Nartiang is a village in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, about 65 km (2 hours) from Shillong, with one of the largest clusters of monoliths in the Khasi–Jaintia hills. The tallest stands about 8 m high. Tradition dates the stones to the Jaintia kingdom, roughly 1500 to 1835. The Durga temple is nearby. No permit is needed.
Standing stones are everywhere in the Khasi and Jaintia hills, but nowhere else in such numbers as at Nartiang. In a grassy garden at the edge of the village, hundreds of stones stand or lie in rows: tall upright menhirs, and flat table-like dolmens in front of them. The tallest is about 8 m, and it towers over visitors.
Nartiang was a summer seat of the Jaintia kings, and local tradition dates the stones to the kingdom's later centuries, from about 1500 until the British annexation in 1835. They were raised to honour rulers, ancestors and events. Upright stones are traditionally seen as male and the flat ones as female, and your guide or a village elder may point out stones linked to particular clans and stories, including the tallest, which tradition credits to a warrior named U Mar Phalyngki.
A short distance away is the Nartiang Durga temple, a shrine revered as a Shakti peetha, which blends Hindu and Pnar traditions. We pair the two on a day in the Jaintia Hills, often with Jowai and Thadlaskein Lake, or on the way to Krang Suri Falls.
What makes it worth the trip
The tallest menhir
An upright stone of about 8 m, one of the tallest in the region.
Menhirs and dolmens
Rows of upright and flat stones side by side, set in a mown garden that is easy to walk.
Nartiang Durga temple
A temple linked to the Jaintia kings, where the goddess has traditionally been represented without an idol.
Old cannons
Historical guns kept near the temple are reminders that the site was once part of a royal stronghold.
Sreesarkar · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sreesarkar · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sreesarkar · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Things to do
- Walk among the menhirs and dolmens in the monolith garden
- Stand beside the tallest stone for a sense of its scale
- Visit the Nartiang Durga temple nearby
- Ask a local guide or elder about the stories behind individual stones
- Photograph the stones in soft morning or late afternoon light
- Continue to Jowai and Thadlaskein Lake on the same day
- Link with Krang Suri Falls for a full Jaintia Hills circuit
Getting there
Nartiang is about 65 km from Shillong, usually around 2 hours by car on the Shillong–Jowai highway and then a side road north of Jowai. From Jowai town it is under an hour. The monolith garden is at the edge of the village with parking alongside, and the Durga temple is a short drive or walk away. Public transport is limited to occasional shared taxis, so hire a cab from Shillong or Jowai. Many travellers see Nartiang, Jowai and Thadlaskein in one long day from Shillong.
Where to stay
There are few stays in Nartiang itself. Jowai, the district headquarters, has modest hotels and guest houses and is the most practical base for a night in the Jaintia Hills, especially if you plan to see Krang Suri the next day. Village homestays operate in parts of West Jaintia Hills, with simple rooms and home-cooked food. Travellers who prefer more comfort stay in Shillong and do Nartiang as a day trip; start by 8 am to include Jowai and a lake stop.
Local tips
- Do not climb or sit on the stones; they are sacred and historical
- Visit the temple respectfully, removing shoes where asked
- Carry cash for any community fee or donation
- Morning light gives the best texture on the stones for photographs
- Combine with Jowai and Krang Suri to make the drive worthwhile
- Carry an umbrella; the Jaintia Hills get heavy rain from June to September
Rain and weather
Source: IMD 1991–2020 normals
October to May for dry grass and clear light; the site is open year-round.
