Fruit Experiment Station at Upper Shillong

Fruit Experiment Station,

Upper Shillong

In Upper Shillong, since 1903, the farm had been worked in conjunction with the Fruit Experiment Station. The main objective of the farm was  the introduction of superior varities of potatoes, the cultivation of fodder crops, the preservation of fodder in silos, and the encouragement of fruit culture.

Partition of Bengal

Partition of Bengal

Assam had already been brought under administrative umbrella of the Bengal Presidency. Its extensive territory including Bihar and Orissa also and spanning over 190,000 sq. miles with a population of 7 million with diverse ethnic, linguistic, geographical and climate components had created administrative problems.

Administration

Administration

 

In 1906, the District was divided into two sub-divisions Shillong and Jowai. Shillong was the Head Quarters of the Deputy Commissioner and the summer Head Quarters of the Deputy Commissioner and the Local Government.

Shillong Subdivision

Shillong Subdivision

 

In 1906, the Shillong sub-division was part of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills District, in the Province of East Bengal and Assam[1]. The sub-division contained one town, Shillong (in 1901, the population was 8,384) which was the Head Quarters of the Administration and contained 1,199 villages.

Bridle Paths

Bridle Paths

From Maoflang a bridle path ran north and westward through Sohiong (7 miles), Mairang (15 miles), and Nongkhlao (25 miles) to the border of the Kamrup district, 30 miles beyond Nongkhlao. There were Inspection Bungalows at Mairang and Nongkhlao.

Assam Legislative Council

Shillong Muslims and Assam legislatures

 

Some of the Muslim luminaries of Assam had become permanent settlers of Shillong and had landed properties including houses. They were inseparably connected for a long time with Assam politics based in the Provincial Capital.

The Shillong Memorial

The Shillong Memorial

 

Three major campaigns on the North East Frontier and in Burma were recalled by a small Memorial erected in Shillong Cemetery[1]. The Memorial bears the names of 94 men of the Assam Rifles and the Assam Military Police (predominantly Gurkhas), killed while maintaining order in Assam and Burma.

Ramkrishna Mission

Ramkrishna Mission

 

It was not before 1924, however, that the Ramkrishna Mission set up camp in the Khasi Hills. In that year Swami Prabhananda, inspired by Swamiji's ideas moved to these hills. He started educational institutions first at Shella, where a primary school was opened.

Shillong anecdotes

Shillong anecdotes

The ‘Azalea Walk’ was one of the most beautiful sights in Shillong[1]. It started from Lawmali by the side of the stream, skirting on to Wahingdoh and Raitsamthiah sides. Suna Valley, locally known as ‘Ka Them Suna Pani’, was covered by a dense forest with tall pine trees.

Postscript

Postscript

 European pensioners, serving officers, tea planters, businessmen – all built their cottages here[1], naming them after places in England: ‘Stratmore’ (now the BK Bajoria School), ‘Bonny Brae’ (housing the Survey of India office today), ‘Crowborough’ (where now a hotel is under construction), Redlands and La Chatelet in the Cantonment to name a few. ‘Charing Cross’, ‘Kings Cross’, ‘Briar Rose’, ‘Fern Dale’ and ‘Hunny Pott House’ were other names of cottages in Shillong, typical of this period.