Mawphlang Sacred Grove
An ancient forest where the law of the deity protects every leaf
About 25 km from Shillong, the Mawphlang sacred grove is one of the most revered of Meghalaya's many sacred forests — patches of old-growth woodland protected for centuries by Khasi customary law and the belief that they are guarded by the local deity, U Ryngkew U Basa. The rule is absolute: nothing, not a leaf, a stone or a twig, may be taken out of the grove.
The result is an enchanted, moss-draped world of ancient trees, rare orchids, medicinal plants and stone monoliths where clan rituals were once performed. A local guide from the community leads you through, explaining the plants, the legends and the sacred-grove system that has quietly conserved biodiversity here long before the word existed. The grove is also the starting point of the historic David Scott Trail.
What to see & do
- The old-growth trees, orchids and monoliths of the grove
- A community guide's stories of Khasi belief and the forest law
- The start of the 16 km David Scott Trail, an old British bridle path
- The wide moorland meadows around Mawphlang
Getting to Mawphlang Sacred Grove
| How to reach | About 45 minutes to an hour from Shillong by road. |
| Best time | October to April; the David Scott Trail is a lovely dry-season day walk. |
| Permit | No permit for Meghalaya; take a local guide at the grove entrance. |
| Good to know | Respect the cardinal rule — carry nothing out of the grove — and combine the visit with a walk on the David Scott Trail. |
More to explore
Living Root Bridges
Nongriat & the Khasi/Jaintia hills
Bridges grown, not built, over generations.
Dawki & the Umngot River
West Jaintia Hills, Bangladesh border
Boats that seem to float on air over glass-clear water.
Sohra (Cherrapunji)
East Khasi Hills
Waterfalls, caves and some of the heaviest rain on earth.