Nestled in the East Khasi Hills of the state of Meghalaya; Cherapunjee for decades was the wettest place on earth. Recently, it was overtaken by the nearby town Mawsynram which in the last few years has received more rainfall than Cherapunjee. However, Cherapunjee still holds the record for being the wettest place on earth for at least 20 years in the past and is at present the second wettest place on earth. It is also the only place in India which receives rainfall throughout the year!
Located about 50 km southwest of Shillong (the capital of Meghalaya), Cherapunjee is also known as Sohra and Churra. Cherrapunjee, which means ‘the land of oranges’, is at a height of 4290 ft. One can see the plains of Bangladesh from the cliffs of Cherrapunjee. It receives a staggering 11,777 mm (38.64 feet) of rainfall each year. Monsoon clouds which blow inland from the Bay of Bengal are stopped from moving further by the ridges of Cherrapunjee. The town receives both south-west and north-east monsoon. However, despite receiving excess rain, the town still faces an acute water shortage and the locals have to travel great distances to get fresh water. Another fall out of the relentless rain is the soil erosion. This has denuded the land of Cherrapunjee and the surrounding valleys.
Cherrapunjee is also famous for its live bridges, a result of bio-engineering practised by the locals. The bridges can bear 50 people at a time and are spectacular to watch. Besides, enjoying the rains, Cherrapunee is also a good place for trekking. The most popular trekking route is that leads to Double Decker Living Root bridge in Nongriat village.
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