In the highlands of Meghalaya, where clouds drift low and the winds carry songs of the forest, the earth offers bounty in every craft and crop carrying a story waiting to be told.

It begins in the hands of artisans deep in the Khasi Hills, where bamboo and cane are not just plants—they are lifelines. Bent, woven, and carved with care, these natural threads become baskets, mats, and furniture that echo the rhythm of tradition.

In the Jaintia Hills, black clay pottery—Khiew Ranei—is shaped by hand from soft earth, fired with care, and steeped in memory. Further north in Ri-Bhoi, women spin dreams with Ryndia, the Eri silk known for its warmth, coolness, and soulful touch. It is not just cloth—it’s heritage wrapped in forest hues.

The Garo Hills bloom with bounty. In the south, jackfruits grow in backyard forests—once humble, now prized. In the west, cashew trees yield nuts roasted on open fires, and in the north, banana trees sway in rhythm with the wind, their fruit a nourishing staple.

Pineapples flourish in loamy red soil, their sweetness kissed by rain and sun. In the Jaintia uplands, Lakadong turmeric shines like buried gold—rich in curcumin, it is medicine, spice, and tradition. In the East Khasi Hills, Khasi mandarins’ glow against green slopes, their tangy aroma a lingering gift of the monsoon.

This is Meghalaya. A land where every hill has a heartbeat, every product a soul. Through the ODOP initiative, these local treasures are not just preserved—they’re celebrated, carried far beyond the hills, telling the world that here, in the clouds, we grow stories.