Every year tourist flocks down to Japan to observe the cherry blossom festival at the advent of spring.
The lush green trees totally covered in baby pink and white blossoms is a sight to behold.
But now, why travel miles and miles long when you can bask in the glory of the blossoms right here?
India’s First Cherry Blossom Festival: Witness Meghalaya’s Beauty At Its Best!
In 2016, Shillong, Meghalaya celebrated its very own cherry blossom festival! It became India’s first cherry blossom festival in the month of November.
The Indian cherry blossoms are one of its kind, that’s because, in other countries like Japan and Korea, the flowers bloom during the springtime in the month of March & April.
But the Meghalaya beauties are the only ones to bloom during autumn.
Prunus cerasoides or the Wild Himalayan cherry tree is a plant native to the Himalayan region. However, it is grown abundantly in Shillong.
In 1980, the forest department planted the cherry trees in Shillong to lend an aesthetic appeal to the place. Years after the planting the tree is bearing fruit, quite literally.
The cherry blossoms flower for a period of a week or 10 days.
Therefore, you need to really plan your trip at the right time to avoid missing the small window period. The rest just comes down to your luck.
The mesmerizing look of the flowers completely transforms the entire vibe of the place! Hundreds of these trees can be seen lined up along Wards Lake.
For anyone who wishes to bring back home a sliver of nature in their memories should definitely add the “Cherry Blossom Festival” of Shillong to their travel cards!