The Silent Scream of Nohkalikai: A Journey into Meghalaya's Haunted Heart

They say the falls are beautiful. But beauty often hides the darkest secrets.

And some places echo louder than others. And some screams never fade.

Welcome to Meghalaya: Where the Mist Carries Memories

Cherrapunji, the rain-washed jewel of Meghalaya, greeted me like a dream—green hills, ancient caves, and clouds so low you could almost touch them. But what I didn’t expect was how heavy the silence felt near certain places. One in particular stood out before I even saw it:

Nohkalikai Falls.

Locals don’t say its name casually. Some won’t say it at all after sunset.

When I asked a woman selling betel nuts about it, she turned pale and muttered,

“You can visit… but don’t look down too long. That’s when she sees you back.”

The Legend of Ka Likai: A Tale of Tragedy

As I approached the falls, a local elder shared the harrowing tale. In the village of Rangjyrteh, there lived a woman named Ka Likai. After her husband's death, she remarried to provide for her infant daughter. However, her new husband grew jealous of the attention she gave her child. In a fit of rage, he killed the baby, cooked her flesh, and served it to Ka Likai. Unknowingly, she consumed the meal. Upon discovering her child's fingers in her betel-nut basket, she was overcome with grief and madness. She ran to the edge of the cliff and leaped to her death. The waterfall was named Nohkalikai, meaning "the leap of Ka Likai" in the Khasi language .

An Eerie Encounter: The Weight of Sorrow

Determined to witness the falls, I ventured closer. The roar of the water was deafening, yet there was an uncanny silence that enveloped the surroundings. As I stood there, a sudden chill ran down my spine. The air grew dense, and I felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow. It was as if the very atmosphere mourned the tragic tale.

I noticed a woman in traditional attire standing near the edge, gazing into the abyss. Her presence was both calming and unsettling. I approached, but as I neared, she vanished into the mist. Was it my imagination, or had I encountered the restless spirit of Ka Likai?

Reflections: The Haunting Beauty of Nohkalikai

The experience left me shaken. The falls, while undeniably beautiful, carried an aura of melancholy. The legend of Ka Likai wasn't just a story—it was a palpable presence that lingered in the air, in the mist, and in the hearts of those who knew it.

Visiting Nohkalikai Falls was more than a sightseeing trip; it was a journey into a tale of love, jealousy, and tragedy. A reminder that places, like people, carry their histories, their sorrows, and their ghosts. 

Warning to Travelers

Nohkalikai Falls is stunning. But beware: beauty doesn’t mean safety. If you go, don’t stand too close. Don’t mock the legend. And if you hear the sobbing…

Don’t answer it.

Don’t follow the sound.

And whatever you do—don’t look directly into the mist.

Because once she sees you…

She doesn’t forget.