On This Day JANUARY18Today's Historical EventsEVENTS336 St Mark elected Catholic Pope350 Roman Emperor Constans is deposed by General Magnentius who proclaims himself the new Emperor474 Leo II briefly becomes Byzantine emperorBattleBattle of Interest532 Nika uprising against Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople fails, 30,000 killed by troops loyal to the Emperor in the HippodromeEastern Roman Emperor Justinian IEastern Roman EmperorJustinian I1126 Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chinese throne in favour of his son Qinzong1307 German king Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf King of Bohemia1478 Grand Duke Ivan II of Moscow occupies Novgorod1520 Christian II of Denmark & Norway defeats Swedes at Lake AsundeVictory in battleNew Settlement1535 Francisco Pizarro founds the city of Lima in PeruSpanish Conquistador Francisco PizarroSpanish ConquistadorFrancisco Pizarro1562 The Council of Trent is reopened by Pope Pius IV for its third (and final) session1591 King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces day1644 Perplexed Pilgrims in Boston reported America's 1st UFO sighting1650 French Prince Louis II of Condé captured1691 English King William III travels to The Hague1701 Frederick I and Sophie Charlotte of Hanover crowned king and queen of Prussia1733 1st polar bear exhibited in America in Boston1776 James Wright, Royal Governor of Georgia, is placed under house arrest by Major Joseph Habersham1777 San Jose in California foundedEvent of interestEvent of Interest1778 Captain James Cook stumbles over Sandwich Islands (Hawaiian Islands)Explorer James CookExplorerJames CookAppointmentAppointment of Interest1779 John Dickinson is appointed a delegate for Delaware to the Continental CongressFounding Father of the United States John DickinsonFounding Father of the United StatesJohn Dickinson1788 First elements of the First Fleet carrying 736 convicts from England to Australia arrives at Botany Bay to set up a penal colony1795 French admitted to Amsterdam without resistance1795 Governor and Viceroy Willem V flees Scheveningen to EnglandEvent of interestEvent of Interest1817 José de San Martín leads a revolutionary army over the Andes to attack Spanish royalists in ChileRevolutionary Leader José de San MartínRevolutionary LeaderJosé de San Martín1840 The Electro-Magnet, and Mechanics Intelligencer, 1st US electrical journal, appears1850 British blockade Piraeus, Greece, to enforce mercantile claims1854 Filibuster William Walker proclaims Republic of Sonora in NW Mexico1862 Confederate Territory of Arizona forms1865 Battle of Ft Moultrie, South Carolina1866 Wesley College is established in Melbourne1869 Elegant California Theater opens in San FranciscoThe German EmpireThe German Empire1871 Second German Empire proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Otto von BismarckGerman Statesman Otto von BismarckGerman StatesmanOtto von Bismarck1884 General Charles Gordon departs London for Khartoum1884 Dr. William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, Iesu Grist (Welsh for Jesus Christ) Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the United Kingdom1886 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England1896 1st demonstration of an X-ray machine in US (NYC)1896 British troops occupy Kumasi, West Africa1896 First college basketball game with 5 players on each side is conducted by the University of Iowa; invites student athletes from University of Chicago for an experimental game; Chicago beats Iowa 15-121900 Jan Blockx's "Tÿl Uilenspiegel" premieres in Brussels1901 Pope Leo XIII publishes encyclical Graves De Communi Re1902 Despite reports that favor the US building a route through Nicaragua for a canal, a 'supplementary report' recommends the route through Panama1903 The first transatlantic radio transmission to originate in the United States is sent by a transmitter in Massachusetts1905 French government of Combes falls1908 Frederick Delius' "Brigg Fair" premieres in London1911 1st shipboard landing of a plane (Tanforan Park to USS Pennsylvania)1913 Turkish-Greek sea battle near Troy1915 Train crashes at Colima-Guadalajara Mexico, about 600 die1915 Japan issues the "Twenty-One Demands" to the Republic of China in a bid to increase its power in East Asia.1916 A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite stikes a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri1919 Bentley Motors Limited is founded1919 The Paris peace conference (aka the Versailles peace conference) opens to draw up the treaties formally ending the Great War (WWI)Event of interestEvent of Interest1919 Composer and musician Ignacy Jan Paderewski becomes Polish Prime MinisterPianist, Composer and Polish Prime Minister Ignacy Jan PaderewskiPianist, Composer and Polish Prime MinisterIgnacy Jan Paderewski1921 William Archer's "Green Goddess" premieres in NYC1922 Irish author Liam O'Flaherty & others occupy Rotunda in Dublin1923 1st radio telegraph message from Netherlands to Dutch East Indies1929 "NY Daily Mirror" columnist Walter Winchell debuts on radio1930 -27°F (-33°C), Watts, Oklahoma (state record)Music releaseMusic Premiere1930 Dmitri Shostakovich's satirical opera "The Nose" premieres in LeningradComposer Dmitri ShostakovichComposerDmitri Shostakovich1933 White Sands National Monument in New Mexico established1934 Eugene O'Neill's "Days Without End" premieres in NYC1938 Pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander is elected to Baseball Hall of Fame1941 World War II: A counter-offensive is launched by the British against the Italians in East Africa1942 Nazis arrest Frans Goedhart & Wiardi BeckmanSoviet UnionSiege of Leningrad1943 Soviets announce they have broken the long siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany by opening a narrow land corridor, though the siege would not be fully lifted until a year laterLearn More >>Two young girls help assemble Soviet submachine guns during the Siege of LeningradTwo young girls help assemble Soviet submachine guns during the Siege of Leningrad1943 US rations bread & metal - banning presliced bread reduce bakery demand for metal parts1944 1st Chinese naturalized US citizen since repeal of exclusion actsMusic concertMusic Concert1944 The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts a jazz concert for the first time. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden.Jazz Musician Louis ArmstrongJazz MusicianLouis Armstrong1945 Soviet Armed Forces enter Krakow, Poland and push Germans out, only to eventually occupy entire country1947 "Red Mill" closes at Ziegfeld Theater NYC after 831 performancesAgreementContract of Interest1947 Detroit Tigers sell Hank Greenberg to Pirates (for $25-35,000)Baseball Player Hank GreenbergBaseball PlayerHank Greenberg1947 Small river steamer sinks on Yangtze River, kills 4001948 1st courses begin at University of Ibadan, Nigeria1948 Ted Mack's "Original Amateur Hour" begins, DuMont (later NBC/ABC/CBS)1949 "They Stand Accused" courtroom drama premieres on CBS (later DuMont)1949 1st US Congressional standing committee headed by Negro (W Dawson)1950 Christopher Fry's "Venus Observed" premieres in London1950 Indians pitcher Bob Feller, after 15-14 season, takes $20,000 salary cut to $45,000, pay cut is Feller's own suggestion1951 1st use of lie detector in Netherlands1951 Hermann Flake sentenced to death due to "hate campaign against GDR"1951 NFL rules tackles, guards & centers ineligible for forward pass1951 NFL takes control of failing Baltimore Colts1951 1951 NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants1951 Mount Lamington in Papua New Guinea erupts, killing 2,942 people1954 Amintore Fanfani forms Italian government1955 Battle of Yijiangshan Islands between Chinese National Revolutionary Army and the People's Liberation ArmySport awardNBA All-Star Game1955 5th NBA All-Star Game, Madison Square Garden NYC: East beats West, 100-91; MVP: Bill Sharman, Boston Celtics, GNBA Guard Bill SharmanNBA GuardBill Sharman1956 German Democratic Republic (East Germany) forms own army (National People's Army)1957 3 B-52's set record for around-the-world flight, 45 hr 19 min1958 Willie O’Ree is the 1st African-American to appear in the NHL, making his debut for the Boston Bruins in a 3-0 victory in Montreal1960 US & Japan sign joint defense treaty1960 Capital Airlines Flight 20 crashes in Virginia, killing all 50 people on-board1961 Zanzibar's Afro-Shirazi party wins 1 seat by a single vote & parliament by a single seat1962 Southern University closed due to demonstrations1962 US begins spraying foliage in Vietnam to reveal Viet Cong guerrillas1962 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site1963 Reinier Paping wins Dutch 11-Cities Skating Race (10:59)Event of interestEvent of Interest1963 Al Davis becomes the head coach and general manager of the Oakland RaidersAmerican Football Coach and Executive Al DavisAmerican Football Coach and ExecutiveAl Davis1964 The Beatles make their first appearance on US Billboard Chart with single "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at #451964 Plans for World Trade Center announced (NYC)1965 H L de Vries appointed Dutch governor of Suriname1966 Robert C Weaver, confirmed as 1st black cabinet member (HUD)Sport awardNHL All-Star Game1967 20th NHL All-Star Game, Montreal Forum, Montreal, QC: Montreal Canadiens beat All-Stars, 3-0; MVP: Henri Richard, Montreal, CIce Hockey Great Henri RichardIce Hockey GreatHenri Richard1967 Albert DeSalvo (Boston Strangler) sentenced to life in prison1967 US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site1968 "Happy Time" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 286 performances1968 Hester & Appolinar's musical "Your Own Thing" premieres in NYC1968 USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR1969 Expanded 4 party Vietnam peace talks began in Paris1969 United Airlines Flight 266 crashes into Santa Monica Bay, killing all 38 people on-board1970 Hasse Borjes skates world record 500m in 38.9 secSport awardNFL Pro Bowl1970 20th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: West beats East, 16-13; MVPs: Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears, HB; George Andrie, Dallas Cowboys, DENFL Running Back Gale SayersNFL Running BackGale Sayers1971 Ivan Koloff beats Bruno Sammartino in New York, to become WWF champ1971 Northern Ireland Prime Minister James Chichester-Clark meets British Home Secretary Reginald Maudling1972 Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Brian Faulkner bans all parades and marches in Northern Ireland until the end of the year1972 Garfield Todd, former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and his daughter Judith, supporters of black majority rule in the country, are arrestedSport awardNBA All-Star Game1972 22nd NBA All Star Game, The Forum, Inglewood, Ca: West beats East, 112-110: MVP: Jerry West, LA Lakers, G, hits a last-second, 20-foot game-winning jumperNBA Guard Jerry WestNBA GuardJerry West1973 Boston Red Sox sign Orlando Cepeda as 1st player signed as a DH1973 Islanders break 12 game losing streak, 20 game road winless streakEvent of interestEvent of Interest1973 John Cleese's final episode on "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on BBC TVActor, Comedian John CleeseActor, ComedianJohn CleeseComedian and Actor Michael PalinComedian and ActorMichael Palin1974 "$6 Million Man" starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV1974 Israel & Egypt sign weapons accord1975 "Jeffersons" spinoff from "All in the Family" premieres on CBS1976 Super Bowl X, Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Dallas Cowboys, 21-17; MVP: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh, WREvent of interestEvent of Interest1977 Pakistan cricket all-rounder Imran Khan takes 6 for 63 in the Australian 2nd innings for a match total of 12 to lead his side to an easy 8 wicket 3rd Test win in SydneyCricketer and Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran KhanCricketer and Prime Minister of PakistanImran Khan1977 Scientists identify a previously unknown bacterium as the cause of the mysterious Legionnaires' disease.1977 Australia's worst rail disaster occurs in Sydney, killing 83 people1978 Geoff Boycott captains England for the 1st time, v Pakistan at Karachi1978 Roof of 3-yr-old Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut collapses (no injuries)1978 Thiokol conducts 2nd test firing of space shuttle's SRB1979 Peter Jenkins finishes "A Walk Across America" at Florence, Oregon1980 Gold reaches $1,000 an ounceMusic release#1 in the Charts1980 Pink Floyd's album "The Wall" hits #1Rock Bassist and Vocalist Roger WatersRock Bassist and VocalistRoger WatersSinger-songwriter and Producer David GilmourSinger-songwriter and ProducerDavid Gilmour1980 Studio 54 owners Steve Rubell & Ian Schrager sentenced to 3½ years in prison for tax evasion & fined $20,0001981 Iran accepts US offer of $7.9 billion in frozen assets1981 Punk singer Wendy O. Williams arrested in Milwaukee for on-stage obscenity (later cleared)1981 Phil Smith and Phil Mayfield become the first two people to BASE jump from objects in all four categories (buildings, cliffs, bridges, antennae) after parachuting off a Houston skyscraperEvent of interestEvent of Interest1981 Swedish tennis star Björn Borg claims his second straight ATP Masters Grand Prix title with a 6–4, 6–2, 6–2 win over Ivan Lendl at Madison Square Garden, NYCTennis Player Björn BorgTennis PlayerBjörn BorgTennis Player and Eight-Time Major Champion Ivan LendlTennis Player and Eight-Time Major ChampionIvan LendlEvent of interestEvent of Interest1983 IOC restores Jim Thorpe's Olympic medals (Pentathlon & Decathlon victories) 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semi-pro baseballVersatile Athlete Jim ThorpeVersatile AthleteJim Thorpe1983 Dick Motta becomes the 5th NBA coach to record 600 wins as his Dallas Mavericks defeat the Golden State Warriors, 112-102 in Oakland1984 80th Islander & 3rd dual hat trick (Carroll & Bossy) 9-1 win1985 US renounces jurisdiction of World Court despite previous promise1986 24th Space Shuttle (61-C) Mission-Columbia 7-returns to Earth1986 AIDS charity record "That's What Friends are For" hits #11986 NY Lotto pays $30.5 million to one winner (#s are 19-20-27-34-41-46)1987 3rd Soap Opera Digest Awards - Days of Our Lives wins1988 Airliner crashes in SW China, killing all 108 on board1989 Astronomers discover pulsar in remnants of Supernova 1987A (LMC)1989 IBM announces earnings up 10.4% in 19881989 West Indies beat Australia in a rain-affected 3rd final in Sydney to win cricket's World Series Cup Tri-Series, 2-1; match reduced to 18 overs1990 South Africa says it is reconsidering ban on African National Congress1990 Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry arrested in drug enforcement sting1991 Iraq launches SCUD missiles against IsraelEvent of interestEvent of Interest1991 US acknowledges CIA and US Army paid Manuel Noriega $320,000 over his careerPanamanian General and Dictator Manuel NoriegaPanamanian General and DictatorManuel Noriega1991 WLAF's NY Knights become NY-NJ KnightsEvent of interestEvent of Interest1991 Longest tennis match at the Australian Open, Boris Becker beats Italy's Omar Camporese in 5 hours & 11 minsTennis Legend Boris BeckerTennis LegendBoris BeckerTennis Player Omar CamporeseTennis PlayerOmar Camporese1991 Eastern Air Lines goes out of business after 62 years, citing financial problems.Sport awardNHL All-Star Game1992 43rd NHL All-Star Game, Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA: Campbell beats Wales, 10-6; MVP: Brett Hull, St. Louis, RWNHL Legend Brett HullNHL LegendBrett HullFilm tv awardsGolden Globes1992 49th Golden Globes: Bugsy, Nick Nolte and Jodie Foster winActress Jodie FosterActressJodie Foster1992 Comedian Pat McCormick injured in a car accidentEvent of interestEvent of Interest1993 Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observed in all 50 states of the USA for 1st timeCivil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr.Civil Rights ActivistMartin Luther King Jr.1993 West Indies beat Australia 2-0 win cricket's World Series Cup1994 The Cando event, a possible bolide impact in Cando, Spain. Witnesses claim to have seen a fireball in the sky lasting for almost one minute.1995 Kumble takes 16-99 in match for Karnataka v KeralaBeatificationPapal Visit1995 Pope John Paul II begins visit to Australia264th Pope John Paul II264th PopeJohn Paul II1996 Baseball owners unanimously approve interleague play in 19971997 47th NHL All-Star Game, San Jose Arena, San Jose, CA: East beats West, 11-7; Mark Recchi, Montreal, RW1997 In north west Rwanda, Hutu militia members kill 3 Spanish aid workers, 3 soldiers and seriously wound one other.1997 Boerge Ousland of Norway becomes the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unaided1998 "Ragtime" opens at Ford Theater NYC1998 48th NHL All-Star Game, General Motors Place, Vancouver, BC: North America beats World, 8-7; MVP: Teemu Selanne, Anaheim, RW1998 ABL All-Star Game at Disney complex in Orlando1998 Boston Celtics retire Robert Parrish's #00Film tv awardsGolden Globes1998 55th Golden Globes: "Titanic", Peter Fonda, & Judi Dench winActress Judi DenchActressJudi DenchEvent of interestEvent of Interest1998 Larry Bird returns to Boston as head coach of the Indiana Pacers for the first time, as former Celtics center Robert Parish is honoured by having his No. 00 raised to the Fleet Center raftersNBA Legend Larry BirdNBA LegendLarry Bird2000 The Tagish Lake meteorite impacts the Earth.2001 New York's Mike Richter picks up his 267th career NHL win to become the winningest goaltender in team history; passes Ed Giacomin; Rangers beat the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1 in overtime2002 Sierra Leone Civil War finally declared over.2003 A bushfire kills 4 people and destroys more than 500 homes in Canberra, Australia.2004 AFC Championship, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough: New England Patriots beat Indianapolis Colts, 24-142004 NFC Championship, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia: Carolina Panthers beat Philadelphia Eagles, 14-32005 The world's largest commercial jet, the Airbus A380, is unveiled in France2007 Hurricane Kyrill: kills at least 44 in Western Europe: strongest British storm in 17 years kills 14 people, worst German storm since 1999 with 13 deaths and causes container Ship MSC Napoli to be destroyed off coast of DevonUnited NationsUnited Nations2008 The United Nations announce George Clooney as a UN messenger of peaceActor George ClooneyActorGeorge Clooney2009 AFC Championship, Heinz Field, Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Baltimore Ravens, 23-142009 NFC Championship, University of Phoenix Stadium: Arizona Cardinals beat Philadelphia Eagles, 32-252012 Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) blackout becomes the largest protest in the history of the internetAgreementContract of Interest2013 Former New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin is indicted on corruption charges stemming from post-Hurricane Katrina business contracts and bribesMayor of New Orleans Ray NaginMayor of New OrleansRay NaginEvent of interestEvent of Interest2013 Brandon Boyd announces his new band, Sons of the SeaMusician Brandon BoydMusicianBrandon BoydFilm tv awardsFilm Awards2014 20th Screen Actors Guild Awards: Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett winActress Cate BlanchettActressCate BlanchettActor Matthew McConaugheyActorMatthew McConaughey2015 AB de Villiers makes the fastest century in ODI cricket history from 31 balls against the West Indies2015 AFC Championship, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough: New England Patriots beat Indianapolis Colts, 45-72015 NFC Championship, CenturyLink Field, Seattle: Seattle Seahawks beat Green Bay Packers, 28-22 (OT)2016 World's 62 richest people are now as wealthy as half the world's population according to a report published by OxfamHall of fameHall of Fame2017 Baseball Hall of Fame adds Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan RodriguezMLB Outfielder Tim RainesMLB OutfielderTim Raines2017 NASA and NOAA announce that 2016 was the hottest year on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 which itself topped a record set in 20142018 First drone rescue of swimmers by lifeguards in New South Wales, Australia2018 Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira rides the largest-ever wave by a female surfer at 20.72 m (68 ft) at Praia do Norte in Nazaréin, PortugalShare Share17 JanJan 19Articles on Events in JanuaryBritish Museum Opens its DoorsBritish Museum Opens its DoorsThe British Museum opened to visitors on January 15, 1759. Fearing damage to the collections by unruly hordes, nobody was admitted without a ticket.January 15, 1759 Designer Throws His Hat Into the Ring; Creates a SensationDesigner Throws His Hat Into the Ring; Creates a SensationThe first time a man stepped out in London wearing a topper it caused a sensation, then a court case. Who now could imagine Fred Astaire without his famous top hat?January 15, 1797 Squaring Up for Radio CommentarySquaring Up for Radio CommentaryThis was the day when the BBC broadcast live sports commentary for the first time and introduced a novel way of involving listeners in the action.January 15, 1927 War Victim Goes to Bottom of the PileWar Victim Goes to Bottom of the PileOne of the first to die in World War I fell not in the trenches of France but in a leafy lane in rural England. So should he be ranked alongside battle heroes?January 19, 1915Search the world's largest, most accurate site for today in history.Enter Date, Event or PersonAll

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DescriptionMeghalaya 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. Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,430 square kilometres, with a length to breadth ratio of about 3:1. WikipediaCapital: ShillongPLAN A TRIPMeghalaya travel guide15 h flightDESTINATIONSShillongGuwahatiCherrapunji‎MawlynnongDawkiMāwsynrāmNongriatUmiamView allPEOPLE ALSO SEARCH FORMizoramArunachal PradeshNagalandManipurSikkimTripuraAssamHimachal PradeshView allMore about MeghalayaPEOPLE ALSO ASKWhat is Meghalaya famous for?Is Meghalaya safe for tourists?

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The 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.Ancient 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.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.The 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.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]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 EditNE Autonomous divisions of India.svgTo 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 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.

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