Mawphlang Sacred Forest

Law Kyntang Mawphlang is a sacred grove protected under Khasi custom for centuries, held to be the dwelling of the guardian deity Labasa, and the governing rule is absolute: nothing may be removed from it, not a branch, a stone or a fallen leaf, and stories are told locally of those who tried. The result is a patch of undisturbed subtropical forest, dark and moss-hung with dense epiphytes and rare orchids, standing in sharp contrast to the open grazed grassland immediately around it, where the boundary is visible as a wall of trees. Village guides take visitors through and explain the ritual stones used for sacrifices at the entrance.

What you actually see

• The forest edge - a wall of trees against bare grassland outside.
• The undisturbed interior - moss, epiphytes and rare orchids under old canopy.
• The ritual stones - monoliths at the entrance used for offerings.
• The taking prohibition - the rule that nothing at all leaves the grove.

When to go

September to May; the monsoon makes paths muddy and leech-ridden though the forest is at its most lush. Guides from the village are compulsory and available at the entrance.

Honest expectations

A local guide is required and entry alone is not permitted. Nothing may be removed, including stones or leaves as souvenirs, and this is taken seriously. Paths are wet and slippery year-round.

Nearby

Shillong lies northeast; Cherrapunji is south.