North east India
Churches in Meghalaya
Meghalaya means ‘Abode of the Clouds’ and is a hilly state sandwiched between Assam to the North and Bangaladesh to the south. 8,660 sq miles – slightly bigger than Wales. The state has a high degree of rainfall, in fact the village of Mawsynram, in the Khasi Hills, holds the record of the world’s highest average annual rainfall with 11,873 mm (467 in) a year. The nearby village of Cherrapunji, 56 km (35 mi) from Shillong, has the world’s second highest rainfall average of 10,920 mm (430 in); the town has been known to receive nearly 23,000 mm (906 in) of rain in one year. The state occupies a mountainous plateau where the average elevation is just under 2,000 m (6,500 ft). Severe earthquakes are not uncommon and Shillong itself was completely destroyed in an earthquake in 1897 and re-built. About one third of Meghalaya is covered in dense forests which are home to an abundance of wildlife, including tigers, elephants, leopards, wild pigs, wolves, deer, snakes, peacocks, hornbills, and mynahs. The state has two national parks. None of the rivers flowing through Meghalaya is navigable.
The state is populated by 3 main tribes, the Khasis, Jaintias and the Garos. The Khasi and Jaintias are thought to be from S E Asia, possibly Cambodia and the Garos from Tibet. Interestingly they all have a matriarchal system of society, reflected in the system of naming and inheritance. However, many other peoples from the surrounding states, other regions of India and Nepal have also settled in the state.
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and has a population of about 800,000. It is situated at 1500 metres, which is higher than Ben Nevis. The surrounding area is called the ‘Scotland of the East’ and was a hill station under the British administration. Shillong is a very cosmopolitan city with a real mixture of different peoples. It is the main educational centre for the region, with a number of colleges which draw in thousands of students from many of the other states within the North East region of India.
Shillong Parivaar Kalisiya’ (Shillong Family Church) is a local church with which we have had a relationship since 1996. The church meets in Shillong, holds Sunday meetings in English and Hindi and gathers people from a number of different communities. The church is very involved in reaching out into some of the more rural areas within the Khasi Hills.
Tura is another smaller city which is the centre of the Garo Hills district in the West of Meghalaya. We are working with a small church there called Cholguga Mondoli (Open Door Church) as well as with a church which meets near the Bangladesh broder in a district called Pura Khasia. This church is called Katanapram Mondoli (Church of Refuge).
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