“The villagers…they still believe that U Thlen will shape-shift into anything”: How my Mawsynram trip gave me mini nightmares |
“The villagers will not openly talk about U Thlen. The oldies will whisper about Thlen and that’s the best one can get out of them. You see, they still believe that U Thlen will shape-shift into anything, catch hold of them, and suck their blood dry”...whispered my college-friend and guide Tash as I moved uneasily in my little wooden stool. Both the story and the fact that I was sitting on a stool made for a child gave our late night chit chat by the fireplace that extra dose of drama. That cold January night in Mawsynram was a night to remember. We all love a good travel story every now and then. I have travelled to over 25 states in India, sometimes exploring the wilderness, sometimes checking out food and clothes, and most of the time hunting for souvenirs. But my Mawsynram trip had none of these fun side quests.
Hillocks in Meghalaya
Some of my friends from the US were visiting Delhi, and one of the get-togethers over pizzas and soups led to us deciding to go check out Meghalaya. The focus was to go see what Mawsynram, the wettest place in the world, looked like. Well, let me tell you. The wettest place in the world, in January, was as dry as it can be. We met up with my friend from college who agreed to be our guide, mainly because she was already working there and knew the lay of the land.The drive from Shillong to Mawsynram was one of the prettiest ones I have ever seen. Rough, yes. But no one even remembered to crib about the bumps and jolts when the view from the passenger seat was drop-dead-gorgeous. Our Google Maps told us that the distance between Shillong and Mawsynram was approximately two hours. But the road made it three and half hours for us.
Dainthlen Falls
We didn’t see a bustling town, no crowd anywhere, no incessant traffic and horns, but what lay in front of us was an endless stretch of gentle rolling hillocks, with a smattering of a pine grove or two. The brown in front of our eyes stretched as far as our eyes could see. Our view was disturbed by just a couple of houses in one corner, a shop or two in the other, and children playing with their wooden “cars” with wooden wheels. The scene was so idyllic and happy, when all of a sudden the shrill voice of a local Khasi woman broke our reverie. She was calling her children indoors as it was getting late. It was 4pm. She was also our host for the night. As we watched the children hurry indoors, my friend Tash told us, “We should go in. I’ll explain inside.” Sat by the fire, Tash began telling us one of the most interesting stories we’ve heard till now. So the villagers believed in the existence of a malevolent entity called U Thlen, a shape-shifting giant serpent who would give immeasurable wealth and good fortune in exchange for blood sacrifice. Don’t get me wrong, U Thlen is both feared and revered in Khasi folklore. The legend of U Thlen, as they liked to call it.
The legend of U Thlen
U Thlen, the gigantic, man-eating serpent or demon-like creature, once terrorised the Khasi Hills. The serpent demanded human sacrifices, and in return, it granted wealth and prosperity to those who worshipped it. Over time, society progressed, but the shadow of U Thlen somehow lingered…is what some thought. You see, there were still families who firmly believed that some people secretly continued offering sacrifices, feeding the creature in exchange for riches. So over time, U Thlen became a symbol of greed, fear, and moral corruption, from a feared and revered entity. U Thlen represented how prosperity gained through cruelty ultimately destroys society. Some believed that if U Thlen got one’s piece of clothing or hair or basically anything, it would shape-shift, catch hold of them and suck one’s blood dry. Villages lived in fear, and any disappearances were often attributed to U Thlen’s hunger. So the locals preferred their little ones safe at home before the sun sets.“But what happened to U Thlen?” the four of us voiced out in our own ways and accents.
How U Thlen was defeated
In one of the most widely told versions of the story, the Khasi people sought help from a clever and courageous man who devised a plan to kill the monster. U Thlen was tricked into consuming lime (calcium oxide), chuna in local terms, a substance commonly used with betel nut. When the creature swallowed it and drank water afterward, the lime reacted violently inside its body, causing immense heat and ultimately killing it. But wait, the end was not that simple.
Rock formations near Dainthlen Falls
The unexpected twist!
After U Thlen’s death, its massive body was said to have been dragged and thrown over a cliff, where it crashed onto the rocks below. The place where the body fell, and later cut up to pieces, came to be known as Dainthlen Falls. Ring any bell? This is one of the most popular waterfalls in Meghalaya, famous for its crater-like surface. As per the local legends, those craters were the places where the pieces fell. Well, now I’d like to request the readers to give creativity some space. So some, this may sound absolutely absurd, and to some “excellent stuff.” We took it as one of the coolest stories we have heard in a long time, and definitely one of the best travel stories we can tell people, like I am doing right now. The name Dainthlen is believed to derive from the Khasi words dain (to cut or slay) and thlen (the serpent), literally meaning “the place where Thlen was slain.”If you let them, the locals will point out large rock formations near the falls that are believed to bear marks left by the serpent’s body. I sat by the fireplace, sipping hot red tea, occasionally getting spooked by the brush of the family’s cat tail, and feeling the look of disdain from a four-year-old whose wooden stool I had hijacked that cold evening. I looked at my American friends, listening intently, and letting out correctly placed gasps. I wondered if they understood anything that day. But one thing I knew, they had one-of-a-kind travel experience in one of the remotest places one could find in our beautiful Northeast. Travel. Gather stories. Repeat.
