iawmusiang

Location: Jowai, Jaintia Hills, and Meghalaya
Significance: Popular As The Largest Jaintia Market
Best Time To Visit: Round The Year
The largest Jaintia market is located at Jowai, the district headquarters, opposite the country Old Collectorate Building and slightly older police station. It is better known as Iawmusiang and like many other weekly market in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, it is held on every eighth day. The Iawmusiang market derives its name from the sacred stone within the market, which has been brought to its present location from Nongbah, in ancient times. The sacred stone continues to be venerated and believers regularly offer Puja to this stone, especially before the annual Behdienkhlam festival.
The site of the temporary gallows set up for the execution of the immortal Jaintia Martyr U Kiang Nangbah on 30th December 1862, now lies within the Iawmusiang market place. It is said that it would be difficult to find a Jaintia who has never once visited Iawmusiang. This reflects the socio-economic importance of this large central market place of the Jaintia Hills.