Beauty of Garo Hills

 

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]} The liquor is not distilled, but prepared by brewing food grains.

The society is 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 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 agoges of Sparta. The Khasis and Garos are now mostly Christians. Before that they were nature-worshipers.^[8]

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 km from the state capital Shillong via Guwahati, at an altitude of 657 m. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with elevation of 1412 m.^[9]

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Tura has a picturesque landscape of hills against a backdrop of low-lying plains.^[10] A sunset view can be best seen from Tura Peak at 1,400 m and its summit can be reached by a 5 km trek, partly by hiking and also by rock-climbing.

History of Hajong Students' Union

The Hajong Students' Union Central Committee was established on 1971. The constitution was adopted unanimously in the 1st General Conference of the Union, held at Benabazaar, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya on 27th and 28th February 1975. The constitution is framed by the constitutional sub committee comprises of 3 members and passed in the constitution on sub committee. The first members were -

1. Shri Paresh Ch Hajong - Chairman

2. Shri Abani Hajong - Secretary

3. Shri Iswar Das Hajong - Member

Head Office:

The Head Office of the Hajong Students' Union (Central Executive Committe) is in Hawakhana, Tura, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya

Aims and Objectives:

• To faster a spirit of unity, Sacrifice, Discipline, Co-operation, Service to the Society and self help among the Students belonging to the Hajong community of the different institution under the state or the central Government.
• To pave the way for adequate facilities for Cultural, Social and Extra curricular activities for the Hajong Students.
• To exert for providing adequate scope for employment, Higher education, Other Vocational training for the Hajong Students with the view to established the Society on a sound economic focting.
• To endeavour for providing adequate scope for education, accommodation of Hostel, Supply of Text books, etc., necessary for the Students.
• To propagate progressive, thinking among the Youths of the Society to enlighten the illiterate mass belonging to Hajong Society.
• To take necessary measure for the development of farmers education and other vocational training for the farmers and thus make the women folk belonging to the Community advanced and progressive.
• To adopt  ways and means to develop the Hajong language so, that in future it can be used as the medium of instruction and also to determine the language for its uses.
• To make the Students belonging to the Hajong Community, Socially, Culturally and Literary advanced.
• To bring into light the Historical and Cultural facts of the Hajong Comunity by means of Research and Study etc.
• To adopt all such measures that may be necessary for the welfare, development and progress of the Students and the Community as a whole.
• To pursue peaceful means to attain the aim and objects of the Union as laid down in the Constitution.
• To co-operate with and extant support to progressive social organizations for achieving the aims of the Union as well as for the welfare of the Hajong Community and country as a whole.