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Meghalaya is already a beautiful state overwhelmed with the love of Mother Nature but the stunning shade of cherry pink have added much more to its beauty like a breathtaking painting. Shillong is the only city in India that hosts the Cherry Blossom Festival since 2016. Cherry blossom is a symbolic flower of spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life. The bloom marks the beginning of autumn season in Northeast India enchanting the beauty of the region.
This year, Meghalaya celebrated the festival with much enthusiasm and ease after pandemic. Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma along with H.E. Satoshi Suzuki, Ambassador of Japan to India, inaugurated the Cherry Blossom Festival 2021 at Wards Lake, Shillong. The Ambassador was accompanied by his wife and the Japanese delegate. The first edition of Shillong Literary Festival that was also a part of the Cherry Blossom Festival was also inaugurated during the occasion giving an opportunity to writers, readers and authors from the State to connect with other big names of literati from the country. Apart from the locals, people from the other native states were also seen relishing the beauty of nature. The city was glazed with pink color, soothing the locals & visitors. The main centre of celebration was the Wards Lake and the Polo ground where huge crowds were seen gathering around the stalls displaying local wines, delicious local cuisines, art, culture and tradition of the state.
Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, expressed his happiness to hold the Cherry Blossom Festival making it more inclusive and innovative while promoting Music, Art and Culture, giving an opportunity to come together, learn and share their ideas and talents. He further added that the government is focused on creating more entrepreneurs out of the artists in a sustainable model where the talent and passion of a youth can become their livelihood.
Also present during the inauguration were, Chief Secretary, Rebecca Suchiang, Secretary, NEC, K Moses Chalai, Dr Vijay Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, B K Lyngwa, PCCF, Meghalaya among others.
These Cherry Blossom trees are considered a gift from Himalaya. These grow in various Himalayan States like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim & northern districts of West Bengal namely Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, along with tropical highlands of Garo Hills and Khasi Hills in Northeast India where Prunus cerasoides is native to.
Cherry blossoms hold such an appeal in Japanese culture, because of what they symbolize: a time of renewal, the fleeting nature of existence, the impermanence of beauty, the essence of the moment, and much more. All of these concepts have been cherished in Japan since the days of antiquity. Cherry blossoms are known as sakura flowers in Japan, a special flower for the people and the country. Hanami (meaning flower watching) is actually a tradition in Japan and the custom is more than a thousand years old. Families go to picnics during the sakura blossom season in Japan. The cherry blossom season in Japan typically happens during March-April. It is also a significant reminder of the impermanence of things because the cherry blossom season is very short and lasts only for around 2 weeks. After their beauty peaks around two weeks, the blossoms start to fall.
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