in accordance with the Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution.In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own.[20]Geography EditLaitmawsiang landscape, wrapped in fog. Meghalaya is mountainous, and it is the rainiest state of India. The word Meghalaya means, "abode of the clouds".Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone, uranium and sillimanite.Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang, Nitai and the Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several beautiful waterfalls.Farming on hilly terrain (tea plantation).The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of the plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m.Climate EditWith average annual rainfall as high as 12,000 mm (470 in) in some areas, Meghalaya is the wettest place on earth.[21] The western part of the plateau, comprising the Garo Hills region with lower elevations, experiences high temperatures for most of the year. The Shillong area, with the highest elevations, experiences generally low temperatures. The maximum temperature in this region rarely goes beyond 28 °C (82 °F),[22] whereas sub-zero winter temperatures are common.A sign board in CherrapunjiThe town of Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram, near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year.[23]Flora and fauna EditSee also: Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds[24] and numerous species of other wildlife. Peacock pheasant (top) and hoolock gibbon (bottom) are found in Meghalaya.[25]About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km2 (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest.[8] The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as "sacred groves" (see Sacred groves of India). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in local language.Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites, epiphytes, succulent plants and shrubs. Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills.Nepenthes khasianaMeghalaya also has a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.[26] The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas,[27] civets, mongooses, weasels, rodents, gaur, wild buffalo,[28] deer, wild boar and a number of primates. Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats. The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya.[29]Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards, crocodiles and tortoises. Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python, copperhead, green tree racer, Indian cobra, king cobra, coral snake and vipers.[30]Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Of the birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list.[24] Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae, Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae.[24] Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant, the large Indian parakeet, the common green pigeon and the blue jay.[31] Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India.Demographics EditPopulation EditPopulation Growth CensusPop.%±1951606,000—1961769,00026.9%19711,012,00031.6%19811,336,00032.0%19911,775,00032.9%20012,319,00030.6%20112,964,00727.8%Source: Census of India[32]Ethnic groups 2011:[citation needed]Khasi: 34%Garo: 30.5%Jaintia: 18.5%Bengali: 8.5%Nepali: 2.5%Hajong: 1.2%Biate: 1.1%Koch: 1.0%Tiwa (Lalung): 0.9%Rabha: 0.8%Kuki: 0.5%Shaikh: 0.3%Other: 0.2%Tribal people make up the majority of Meghalaya's population. The Khasis are the largest group, followed by the Garos then the Jaintias. These were among those known to the British as "hill tribes." Other groups include the Hajongs, the Biates, the Koches and related Rajbongshis, the Boros, Dimasa, Kuki, Lakhar, Tiwa (Lalung), Karbi, Rabha and Nepali.Meghalaya recorded the highest decennial population growth of 27.82% among all the seven north-eastern states, as per the provisional report of census 2011. The population of Meghalaya as of 2011 has been estimated at 2,964,007 of which females comprise 1,492,668 and males 1,471,339. As per the census of India 2011, the sex ratio in the state was 986 females per 1,000 males which was far higher than the national average of 940. The urban female sex ratio of 985 was higher than the rural sex ratio of 972.[1]Religion EditLearn moreThis section needs additional citations for verification.Main article: Christianity in MeghalayaReligion in Meghalaya (2011)[33] Christianity (74.59%) Hinduism (11.52%) Islam (4.39%) Sikhism (0.10%) Buddhism (0.33%) Jainism (0.02%) Tribal religions (8.70%) Others (0.35%)Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics the more common denominations.[33] .The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo tribe and nearly 80% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch, and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindu.[citation needed]Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census[33]Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 percent, 17.55 percent and 11.96 percent respectively.The Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya is a famous Hindu temple and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth.[34]Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population[33] The Muslims are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills with 16.60 percent.[35]Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century under the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity.[36] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring region. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Barapani, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.[37]Languages EditLanguages of Meghalaya in 2011 [38] Khasi (33.82%) Garo (31.60%) Pnar (10.69%) Bengali (6.44%) Nepali (1.85%) War (1.73%) Hindi (1.62%) Hajong (1.40%) Assamese (1.34%) Others (9.51%)English is the official language of the state.[39] The most spoken languages in Meghalaya are Khasi (33.82%) and Garo (31.60%) followed by Pnar (10.69%), Bengali (6.44%), Nepali (1.85%), War (1.73%), Hindi (1.62%), Hajong (1.40%) and Assamese (1.34%).[38]Khasi (also spelled Khasia, Khassee, Cossyah, and Kyi) is a branch of the Mon–Khmer family of the Austroasiatic stock and according to 2001 census, Khasi is spoken by about 1,128,575 people residing in Meghalaya. Many words in the Khasi language have been borrowed from Indo-Aryan languages such as Assamese, Bengali and Nepali. Moreover, the Khasi language originally had no script of its own. The Khasi language is one of the very few surviving Mon–Khmer languages in India today.The Garo language has a close affinity with the Koch and Bodo languages, a small family of Tibeto-Burman languages. Garo, spoken by the majority of the population, is spoken in many dialects such as Abeng or Ambeng,[40] Atong, Akawe (or Awe), Matchi Dual, Chibok, Chisak Megam or Lyngngam, Ruga, Gara-Ganching and Matabeng.Pnar is spoken by many people of the both West and East Jaintia Hills. The language is related to the Khasi language. Apart from the main languages, various local dialect are being spoken by the War Jaintia (West Jaintia Hills), Maram and Lynngam (West Khasi Hills), War Pynursla (East Khasi Hills), Tiwa language by Tiwa peoples of Ri-Bhoi district. Another example is the Biate language spoken by many people inhabiting the south-eastern part of Meghalaya bordering Assam.Indo-Aryan languages like Assamese, Bengali, Nepali and Hindi are spoken by many people residing mostly in the East Khasi Hills district and the West Garo Hills district.English is spoken as a common language across the diverse ethnic and demographic groups. In urban centres most of the people can speak English; rural residents vary in their ability.Districts Education Government and politics EditMain articles: Government of Meghalaya and Meghalaya Legislative AssemblyMeghalaya's current Governor is Tathagata Roy.[44]State government EditThe Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has 60 members at present. Meghalaya has two representatives in the Lok Sabha, one each from Shillong and Tura. It also has one representative in the Rajya Sabha.Since the creation of the state the Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction in Meghalaya. A Circuit Bench of the Guwahati High Court has been functioning at Shillong since 1974. However recently in March 2013 the Meghalaya High Court was separated from the Gauhati High Court and now the state has its own High Court.Local self-government Edit To provide local self-governance machinery to the rural population of the country, provisions were made in the Constitution of India; accordingly, the Panchayati Raj institutions were set up. However, on account of the distinct customs and traditions prevailing in the northeast region, it was felt necessary to have a separate political and administrative structure in the region.[citation needed] Some of the tribal communities in the region had their own traditional political systems, and it was felt that Panchayati Raj institutions may come into conflict with these traditional systems. The Sixth Schedule was appended to the Constitution on the recommendations of a subcommittee formed under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi, and the constitution of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) is provided in certain rural areas of the northeast including areas in Meghalaya. The ADCs in Meghalaya are the following:Khasi Hills Autonomous District CouncilGaro Hills Autonomous District CouncilJaintia Hills Autonomous District CouncilEconomy Urban areas Culture and society EditThe main tribes in Meghalaya are the Khasis, the Garos, and the Jaintias. Each tribe has its own culture, traditions, dress, and language.Social institutions Edit Khasi girlsThe majority of the population and the major tribal groups in Meghalaya follow a matrilineal system where lineage and inheritance are traced through women. The youngest daughter inherits all the property and she is the caretaker of aged parents and any unmarried siblings.[7] In some cases, such as when there is no daughter in the family or other reasons, the parents may nominate another girl such as a daughter in law as the heir of the house and all other property they may own.The Khasi and Jaintia tribesmen follow the traditional matrilineal norm, wherein the Khun Khatduh (or the youngest daughter) inherits all the property and responsibilities for the family. However, the male line, particularly the mother's brother, may indirectly control the ancestral property since he may be involved in important decisions relating to property including its sale and disposal. In case a family has no daughters, the Khasi and Jaintia (also called Syntengs) have the custom of ia rap iing, where the family adopts a girl from another family, perform religious ceremonies with the community, and she then becomes ka trai iing (head of the house).[57]In the Garo lineage system, the youngest daughter inherits the family property by default, unless another daughter is so named by the parents. She then becomes designated as nokna meaning 'for the house or home'. If there are no daughters, a chosen daughter-in-law (bohari) or an adopted child (deragata) comes to stay in the house and inherit the property.Meghalaya has one of the world's largest surviving matrilineal cultures.Meghalaya "Civil Society" EditMeghalaya's civil society considers the people of the state as a collective community that exists through civil society organizations (CSOs), and serves the general interests of the public [58] . These organizations include a wide spectrum of non-government organizations (NGOs), other community associations, and foundations. The current status of Meghalaya's civil society and the effectiveness of the many programs is debated by scholars.Civil Society Programs in Meghalaya: EditThere are currently over 181 NGOs within Meghalaya that vary from charities to volunteer services and social empowerment groups [59] [60]. Most civil society organizations are also ethnically affiliated as the interests of different groups are championed between each organization . This in turn causes them to become representatives of ethnic communities around the state since the same individuals from such communities also participate in corresponding organizations that protect their ethnic interests. Three student organizations that represent the major ethnic groups of Meghalaya: Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Jantia Students' Union (JSU), and Garo Students' Union (GSU) embody this example into their overall functions as CSOs by applying pressure to local government in order to ensure that certain rights are being met [58] .There also exists many forms of community associations that revolve around the idea of community building. This includes examples such as sports, religious, educational, and other clubs that aim to establish individuals into different social circles based on their interests [60] .Philanthropic foundations in Meghalaya's civil society strive for the overall well being of its citizens. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has recently partnered with the government of Meghalaya to improve public health in many rural parts of the state by first strengthening the abilities of non-government organizations to perform such services [61].Civil Society: Current Status and Scholarly Debates EditScholars are divided on the effectiveness Meghalaya's civil society. Some argue for its important role in state development through CSOs, while others point out that their impact is not only limited from above by the central government and its military, but also from below by insurgent groups [62] .Concerns over national security, such as the unification of neighboring hostile countries and local insurgent groups for a possible attack on the Indian state, has served as the longstanding point of emphasis on how the Indian Central Government operates in the Northeast. Different administrative programs have been created to establish peace and stability in this region through economic development [63]. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that was passed in 1958 by the Indian Government granted the Indian Army exclusive powers to maintain order in this area. Many insurgent organizations were also developed alongside cultural and political movements, making it very difficult to distinguish them from what constitutes a civil society [62] . These two factors have combined to enable CSOs to be easily deemed as insurgencies and grouped with other insurgent organizations that were banned by the government, thus restricting Meghalaya's civil society as a whole [62] [64].Traditional political institutions EditAll the three major ethnic tribal groups, namely, the Khasis, Jaintias and the Garos also have their own traditional political institutions that have existed for hundreds of years. These political institutions were fairly well developed and functioned at various tiers, such as the village level, clan level, and state level.[65]In the traditional political system of the Khasis, each clan had its own council known as the Dorbar Kur which was presided over by the clan headman. The council or the Dorbar managed the internal affairs of the clan. Similarly, every village had a local assembly known as the Dorbar Shnong, i.e. village Durbar or council, which was presided over by the village headman. The inter-village issues were dealt with through a political unit comprising adjacent Khasi Villages. The local political units were known as the raids, under by the supreme political authority is known as the Syiemship. The Syiemship was the congregation of several raids and was headed an elected chief known as the Syiem or Siem (the king).[65] The Siem ruled the Khasi state through an elected State Assembly, known as the Durbar Hima. The Siem also had his mantris (ministers) whose counsel he would use in exercising executive responsibilities. Taxes were called pynsuk, and tolls were called khrong, the latter being the primary source of state income. In the early 20th century, Raja Dakhor Singh was the Siem of Khymir.[65]Meghalayafestival[66] Localcalendar month Vediccalendar month Gregoriancalendar monthDen'bilsia Polgin Phalgun FebruaryA'siroka Chuet Chaitra MarchA' galmaka Pasak Vaisakha AprilMiamua Asal Asharha JuneRongchugala Bado Bhadra AugustAhaia Asin Ashwin SeptemberWangala Gate Kartika OctoberChristmas Posi Pausha DecemberThe Jaintias also had a three-tier political system somewhat similar to the Khasis, including the Raids and the Syiem.[67] The raids were headed by Dolois, who were responsible for performing the executive and ceremonial functions at the Raid level. At the lowest level were the village headmen. Each administrative tier had its own elected councils or durbars.In the traditional political system of the Garos a group of Garo villages comprised the A·king. The A·king functioned under the supervision of the Nokmas, which was perhaps the only political and administrative authority in the political institution of the Garos. The Nokma performed both judicial and legislative functions. The Nokmas also congregated to address inter-A·king issues. There were no well-organized councils or durbars among the Garos.[citation needed]Festivals Edit Dance of MeghalayaKhasisDance is central to the culture of Khasi life, and a part of the rites of passage. Dances are performed in Shnong (village), a Raid (group of villages), and a Hima (conglomeration of Raids). Some festivals includes Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem, Ka-Shad Shyngwiang-Thangiap, Ka-Shad-Kynjoh Khaskain, Ka Bam Khana Shnong, Umsan Nongkharai, Shad Beh Sier.[66]JaintiasFestivals of the Jaintia Hills, like others, is integral to the culture of people of Jaintia Hills. It celebrates nature, balance and solidarity among its people. Festivals of Jaintias includes Behdienkhlam, Laho Dance, Sowing Ritual Ceremony.[66]GarosFor Garos, festivals sustain their cultural heritage. They were often dedicated to religious events, nature and seasons as well as community events such as stages of jhum cultivation. The main festivals of Garos are Den Bilsia, Wangala, Rongchu gala, Mi Amua, Mangona, Grengdik BaA, Jamang Sia, Ja Megapa, Sa Sat Ra Chaka, Ajeaor Ahaoea, Dore Rata Dance, Chambil Mesara, Do'KruSua, Saram Cha'A, A Se Mania or Tata which celebrated .[66]HajongsHajongs celebrate both traditional festivals and Hindu festivals. The entire plain belt of Garo Hills is inhabited by the Hajongs, they are an agrarian tribe. Major traditional festivals include Pusne', Biswe', Kati Gasa, Bastu Puje' and Chor Maga.BiatesThe Biates have many kinds of festivals; Nûlding Kût, Pamchar Kût, Lebang Kût, Favang Kût etc. for different occasion. However, unlike in the past, they no longer practise or observe those festivals except ‘Nûlding Kût.’ The Nûlding Kût ("renewal of life") festival is observed every January, with singing, dancing, and traditional games—after the Priest (Thiampu) pray to Chung Pathian to bless them in every sphere of life.Spirituality EditIn southern Meghalaya, located in Mawsynram, is the Mawjymbuin cave. Here a massive stalagmite has been shaped by nature into a Shivalinga. According to legend, from the 13th century, this Shivalinga (called Hatakeswarat) has existed in the Jaintia Hills under the reign of Ranee Singa.[68] Tens of thousands of the Jaintia tribe members participate over the Hindu festival of Shivratri (Night of Lord Shiva) every year.[69][70]Living Root Bridges Edit Double-Decker Living root bridge, Nongriat village.The practice of creating Living root bridges can be found in Meghalaya. Here, functional, living, architecture is created by slowly training the Aerial roots of the Ficus elastica tree. Examples of these structures can be found as far west as the valley east of Mawsynram,[71] and as far east as the East Jaintia Hills District,[72] meaning that they are made by both Khasis and Jaintias. Large numbers[73] of these man-made living structures exist in the mountainous terrain along the southern border of the Shillong Plateau, though as a cultural practice they are fading, with many individual examples having disappeared recently, either falling in landslides or floods or being replaced with more standard steel bridges.
