By- Reeta Rani Nayak
Normally we go for tea or coffee or small snacks in a restaurant or café in a market place or a mall premises. But in world famous Sohra (Cherrapunji) one can be inside a lock-up or in a jail and enjoy the same experience. As you must’ve heard, a jail converted into a cafe is the latest buzz. One enterprising young entrepreneur has made it possible that too in the oldest police compound of the British era in Sohra.
Nafisabet Nongrum, a first-time entrepreneur with her brother, has transformed Meghalaya’s police station, dating back to 1885, into a unique cafe called Sohra 1885, where past and present blend over a plate of Momo or a cup of coffee. The menu reflects a fusion as rich as the building’s history with Indian, Asian and Continental offerings served daily from morning to night. Whether it’s a steaming plate of noodles or a buttery paneer dish, every bite comes with a smattering of nostalgia.
A unique themed café remnants of its former life are carefully preserved and integrated into the dining experience with British-era helmets, shields, an antique safe, and even the original lockups. These now serve as atmospheric dining booths, giving patrons the rare thrill of eating behind bars, quite literally. Most of the structure remains intact. The duo just repainted and restored which took about a year to complete.
Interestingly, the idea of converting an unused police station to a business enterprise was the brainchild of East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem to transform this 140-year-old vestige of the British Raj into a quaint 100-seater café. Syiem first floated the idea while serving as the deputy superintendent of police of Sohra. “I always wanted to do something with the heritage police station. There are not many such buildings left in the state that have so much history,” he told the media. Soon after, the government started the process of constructing a new police station building to accommodate more personnel, and the process of monetising the heritage police station also began. “Monetisation meant extra income for the force and especially for police welfare activities,” Syiem said, adding that two years ago a formal bidding was done in which the current owner won the bid.
What followed was a journey of vision, heritage preservation and entrepreneurial grit, which have now been embodied in the café’s brick-red walls, antique decor and a one-of-a-kind dining experience. The brother-sister duo officially opened the cafe on May 22, and it has been drawing large crowds of curious tourists and appreciative locals. Located within a 4.26-acre police compound, Sohra 1885 shares its grounds with the current police station, which became operational in 1989.
But it’s the old station’s walls that tell the more compelling story — a narrative that began in a humble thatched “kutcha” building manned by just 11 staffers. That original structure, and much of its records, were reduced to rubble during the devastating 1897 Assam earthquake that claimed many lives and reduced many buildings to debris. The tragedy is recorded in inspection reports now framed and displayed within the café as a grim memory. Between 1912 and 1913, the police station was rebuilt with more permanent infrastructure, used as barracks for a while, but it quietly fell into disuse after the new police station was constructed. For decades, the police station stood as a silent sentinel of the past without any use. Now it is buzzing with life with tourists and visitors.
The Nongrum family runs five eateries across Shillong and Sohra has stood them in good stead. But for Nafisabet, this venture marks her first project. Tourism stakeholders in the region are taking a queue of this innovative model.
Nongrum, the business partner, refurbished the entire building using British-era items from the old police station. The café has not only presented something unique but also boosted tourism, employment and given a platform to local entrepreneurs.
“We have converted the lockups into a dining area. The visitors are enjoying the ambience,” she said.
The SP said the business partner has done a great job in restoring the old building, leaving the walls and floors as they were.
“Even the fireplace has been renovated to its old glory. The floors have been left to their original state as they are still in very good condition,” Syiem said.
According to Nongrum, a 200 kg safe was also refurbished, repainted and polished. The entire space offers an unforgettable experience especially for those travelling to Sohra for the very first time.
He said the café has a seating capacity of 100 people.
Batskhem Thabah, one of the patrons at the café, said, “We really enjoyed our time in the lockup which has been converted into a dining area.”
The profit made from the establishment is being donated towards police welfare.
This 140-year-old police station in Sohra has undergone a transformation into a trendy café, offering delectable and lip-smacking food to visitors at one of the world famous Sohra. The café
now has become a hotspot for foodies, influencers and tourists.
(Himalayan News Chronicle with inputs from PTI)