Umiam Lake: Heavenly Gateway to Shillong, Meghalaya

The Umiam river originates from the foothills of Shillong Peak and meanders its way across valleys that today lies submerged in the lake. During those days when the monsoon raged, the Umiam river would often overflow its banks and inundated the fields and the villages which led to loss of property and income to the villagers and therefore the name “Umiam” which literally translates to “Water of tears” serves as a fitting name for the lake that was formed after a dam was constructed on the river in the 1960s.

The Lake is a favorite venue for family picnics and outings. Many locals and tourists frequent this site to take in the scenic views of the lake and also to enjoy boat rides that take them around the lake up to the crocodile-shaped Lumpongdeng Island in the middle of the lake. All these facilities can be availed at Umiam Water Sports Complex which is located next to Orchid Lake Resort.

We gleefully started our trip to Umiam Lake at midday from Shillong with strong hopes that the weather would be favorable as it showed signs of a typical rainy day. Fortunately for us, as we got closer to the first viewpoint, the gloomy clouds started to disperse and we began to see glimpses of the Lake from the tree-lined winding road.

We made a stop at the viewpoint to be able to appreciate the Lake in its vast enormity and comforting beauty. From here, Lumpongdeng Island with it vaguely distinguishable features of a crocodile can be seen. Along the footpaths, there are numerous small shops selling snacks and souvenirs and your nose may be tickled by the delicious sweet aroma of roasted corn sold along the pavements.

We made our way down the road to the bridge near the Police Outpost that offers a closer view of Umiam Lake. Here there are steps where people can go right to the bank to touch the water or skip stones on its surface although this is not advisable as the Lake is quite deep. Driving further down, the road opens into a dyke where on one side, along the shore; a small group of people can be seen fishing and having an enjoyable time as the cool breeze gently sweeps across the open water. Interestingly, the people were not the only ones fishing that day, the Kingfisher and other small birds can be seen along the banks thoroughly scanning the waters for some fish to prey on.

Just a short distance from the dyke, there is the entrance to ‘U Lum Sohpetbneng’, popularly known as ‘Navel of the Earth’. This is hallowed space for the followers of the indigenous Seng Khasi faith. According to legend, the Golden Vine Bridge that connected Heaven and Earth in olden times was situated at the peak of U Lum Sohpetbneng and once a year, in the month February, the believers gather there to conduct rites and rituals and offer prayers. Interestingly, an archaeological study discovered Neolithic cultural materials (stone and iron implements) scattered along the ridges of this peak that dates as far back as 1200 BC.

A little further ahead, we took a right turn at Umsaw bridge which leads away from the main road to Umbir. This is the detour taken if you want to reach Ri Kynjai resort, Siloam Retreat Center and UCC College. Similarly, from the roadside we could see equally breathtaking views of the Lake and other gorgeous landscapes. Whilst there, we stumbled upon the Touch-Me-Not plants and we could not resist touching the leaves of these sensitive plants. As the leaves of the plant folded, the sight brought back a lot of fond memories of our childhood days when we were able to find joy in the ordinary.

As evening time crept in, we hurried back to the viewpoints to catch a glimpse of the sunset before heading back. The nostalgic feelings and enchanting charm are the prime reasons for which we hold these little trips to Umiam Lake close to our hearts and the reasons why we would definitely be visiting again in the near future.

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