Mawphlang

Located East Khasi Hills, there are no hotels in Mawphlang except the very beautiful MaplePine Farm. The farm is completely driven by wind power churned out by two windmills. Potato is grown in abundance here along with peas. It feels like a Canadian countryside right in the middle of Meghalaya. One of the most interesting tourist points in Mawphlang is the Mawphlang sacred forest. According to the local folklore, the sacred forest is looked after by Labasa, the deity who transformed into a tiger or a leopard to protect the forest. Animal sacrifices (such as goats and roosters) are performed for the deity at stone temples inside the forest in times of need, such as illness. Members of the Khasi tribe also burn the bones of their dead inside the forest. Nothing is allowed to be removed from the forest as it may upset the deity. There are tales of people who have broken this taboo becoming sick and even dying. The sacred grove has an amazing life form of plants, flowering trees, orchids, and butterflies. An ideal spot for nature lovers, the forest has been preserved by traditional religious sanction since time immemorial.