Jowai

Jowai is one of the most important towns of the Jaintia (Pnar) hills and today serves as the district headquarters of West Jaintia Hills. Long before modern administration, the wider region was shaped by the traditional Jaintia kingdom system, where authority flowed through local rulers and institutions linked to the Syiem and regional Dollois (traditional administrative heads). Over time, colonial-era missions and institutions brought new forms of education and church life into the hills, leaving a visible imprint on the town’s cultural landscape.

In contemporary history, Jowai’s administrative role became even more defined after the bifurcation of the erstwhile Jaintia Hills district: West Jaintia Hills district was created on 31 July 2012 with Jowai as its headquarters. Since then, Jowai has developed as a hub for government offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, markets, and transport connectivity for surrounding villages and valleys.The town’s identity remains closely tied to Pnar traditions, festivals, and community life, while also functioning as a modern administrative centre of Meghalaya’s eastern hills.