The Elephant Falls are a two-tier waterfall in
Shillong
Shillong (, ) is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in India, 330th most populous city ...
,
Meghalaya
Meghalaya (; "the abode of clouds") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeast India. Its capital is Shillong. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the Assam: the United Khasi Hills an ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The mountain stream descends through two successive falls set in dells of fern-covered rocks.
History
The original
Khasi name for the falls is Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew, which translates to "the three-step waterfall". This name is still used locally. The modern name of "Elephant Falls" is explained by a signboard near the waterfall. The name originated in the British era when the Englishmen spotted a giant rock that looked like an elephant near the fall. However, this rock was destroyed in the 1897 due to an earthquake.
Description
The first fall of Elephant Falls is an example of a ''horsetail''-''punchbowl'' waterfall. The first fall is very broad and is hidden among trees. The second fall however, is quite domesticated and in the winters (and drier months) looks inconsequential. The third fall is the tallest and comes into view suddenly and looks most spectacular with crystal clear water falling over sharp rocks of myriad shapes.
The sides of the waterfall are flanked by lush greenery and are rich in ferns.
Location
Elephant Falls is situated at the outskirts of the main city of Shillong in the
East Khasi Hills District
East Khasi Hills is an administrative district in the state of Meghalaya in India. The district headquarters are located at Shillong. The district occupies an area of 2,748 km2 and has a population of 825,922 (as of 2011). , it is the most ...
, Upper Shillong. It is almost 12 km away from the
Shillong
Shillong (, ) is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in India, 330th most populous city ...
city center. It is opposite Mattilang Park in
Laitmynsaw.
A small signboard quite close to the Shillong Peak marks a small road that turns off to the edge of the mountain, leading to the falls.
From the gate, there is a steep, slippery flight of stairs to navigate each level of the fall with the first and second level facilitated with benches to rest and relax.
A ticket costing 20 INR is required to view the fall with an additional charge of 20 INR for permission to bring a camera.
Gallery
File:Elephant_Falls_at_Shillong.jpg, Elephant Falls at Shillong located in the East Khasi Hills
See also
*
List of waterfalls
This list of notable waterfalls of the world is sorted by continent, then country, then province, state or territory. A waterfall is included if it is at least tall and has an existing Wikipedia article, or it is considered historically sig ...
*
List of waterfalls in India
This is a list of waterfalls in India sorted by state. The Indian state of Karnataka has more waterfalls than any other state. Karnataka has 544 waterfalls which are at least 10 meters in height. With a height of 1493 feet, Kunchikal Falls in ...
References
{{Meghalaya
Waterfalls of Meghalaya
Geography of Meghalaya
Tourist attractions in Meghalaya
Shillong