Autumn Festival Shillong: Cultura Festival of Meghalaya

Autumn Festival Shillong: Cultura Festival of Meghalaya

Autumn Festival: Shillong the capital of Meghalaya becomes vibrant and comes alive during the months of October-November specifically because of the Autumn Festival held here during this time. It is a cultural extravaganza organized by the Government of Meghalaya along with other organizations. The event is a means of entertainment and frolic for the inhabitants of Shillong.

Autumn Festival Shillong:

Apart from the natives of the area, tourists and visitors from all over India gather here during the Autumn Festival in the months of October-November to celebrate the festive spirit of the state of Meghalaya.

Festival Name: Autumn Festival
Organiser: Department of Tourism – 3rd Secretariat Nokrek Building, Lower Lachumiere, Shillong, Meghalaya 793001 India
Contact: 91-98630 65161 /  info[at]meghalayatourism[dot]in
Venue: Umiam Lake
Ticket: Rs.3000.00
Estimate Date & Time: September – October / 14:00 PM – 22:00 PM

The Autumn Festival is packed with fashion shows organized by government providing an opportunity to different designers to showcase their designs which are made out of indigenous fabric which are woven in the state. Apart from the fashion show there are other events like food and wine festivals, flower shows, kite flying competitions, music and rock festivals, golf tournaments, fishing competitions and a host of other activities, which are organized during the Festival.

Both natives and tourists have a great time during the activities of the festival. It is celebrated on a grand scale and is immensely popular.

Meghalaya literally means “Land of Clouds” and is extremely famous for its traditional dance and music. Meghalaya is also a state which gives home to a number of tribes. Many tribal communities with their own set of culture, customs and traditions observe festivals with their own set of customs. Most of the festivals of Meghalaya revolve around agriculture, which is the prime occupation of the state people. Apart from the Autumn Festival other popular festivals include Wangala Festival, Seng Kut Snem and Autumn Flower Show.

Major Attractions of Autumn Festival:

The Autumn Festival is usually observed in the months of September and October. The highlighting features of this festival is that it is a nice blend of traditional activities like fishing, kite flying, ethnic fashion shows, golf and more. Apart from these, dance and music performances entertain the audience introducing the tourists to the cultural flavour of Meghalaya.

Food and Themes

The focus of the Autumn Festival has always been on family-oriented entertainment. Apart from entertainment, here tourists can also relish their taste buds in a variety of traditionally made dishes. One can also shop around taking handicraft items as souvenirs. Every year, this festival is based on a certain theme. For instance, both in 2018 and 2019, music was chosen as its theme.

How to Reach:

Shillong is a city where you can find an immense bounty of nature. Famous for its stunning panoramic views Shillong is situated at an approximate distance of 2,003, 2,827, 1,108, 3,048 km from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru respectively. Here is how you can travel to Shillong.

By Air:

The nearest aerodrome is the Umroi airport along with the Guwahati airport. Both these airports are located at a distance of 30 km and 120 km respectively. However, due to good connectivity, you can consider deboarding at Guwahati airport. After deboarding your flight, you can take a cab or a bus to reach Shillong.

By Train:

The best option would be to deboard at the Guwahati train station. It is one of the A1 rated train stations in India and also the first solar operated train junctions. It is fairly well-connected with other Indian cities. After you deboard at the station, you can take a cab or some other means of local transportation to reach your destination.

By Road:

If you are residing in nearby regions, then, you can also consider travelling via well-maintained motorable road networks. For instance, from Guwahati, you can consider taking a bus. However, there are many private as well as government buses available which serve the passengers at timely intervals. Apart from this, you can also take a cab or self-drive.

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