https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Garo_HillsGaro Hills - Revision history2026-07-31T07:41:54ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Garo_Hills&diff=166452&oldid=previmported>Citation bot at 18:59, 26 July 20212021-07-26T18:59:01Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>[[File:Baghmara, South Garo Hills.jpg|thumb|275x275px|Baghmara, in the south Garo Hills]]<br />
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The '''Garo Hills''' (Pron: ˈgɑ:rəʊ) are part of the Garo-Khasi range in [[Meghalaya]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Garo Hills-The Ecological Canvas of Meghalaya|url=http://megtourism.gov.in/dest-garo.html}}</ref> They are inhabited mainly by tribal dwellers, the majority of whom are [[Garo people]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Subba |editor1-first=T.B. |editor2-last=Ghosh |editor2-first=G.C. |title=The anthropology of North-East India |year=2003 |publisher=Orient Longman |location=Hyderabad |isbn=81-250-2335-6}}</ref> It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the [[Meghalaya subtropical forests]] ecoregion.<ref>{{cite book |last=Joshi |first=H.G. |title=Meghalaya: past and present |year=2004 |publisher=Mittal Publications |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-7099-980-4 |edition=1st}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Singh |editor1-first=V.B. |editor2-last=Sema |editor2-first=K. Akali |editor3-last=Alila |editor3-first=Pauline |title=Horticulture for sustainable income and environmental protection |year=2006 |publisher=Concept Pub. Co. |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-8069-221-3}}</ref><br />
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People who reside in the Garo Hills are known as the Garos. Besides the Garo hills, there are Garo settlements in the plains of [[Assam]] and [[Bangladesh]]. The Garos call themselves ''A·chik'' (locally used).{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}<br />
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==Demographics==<br />
Garo Hills comprises five districts. [[Tura, Meghalaya|Tura]] is the largest town with a population of about 70,000 located at the foothills of often cloud covered Tura peak. The town is centrally located to other popular game and wildlife sanctuaries in the district such as the national parks of [[Balphakram National Park|Balphakram]] and [[Nokrek National Park|Nokrek]], and several natural [[limestone]] caves (the [[Siju Cave]] is among the longest in Asia). These places are rich reserves of natural flora and fauna and a refuge for endangered animals.<ref>{{cite book |last=Karlsson |first=Bengt G. |title=Unruly hills: a political ecology of India's northeast |year=2010 |publisher=Berghahn Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-85745-104-0}}</ref><br />
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==Society==<br />
The traditional Garo female dress is a piece of cloth around the waist and a blouse or vest. The men usually wear, in addition to cloth, a [[turban]]. Males and females both wear bangles and earrings. The staple cereal food is rice. They also eat millet, maize, tapioca etc. Garos are very liberal in their food habits. Practically all available types of meat and animals are eaten.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} The liquor is not distilled, but prepared by brewing food grains.<br />
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The society is [[Matrilineality|matrilineal]] like the Khasis and the Jaintias. Till death, the newborn baby belongs to the mother's family, irrespective of sex, even after marriage. Marriage within the clan is [[Exogamy|completely prohibited]] and severely punishable for both the Khasis and the Garos. Till now, the institution of Bachelors dormitories which is gradually disappearing amongst the tribes of northeastern region, are found in the Garo villages. In such dormitories young people stay and live together till they are married. They receive various training in the dormitories like making various A'chik music instruments, wrestling or traditional sports, making of traditional bamboo baskets. This institution is similar to ancient [[agoge]]s of Sparta. The Khasis and Garos are now mostly [[Christians]]. Before that they were [[nature worship|nature-worshipers]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://shillong.com/content/people-meghalaya |title=Archived copy |access-date=20 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108110212/http://shillong.com/content/people-meghalaya |archive-date=8 November 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><br />
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Garo Hills known for its abundance of wildlife attracts naturalists and photographers to capture the multifaceted sights of a unique range of flora and fauna. Two mountain ranges - the Arabella range and the Tura range, pass through the Garo Hills, forming the great Balpakram valley in between. The headquarters town of Tura is 323&nbsp;km from the state capital Shillong via Guwahati, at an altitude of 657&nbsp;m. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with elevation of 1412 m.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Bhatt |editor1-first=S. C. |editor2-last=Bhargava |editor2-first=Gopal K. |title=Meghalaya |year=2006 |publisher=Kalpaz publ. |location=Delhi |isbn=81-7835-374-1}}</ref><br />
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Tura has a picturesque landscape of hills against a backdrop of low-lying plains.<ref>{{cite book |title=West garo hills |year=2010 |publisher=General Books |location=[S.l.] |isbn=978-1-158-71563-3}}</ref> A sunset view can be best seen from Tura Peak at 1,400 m and its summit can be reached by a 5&nbsp;km trek, partly by hiking and also by rock-climbing.<br />
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==Places of interest==<br />
These are locations in and around Garo Hills which are tourist spots. These include:<ref>http://shillong.com/content/places-interest-tourists</ref><br />
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*'''Nokrek Peak''': The highest point of the Garo Hills region of the State, Nokrek Peak stands 1412 metres above sea level. The mother germoplasm of Citrus-indica have been discovered by science researchers within Nokrek Range. This discovery led to the establishment of the National CitrusGene Sanctuary-cum-Biosphere Reserve at Nokrek covering an area of 47 square kilometres.<br />
*'''Tura Peak''': A hill stands on the eastern flank of Tura, the largest town in the Garo Hills region of the state. It peaks 872 metres above sea level. <br />
*'''Imilchang Dare''': This waterfall is located close to Asakgre village in South Garo Hills district. The deep, wide pool at the bottom of the fall with its wide and expansive surroundings make it an exciting swimming pool, full of fish of varied size and colour.<br />
*'''Balpakram''': A National Wildlife Park, located in South Garo Hills and 167&nbsp;km from Tura. It is home to the rare Lesser Panda, the Indian bison and the stag like Serow. A variety of medicinal herbs locally called "dikges" grow abundantly in Balpakram.<br />
*'''Napak Lake''': Located at a distance of 112&nbsp;km from Tura, ideal for fishing and bird watching with the river Simsang flowing nearby. <!-- ( This must be TASEK lake, River Simsang doesn't flow anywhere near this area) --><br />
*'''Siju Caves''': The famous limestone caves of Siju are located near Simsang River in Siju village.<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[West Garo Hills district]]<br />
* [[North Garo Hills]]<br />
* [[Resubelpara]]<br />
* [[Khasi Hills]]<br />
* [[Patkai]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== External links ==<br />
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[[Category:Mountains of Meghalaya]]<br />
[[Category:Tourism in Northeast India]]</div>imported>Citation bot