Besides its stunning beauty, Nohkalikai Falls also carries an unreal story passed from generation, and it has been known as the Nohkalikai story. Meaning of the name Nohkalikai translates to "Jump of Ka Likai" and the falls are associated with a tragic Nohkalikai Falls Story of a local woman by the name Ka Likai. According to the Nohkalikai story, Ka Likai was a young mother dwelling in a village located close to the falls.
After her husband died, she married again for the prospect of a better life. Her second husband, however, became jealous of the love she held for her daughter from her previous marriage. During Ka Likai's stay at work, her second husband killed their child in a revengeful act. The remains of the child were fried and served as a meal to the careless mother.
Ka Likai returned home without a clue about the horrific reality of what she ate. She soon discovered her fingers in a basket, and at that moment, she knew the horrible truth behind what she consumed. Tormented by unbearable grief and unhappiness, Ka Likai ran towards the edge of the cliff near the falls, leapt off, and lost her life. The desolate incident gave birth to the name Nohkalikai for the falls, meaning "the leap of Likai."
Nohkalikai Falls is a waterfall fed by rainwater falling down the lavish, misty cliff of Cherrapunji into a bright turquoise-green plunge pool below. It does not join any large Nohkalikai Falls on which river; therefore, it forms a collection area through falls around the cliff that finally flows into streamlets which join up with rivers elsewhere in the region. This is one of the wettest places on earth; Cherrapunji has some of the most popular attractions, where heavy rainfall keeps the waterfalls, such as Nohkalikai, flowing throughout the year.
Nohkalikai Falls is a treasure and crown jewel of Meghalaya that attracts tourists from all over the world who are not only captivated by its beauty but also by the sad story behind it. The views offered by the falls are breathtaking, especially in the post-monsoon when the water is at its peak and drops dramatically into the pool below. Panoramic views of the forest and misty hills are, in any case, a wonder, and are part of Cherrapunji tour packages.
Nohkalikai Falls is a landmark both for the shocking beauty of nature and for the poignant human emotions that its name evokes. While one might be interested in Meghalaya tourism, this is something no tourist would wish to miss. It is a feast for the eyes but also beckoning one to reflect on the deep emotional history that the wind and water of Cherrapunji carry.