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The wettest inhabited place on earth, Mawsynram located in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya receives nearly 12 metres of rain annually on an average, mostly from the monsoon winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal. Mawsynram is a paradise for nature lovers who are attracted by its fresh air, clear blue sky, steep slopes and roaring waterfalls. The culture of the region is also unique with its ethnic Khasi and Garo tribe inhabitants, their habitat, arts and handicrafts. The main language spoken in the area is Khasi, though some areas have a mixture of the Khasi and Garo languages.
Three reasons can be cited for the highest rainfall one is that the warm moist winds of the northward-moving air from the Bay of Bengal during the monsoon, which cover an extensive area are forced to converge into the narrower zone over the Khasi Hills, thus concentrating their moisture. The alignment of the Khasi Hills (east to west) places them directly in the path of the airflow from the Bay of Bengal, producing a significant uplift (plus cooling, further condensation and thus more rain). Finally, uplift over the Khasi Hills is virtually continuous in the monsoon period because the lifted air is constantly being pulled up by vigorous winds in the upper atmosphere; hence the rainfall is more or less continuous.
One of Mawsynram’s natural attractions includes the Mawjymbuin. Cave with a massive stalagmite-shaped like a Shivalinga. Another small natural staglamite formation close the giant Shivalinga is worshipped by the locals as Goddess Parvati. One has to trek upward from the base of the formation to reach the peak of the rock. The view from the top of the valleys, the hills that surround the region, the speedy rivers of Bangladesh and the plain is quite spectacular.
An unusual loaf-shaped rocky dome with a nearly flat top called Symper Rock is located close to the Weiloi Village, close to the Ranikor-Balat-Mawsynram-Shillong Highway. It ascends abruptly from among the hillocks of the surrounding region.
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