I admit that I have fallen in love with Meghalaya. The abode of clouds with its pristine landscapes and natural beauty does enchant everyone who heads there. However, for me, it was much more than that. It was discovering the unique culture of Meghalaya – about its people and their lifestyle – which might seem different to us but definitely adds to the charm of the place.

There are three distinct tribes in Meghalaya, based on the three hill ranges here – the Jantia, the Garos and the Khasis. However, since I predominantly ventured into the Khasi hills, my experience of the Meghalaya culture is limited to the Khasi tribes. From their way of life to the traditions observed, their habits, shopping and food choices, I discovered some unique nuances of this state of Meghalaya. Here are 10 of these delightful discoveries of the culture of Meghalaya.
Contents
1) Matrilinear culture of Meghalaya
It was quite nice to see so much respect for women in Meghalaya. Women are at the forefront of every possible aspect of life. Be it business or home. One major reason for this is the matriarchal culture of Meghalaya. Here the natural heir of any household is its “youngest daughter”. The woman does not go to the men’s house after marriage. It is exactly the opposite.

Every business in Meghalaya is named after a woman and the name of the business starts with the term “Ka” . Ka refers to the woman. I found only women at the various cash counters of shops and restaurants. In fact, if you recall one of the recommended restaurants, en route to Arwah Caves called the Orange Roots. This entire restaurant – from the kitchen to the cash counters to the service on the tables – every bit of it was run by women.
Having said that, these women still manage their households and kids, pretty much like most of us. In a true sense, Meghalaya is all about women power!
2) Cleanliness- an integral part of the Meghalaya Culture

Meghalaya was one state that I found to be extremely clean. Whether you were on the highway or in the smallest lanes of the city or even a village, there was no rubbish thrown around. Every corner was spic & span. At the corner of every possible road or eatery are small bamboo dustbins and a sign, encouraging people to throw their waste into the bin.

We happened to treat ourselves to some road-side snack and even there, every vendor had a dustbin or a bag ready for you to dispose your plate into. From Shillong to Cherrapunji and all place in between, we found the same cleanliness spirit. Mawlynnong ,the cleanest village in Asia, was just the peak of this whole cleanliness culture. In short, I think Cleanliness has just become an integral part of the Meghalaya culture.
3) Traditional Dress and Customs
It is amazing how the traditional dress – specifically the Khasi outfit is still worn by the elegant women of Meghalaya. Be it in Shillong or in the smaller towns, you will see these lovely women going about their daily chores in their Jainsem. A modification of the Indian saree is how I would explain this. Jainsem covers the entire body and can be either cotton or silk – the latter being more of a festival choice. I personally thought it was quite a good choice given the weather and the comfort required. It seemed to be even more practical as I saw the women carrying their young ones on the back of a make-shift baby bag. It was in fact, quite cute, so much that my daughter accused me of not having done this with her. 😛

Adding to the beauty of the Jainsem. were the beaded jewelry like these necklaces. Interesting though how these neck pieces are currently, a rage among the urban women, who often team with their outfit – both Western and Ethnic. I recall a friend paying dearly to acquire these while here, they are just everywhere and in the choicest of colors and designs.

The men here too, have a traditional dress called Jymphong but the same is restricted to their traditional festivals. You do not really see too many of the men sporting that in their everyday life.
I cannot claim to have witnessed any of their festivals in person but I got a fair idea of their customs and traditions through the Don Bosco Center for Indigenous Cultures. Here there were quite a few displays of the local cultures – not just of Meghalaya but all the neighboring states and even countries. It is here that I got to know of this tradition called Hynniew Trep. It is based on an interesting belief that the Khasi families descended from the 7 families that were sent to earth by the Lord himself.

In reality, there were 16 such families who used to come to earth to enjoy themselves but 7 of them decided to stay back and make it their home. They are said to be the first human settlement on Earth.The representation above has been created to represent the values and the gifts that these settlers brought in with them. A detailed explanation of the same can be read in the picture below.

Essentially, as you can see, the culture of Meghalaya is quite ancient and deep-rooted!
4) Discovering Retro in Meghalaya

Now, this was a fun thing that I discovered. I knew of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is termed as the “Rock Music Capital of India“. The love for music in the state was evident from the time we entered it but it wasn’t just rock music. In fact, it was Retro Music of the 80s – both English and Bollywood! Every taxi and restaurant played the hit songs of 80s and I was thoroughly amused with the same. It had been ages since I heard “Nothing can stop my love for you” or even those old Akshay Kumar songs “Waada raha”. It made me quite nostalgic.
5) Sustainable Products

Whether you look at the dustbins or the interesting curios to buy or even clothing and shoes, the Meghalaya products all are made of sustainable material. Bamboo articles are the most common here, where even the dustbins are made of Bamboo. Even when you go shopping, you will find a lot of Bamboo containers and memorabilia on sale.

The interesting thing is that even in their homes, they have recycled and re-used plastic in the most innovative manner – a trait that I hope, can flow down to the cities. It is something that upped my respect for the people of Meghalaya.
6) Kwai
Ever noticed the red lips that the people of Meghalaya have? The same is not owing to any progressive genes but the habit of chewing Kwai. Kwai essentially is a betel leaf that has some lime (Chunna), betel and areca nut rolled into it. Everyone, including the kids, are attuned to Kwai as they say that it helps them keep warm in the otherwise cold weather in Meghalaya. It is so much a part of their culture that they find it odd that we have not even heard of it. They say that even the poorest of the Khasi households will offer you Kwai, even if they cannot offer you food. In many ways, it is their way of an ice-breaker with a stranger.

I personally, found the taste too bitter for my liking but well, who knows, you guys might just enjoy it! However, having said that, it isn’t healthy to have on a regular basis and if you do decide to try it, make sure you read all about it before you do!
7) Food in Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a “non vegetarian’s” paradise, especially if you enjoy Pork. Being a vegetarian I cannot claim nor will attempt to describe these. Instead I will focus on the local vegetarian food that I managed to sample. Typically Rice, Rotis, Vegetables, and Daal are what you get in a typical Khasi meal. The rice is the dominant of the lot. In a lot of places, I found that they offered red rice with vegetable as a combination. I particularly enjoyed this with Dai Sboh nei–iong (Daal made of Black sesame). Adding flavor further on was their bamboo pickle called Lungsiej and their radish salad – Muli Khleh.

Somehow, the food here sounds exotic but in fact, it is simple, homely and quite delicious. I also, found that it was quite easy on the stomach and I guess that is where my fondness for Meghalaya further increased!
8) Love for Football

It was refreshing to see Football fields as against the cricket pitches in this part of the world. Large fields were dedicated to this sport in various parts of the state. When there was nothing to do, the kids and the adults came together to play football. Why we found a huge game in progress when we reached Mawlynnong as well. I suppose I enjoyed the spirit that went with the game and the large green cover that came with it. Truly a unique part of the culture of Meghalaya.
9) Stunning churches

Incidentally, it was Sunday when we reached Shillong from Guwahati. Well-dressed couples and families walked in their Sunday best to their neighborhood church- each one of these being as beautiful and colorful as another. There were so many lovely ones through the state that it became impossible for me to keep up with their names. And where there are churches, there has to be some lovely stained glass work – something that I love photographing.
10) Warm and delightful people

Everywhere we went, we were greeted with such genuine smiles, People in Meghalaya are in general, very soft spoken, polite and friendly. From the home-stays that we stayed into the restaurants where we ate or the shops that we visited, we encountered some delightful people. And even more charming where the kids. Always ready to share a joke, give a hi-five and skip along with you.
There is just something in the culture of Meghalaya that makes them like this. And it is that very thing that made me fall in love with the abode of clouds – Meghalaya. I would be surprised if you too are not charmed by these. Message in and let me know which part of the culture did you find the most fascinating.

Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.
I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.
Loved this beautiful post !
Thank you/
Wow it’s wonderful and nice images as well . India is very rich country in terms of it’s culture .
It is extremely rich. A lifetime here is not enough to explore it all. Cheers Mamta. Thanks for stopping by
Great to read. Thanks for the awesome post.
Greetings from Assam
Thanks Rupam
Very nice post.
We should not forget our culture.
Thanks Kamaljit . To add to your comment, neither should you stop understanding or enjoying another 😀
I had never even heard of this destination so it’s great to be introduced to it through your eyes. Particularly cool that they care so much about their environment!
They definitely are so environment conscious and I so love that.
Meghalaya, we had seen breath taking pictures of its water falls and lush forests but after reading your post this state has much more in its home to its visitors to offer. So many interesting facts you have shared here Ami which kept us occupied while reading the post as we were eager to know whats going to be the next point…
Thank you Ladies. Meghalaya was a wonderful revelation for me too…Hope you get there soon
Never been to this place… but have heard a lot about Meghalaya and your pictures speak everything! A great post! 🙂
Thanks Maitreni. Hope you visit Rajiv soon and explore this place 🙂
I have not been to Meghalaya but many other north eastern states in India. And I can relate to most of the things that you pointed out here. Like cleanliness, matriarchal society, custom and traditional way of clothing. In fact I remember visiting somewhere in Sikkim where women of the household work, choose their husbands, and take dowry as well 🙂
Yes, it does sound pretty much like that though seeing it first hand was amazing. Thanks for stopping by Neha.
We really know so little about the cultures of the North-Eastern states. It is posts like these which help bridge the gap and we can realize the vast similarities that exist across different cultures of India. The Matrilinear culture of Meghalaya is so reminiscent of Kerala.
So true…quite similar to the Nairs of the South though here is seems more predominant. Cultures really help you enjoy the place better.
Thank you. Glad you liked it
Such an awesome read. This has further increased my interest in visiting this gem of a state in the northeast India. I can already tell I have fallen in love with Meghalaya – cleanliness, martiarchal society and love for football – it seems like the place where I would like to settle down later sometime.
It is a gorgeous place and I do hope people learn from it . More importantly I hope people leave it as clean as they found it.
I went to Shillong, Cherrapunji and Dwaki last year and each of this places were just amazing. I really love reading your travel blog Ami 🙂 keep up the good work going!!!
Thank you so much. Meghalaya is such a stunning place. One visit just does not seem enough.
Thanks for this informative post on Meghalaya. I’m contemplating going to this beautiful land sometime in the future. So, it has kind of given me an idea what to expect. I’m glad that they are so rooted to their culture. I love such places. Happy to know that women are at the forefront of everything and the state is so clean.
Thank you Renuka. The culture here is so strong and lovely that it is a pleasure to observe and be a part of it.
Meghalaya is still a mystery of me. Once in awhile I do enjoy armchair traveling. Khasi vegetarian food looks interesting. Dai Sboh nei-iong and lungsiej sound tempting too. I enjoy exploring local vegetarian food.
Local vegetarian food is limited but whatever there is, is yummy. You should go soon.
North East India is my absolute favorite. We often talk about Uttarakhand and Himachal and overlook this stunning part of India altogether. But it has immense potential as far as tourism is concerned. Great post though. Keep up the good work
Thank you Ranjan. This is true. We tend to overlook our own gems in the North East
Hey Ami,
Thinking about going to Meghalaya when thing return to normalcy. Your blog gives a unique perspective into Meghalaya than the usual stuff.
Thanks
Thank you so much. Am glad that you find the blog insightful.