Turn into
Jowai
The Jaintia hills’ town of festivals and falls.
- People
- Pnar (Jaintia)
- Festival
- Behdienkhlam, July
- From Shillong
- About 64km
Jowai is the heart of Pnar (Jaintia) country on its own plateau: the town that stages Behdienkhlam, the great purification festival, each July, with Thadlaskein lake nearby and the Krang Suri falls road heading south.
The Nartiang monoliths, one of the largest megalith collections in India, sit up the road.
Quick answers
Jowai at a glance
What is Jowai known for?
Pnar culture and the Behdienkhlam festival, plus easy access to Krang Suri and the Nartiang monoliths.
Practicals
Permits & season
No entry permit for Indian nationals; foreign nationals register at checkposts.
October to May works; the monsoon is the point in Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, and the fiercest anywhere in India.
When to go
Plan around these months
Festivals
Time your trip
Nearby
Close enough to combine
Things to do
What you're here for
Behdienkhlam
The painted-khnong procession and pool ritual.
Nartiang monoliths
Hundreds of standing stones, cluster after cluster.
Journal
Read before you go
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Explore Jowai
Facts checked against the official Meghalaya tourism portal · Last verified 2026-09-26