Eclectic Northeast – July 2019

64 │ │ July 2019

back in time

ENe Bureau

F

or two hundred years, the British ruled over

India, and during that period, they constructed

a number of lavish architectural wonders across

the nation, including the Northeast. The prospect of

tea brought them to Assam, and since back then, the

capital of Assam was Shillong, a lot of officials resided

in and around the city. Now a part of Meghalaya,

universally known as ‘Scotland of the East’, it was a

favourite among British officials due to its cold and

pleasant climate. And so, it is not surprising that

Meghalaya is home to quite a few striking bungalows,

many of which have been preserved well. One such

example is the Dak Bungalow, now known to travellers

as Café Cherrapunjee.

Café Cherrapunjee is a great place for travellers to grab a bite and get a

history lesson, all at the same time

Vintage Dak Bungalow Wooing

Tourists in Cherrapunjee

Asia’s first Noble Prize winner

Rabindra Nath Tagore had

also mentioned the bungalow

in his poetry. He came across

the building during his visit to

Meghalaya. Mentioned in his

novel ‘Shesher Kobita’, he depicts

the bungalow, and also praises

the British for their contribution

to the area and calling it an

‘adornment’.