The doggos of Shillong
Shillong’s street dogs are a league of their own, scruffy and adorable, fierce yet oddly approachable. These four-legged guardians are everywhere, from lounging like royalty on sidewalks to weaving through traffic like they own the place. And if you’re out late at night, don’t be surprised if one decides to escort you home, their intense gaze silently questioning, “Are you sure you belong here?”
As someone who’s been ‘escorted home’ more than once by these vigilant canines, this SJ team member has learned to appreciate their quirks. It’s both hilarious and mildly unnerving, but they do take their job seriously.
A lot of people, too, have a soft spot for these street heroes. Shopkeepers toss them snacks, street vendors give them funny names, and some dogs even become local mascots, like the Nongthymmai jogger-greeter.
Sure, they get complaints now and then, but isn’t this city theirs as much as it’s ours? So, next time they tail you home, they only want to be pet or probably a packet of biscuits.
Shillong’s Guerrilla Gardeners
In here, you don’t need a horticulture degree to turn a forgotten corner into an ornamental flower garden. The city’s meiieid (grandmas) are at the forefront of this operation, and perhaps can transform derelict spots into green oases. Winter mornings are the best time to see this magic in action where the tiniest houses somehow look like movie sets, with flowers growing out of anything that’s vaguely pot-shaped.
Plastic cups, mugs, and broken pots? The term recycling might have stemmed from here.
Shillong’s garden game is all about optimism, creativity, and after all who needs a horticulture degree when there’s magic in your hands for turning trash into treasures.