Meghalaya is home to nature’s aura and magic in abundance. There are so many beautiful tourist places to explore in this Northeastern state and NohKaLikai Falls is surely one of the most famous ones to visit. With a height of about 340 metres, this waterfall is also India’s tallest plunge waterfall. Thousands of tourists explore this place to witness the alluring beauty of the waterfall and its surroundings but only some know the story of this waterfall.
Here’s How The NohKaLikai Falls Of Meghalaya Got Its Name
The name “NohKaLikai” translates to the jump of Likai in the Khasi language and the leap is the real story behind how the waterfall got the name. This is the story of a local woman named Likai who attempted suicide from a cliff beside the waterfall and that’s why the name “NohKaLikai”. And the term “Ka” is used as a prefix for females in the Khasi language. Legends and locals often share the story. It is said that the woman who attempted suicide was actually a widow with a small daughter from her first marriage.
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She decided to remarry for her daughter, she remarried so that her little one can get the love of a father. Little did she know, this marriage is going to change everything about their lives. Ka Likai spent a lot of time outside of her house because of her work. And after returning back, she spent her time with her little one. She could not spend much time with her husband and this led to the husband raging in jealousy.
This Is What Ka Likai’s Husband Did
Her husband never liked her daughter as she could not pay much attention to her husband after her work and taking care of her infant. Things took the worst turn when she went to work one day. Her husband killed the infant, threw her bones and head, and cooked her flesh. After returning home, Ka Likai could not see her baby but found some meat cooked for her. Thinking that the baby might be playing somewhere, she decided to eat first as she was tired.
Ka Likai had a habit of munching on betel leaves and nuts after eating her food. So she grabbed the betel basket but found a finger near it. It took her no time to understand what really happened while she was working. She was devastated and heartbroken to realise that she consumed her own dead daughter’s flesh. Right after that, she jumped off a cliff near the waterfall and this is how the NohKaLikai falls got its name.
It is absolutely heartbreaking to see that such a mesmerising place has such a saddening story behind it.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons