Sohra tourism is now a shadow of its bustling past

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Sohra, the most desired tourist destination in Meghalaya before COVID-19 struck, is grappling today with doom and gloom. With tourist footfall reduced to a negligible trickle these days, the local stakeholders are a worried lot. Will tourists return in hordes like before? Will they not? That’s the question they keep on asking!

Tourists are slowly coming in Sohra but not like it used to be, said the local vendors at Noh Ka Likai Falls. The popular Bansiewdor Dhaba at Noh Ka Likai remains empty. Likewise the smaller eating joints nearby. The place which was once bustling with tourists now looks like a shadow of its past.

The small vendors selling local knick-knacks and the locally grown cinnamon said that for almost seven months their earnings have stopped and it was all of a sudden. They had to rely on free rations provided by the government while some were fortunate enough to be provided with job cards under the MNREGA. But all of them said that they prefer to earn their livelihoods like before in the vicinity of the Noh Ka Likai. For them, this waterfall is a god-send.

The number of homestays in Sohra has mushroomed in recent years. Perceptibly, considerable investments have gone into these ventures. Hence, the sudden closure due to the pandemic has created a sense of vulnerability.

Each one of these homestay owners, many hesitant regarding giving their names, the vendors, restaurateurs, tour guides, tour operators among others are just counting the days when life gets back to normal but they also understand that ‘normal’ may not arrive any time soon and are struggling to make ends meet.

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