THE SAD LEGEND OF NOHKALIKAI WATERFALLS

Nohkalikai waterfalls is situated 5 km away from Cherrapunjee and is the fourth highest waterfall in the world. Falling from a height of 1,100 feet, this fall is a great attraction of Cherrapunjee which is known to be a wet land because of the amount of rains it receives. The drive to this falls is through the elevated land that leads to the cliff and then one has to hike a short distance to a viewpoint from where you will be able to witness the enchanting sight of the beautiful Nohkalikai waterfalls.

This falls has a sad legend associated with it. Noh Ka Likai means “the leap of Likai”, as per the legend, a young woman named Ka Likai who stayed in the village of Rangjyrteh, which is found nearby the waterfall, she is a widow at a very young age, she had a little baby daughter from her earlier marriage. However, with no one to take care and because of the child, she got married again. Her new husband loathed his step daughter as he was not in favour of the girl staying with them because Ka Likai spent most of the time with her daughter once she returned from work. Out of jealousy that his wife failed to give attention towards him, he decides to kill her. When Ka Likai was away for work, he slaughters the girl and uses her flesh to cook some meal. After returning home from work, Likai was surprised that her husband had prepared an evening meal for her. She ate the meal without suspicion, had no doubt about the gory act her husband had induced on her daughter. However, she later discovered her daughter’s fingers in the betel nut basket. Distraught with grief and remorse, she rushed to the nearby cliff and threw herself over the precipice adjoining the waterfalls. The fall has ever since been known as Nohlakikai.