Garo Hills
The Garo Hills (Indian English: [ˈɡɑː.roː]) are part of the Garo-Khasi range in the Meghalaya state of India.[1] They are inhabited by the Garo people.[2] It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.[3][4]
Description
- Christianity (73.6%)
- Hinduism (13.3%)
- Islam (10.1%)
- Others (2.94%)
The Garo Hills were a single district of British India.[7] The region now comprises five districts namely East Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills.[8] It has a total population of 1,103,542. Tura is the largest town with a population of about 74,858 located at the foothills of often cloud-covered Tura peak. The town is centrally located to other popular game and wildlife sanctuaries in the district such as the national parks of Balphakram and Nokrek, and several natural limestone caves (the Siju Cave is among the longest in Asia). These places are rich reserves of natural flora and fauna and a refuge for endangered animals.[9]
Places of interest
Garo Hills, known for its abundance of wildlife, attracts naturalists and photographers to capture the multifaceted sights of a unique range of flora and fauna. Two mountain ranges - the Arabella range and the Tura range, pass through the Garo Hills, forming the great Balpakram valley in between. The headquarters town of Tura, at an altitude of 657 m, is 305 km (190 mi) from the state capital Shillong.[10] The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with elevation of 1,412 m (4,633 ft).[11]
Tura has a picturesque landscape of hills against a backdrop of low-lying plains.[12] A sunset view can be best seen from Tura Peak at 1,400 m (4,600 ft) and its summit can be reached by a 5 km (3.1 mi) trek, partly by hiking and also by rock-climbing.
These are the locations in and around Garo Hills which are tourist spots. These include:[13]
- Nokrek Peak
- Tura Peak
- Imilchang Dare
- Balpakram
- Napak Lake
- Siju Cave
- Wari Chora
See also
References
- ^ "Garo Hills-The Ecological Canvas of Meghalaya". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ Subba, T.B.; Ghosh, G.C., eds. (2003). The anthropology of North-East India. Hyderabad: Orient Longman. ISBN 81-250-2335-6.
- ^ Joshi, H.G. (2004). Meghalaya: past and present (1st ed.). New Delhi: Mittal Publications. ISBN 81-7099-980-4.
- ^ Singh, V.B.; Sema, K. Akali; Alila, Pauline, eds. (2006). Horticulture for sustainable income and environmental protection. New Delhi: Concept Pub. Co. ISBN 81-8069-221-3.
- ^ "Population by religion community – 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015.
- ^ ORGI. "C-16: Population by Mother Tongue". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 473. This includes a history of the district from a British point of view.
- ^ "Districts". The official web portal, Government of Meghalaya. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ Karlsson, Bengt G. (2010). Unruly hills: a political ecology of India's northeast. New York: Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-0-85745-104-0.
- ^ "Directions: Tura, West Garo Hills - Shillong, East Khasi Hills". OpenStreetMap. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Bhatt, S. C.; Bhargava, Gopal K., eds. (2006). Meghalaya. Delhi: Kalpaz publ. ISBN 81-7835-374-1.
- ^ West garo hills. [S.l.]: General Books. 2010. ISBN 978-1-158-71563-3.
- ^ "Places of Interest for Tourists | Shillong.com". Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
External links
25°30′N 90°20′E / 25.500°N 90.333°E
- ^ "People of Meghalaya". Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2012.