Cherrapunji (ˌtʃɛrəˈpʌndʒi,_-ˈpʊn-) or Sohra is a sub-divisional town (Proposed District) East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya. It is the traditional capital of ka hima Sohra (Khasi tribal kingdom).
Sohra has often been credited as being the wettest place on Earth, but for now nearby Mawsynram currently holds that distinction. It still holds the all-time record for the most rainfall in a calendar month and in a year, however: it received in July 1861 and between 1 August 1860 and 31 July 1861.
The history of the Khasi people – native inhabitants of Sohra– may be traced from the early part of the 16th century. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, these people were ruled by their tribal 'Syiems (rajas or chiefs) of Khyriem' in the Khasi Hills. The Khasi hills came under British authority in 1833 with the submission of the last of the important Syiem, Tirot Sing Syiem.
The main pivot on which the entire superstructure of Khasi society rests is the matrilineal system.
The original name for this town was Sohra (soh-ra), which was pronounced "Cherra" by the British. This name eventually evolved into a temporary name, Cherrapunji, meaning 'land of oranges', which was first used by tourists from other parts of India. It has again been renamed to its original form, Sohra.
Despite abundant rainfall, Sohra faces an acute water shortage and the inhabitants often have to trek very long distances to obtain potable water. Irrigation is hampered due to excessive rain washing away the topsoil as a result of human encroachment into the forests. Recent developments of rain-water harvesting techniques in the area have greatly helped the town and its neighbouring villages.
There is a monument to David Scott (British Administrator in NE India, 1802–31) in the town's cemetery.
It has an average elevation of and sits on a plateau in the southern part of the Khasi Hills, facing the plains of Bangladesh. The plateau rises 660 meters above the surrounding valleys.
Soils on the plateau are poor owing to deforestation and washout caused by heavy rainfall.
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Mawsynram est un tehsil de l'État du Meghalaya, situé à l'extrémité ouest du district des East Khasi Hills en Inde et à 56 kilomètres de Shillong, la capitale de l'Etat. Il est réputé pour recevoir le plus de précipitations au monde, car les monts Khasi font barrière à la mousson venant du golfe du Bengale. Ce serait l'endroit le plus arrosé de la Terre, avec une pluviométrie annuelle de répartie sur 350 jours en moyenne sur les 38 dernières années. La plus grande partie des pluies tombe de mai à aout, tandis que les mois d'hiver sont relativement secs.
The Khasi Hills (ˈkɑːsi) are a low mountain formation on the Shillong Plateau in the Meghalaya state of India. The Khasi Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range and connect with the Purvanchal Range and larger Patkai Range further east. The Khasi Hills, and the whole Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range, are in the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion. The Khasi Hills, and the entire Meghalaya state, was administratively part of Assam before 1970. In older sources in particular, the alternative transcription Khasia Hills is seen.
Les Khasis (खासी) sont un groupe ethnique de langue môn-khmer habitant : en Inde dans les États du Meghalaya (notamment dans les districts des monts Khasi), de l'Arunachal Pradesh, de l'Assam, du Bengale-Occidental, du Maharashtra, du Mizoram, du Tamil Nadu et du Tripura et les Îles Nicobar, où ils sont au nombre de . au Bangladesh, où ils sont . Traditionnellement, les Khasis parlent la langue khasi et aussi l'anglais et l'hindi. Les Khasi appartiennent à un sous-ensemble des Wa, qui peuplaient autrefois toute cette région.