# Shillong

Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya, one of the smallest states in India and home to the Khasis. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the European settlers of Scotland. Hence, Shillong is known as "Scotland of the East".

## Quotes

* Shillong is widely known as Scotland of the East. It is a beautiful town.
** M.M. Jacob, in David R. Syiemlieh From Shillong: Speeches Of M.M. Jacob, Daya Books, 1 January 2005, p. 20
* In Shillong and this small but beautiful hill State of Meghalaya, the people are simple, straightforward and willing to listen. But they also believe in dialogue and discussion for all issues. They do not like to take orders, unless they feel that they are also taken into confidence.
** M.M. Jacob, in "Reflections From Shillong: Speeches Of M.M. Jacob", p. 20
* The name Shillong is derived from a peak of the same name. According to one legend the name came from a young handsome boy called ‘Shyllong’ who was born under mysterious conditions to a virgin mother.
** The Indian Backpacker, in Shillong : Scotland of the East, The Indian Backpacker.
* Shillong established in mid 1800s by Colonel Henry Hopkinson as a refuge for officers and staff of East India Company during summers, was made into a new civil station by British in 1864 and was also designated as the summer capital of Eastern Bengal and Assam for many years.
** The Indian Backpacker, in "Shillong : Scotland of the East".
* The city … situated on the Shillong Plateau at an altitude of 1520 m (4987 ft); destroyed by earthquake in 1897 and rebuilt.
** TheFreeDictionary, in Shillong, TheFreeDictionary.com
* Shillong — the capital city of Meghalaya — has been a capital city since its inception. In the course of its over-a-century old history it has attained the status of a cosmopolitan city with its own culture.
** Nikhlesh Kumar, in Survey of Research in Sociology and Social Anthropology in North-East India, Daya Books, 1 January 1999, p. 7
* The civil station of Shillong was established in 1864 as the administrative centre for a Khasi and Jaintia Hills district. At that time most of its present area was covered with deep forests with Laban — a small village under the United Khasi State of Shillong – nestling on hill slopes.
** Abhik Das Gupta, in Rivers and Riverine Landscape in North East India, Concept Publishing Company, 1 January 2006, p. 118
* The city of Shillong is exposed to the outer world. This gives opportunities to the educated elite to derive major benefits of socio-economic change. English education, Christianity, spread of communication and connectivity of the region contributed to the changing process of the Khasi life in Shillong.
** Gita Pyal, in Asok Kumar Ray, Satyabrata Chakraborty Society, Politics, and Development in North East India: Essays in Memory of Dr. Basudeb Datta Ray, Concept Publishing Company, 2008, p. 125
* Finally on 21 January 1972, Meghalaya was declared a new state with Shillong as its capital.
** The Indian Backpacker, in "Shillong : Scotland of the East".
* The Khasis of Shillong city have retained even today many important element of their tradition.
** Gita Pyal, in "Society, Politics, and Development in North East India: Essays in Memory of Dr. Basudeb Datta Ray", p. 125
* Shillong the capital set amidst a picturesque landscape of pine covered hills, rapid streams and captivating water falls provides a perfect getaway from the heat.
** The Official Web Portal of Meghalaya, in Meghalaya, National Informatics Centre.
* Within the city are a number of places to visit, which include Wards Lake, Lady Hydari Park, Sweet Falls, and the Shillong 18 Hole Golf Course, which is one of the oldest in the country. Other Tourist sites around the city are the Crinoline Swimming Pool, Mattilang Park, Air Force Museum, Upper Shillong, Don Bosco Centre of Indigenous Cultures, the Butterfly Museum and Jaya Kalra's Art Gallery.
** The Official Web Portal of Meghalaya, in "Meghalaya".
* Rain drenched streets, dreamy youth smoking joints, their enigmatic fascination with rock music, literature, the authoritative Khasis and their antagonism against Dkhars (non-Khasis), snacking on peppered boiled potatoes soaked in tamarind water, and the wanting to break-free attitude, all of it and more is part of a picturesque narration that makes the reader fall in love with Shillong.
** Anjum Hasan, in Arunima Mazumdar Of Shillong, lunacy and life, The Times of India, 11 July 2013
* The city’s half-timbered architecture has been rather swamped by lots of drab modern concrete, but areas such as Oakland and Lumsohphoh retain many older houses...The Anglican Church, perched above Police Bazaar, is a graceful structure fronted by pretty lawns...The 1902 All Saints’ Cathedral would look perfect pictured on a biscuit tin. Located nearby, the turreted Das-Roy House lurks behind a traffic circle that harbours five forgotten Khasi monoliths as well as a mini Soviet-style globe monument.
** Lonelyplanet, in Sights in Shillong, Lonelyplanet.com
* It's true that we're well-known globally but it's also important to be known in your own country. It is very comforting indeed that our kind of music is accepted by the rest of the country. It gives us a great sense of identity. And of course there is no platform like television to present your talent to the whole nation.
** Donna Marthong, on the performance of his choir group winning awards, in Pooja Pillai, Shillong Choir hits high note, wins contest – and many hearts, The Indian Express, 4 October 2010.
* They've [Shillong Chamber Choir] made us all very proud.
** Mukul Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya in "Shillong Choir hits high note, wins contest – and many hearts".
* Man, this place barely exists on the map and there are all these wonderful people coming out of the woodworks with Powers of 10 albums and posters that I haven't even seen in America. They know everything I have ever done, every tune I have ever played... it's just bizarre, simply inconceivable.
** Shawn Lane, about his experience at Shillong and Aizwal, in Souvik Dutta Remembering Shawn Lane: 1963-2003, All About Jazz, 14 December 2003