On June 12, 1897 CE, a massive earthquake, estimated at magnitude 8.0, struck the Shillong Plateau in northeastern India. The quake caused widespread destruction, killing over 1,500 people and altering the landscape. This event is one of the most significant earthquakes in the history of the Indian subcontinent and is a key event in the region's seismic history.

The 1897 Shillong earthquake is a significant event in the history of India and is documented in colonial records and scientific accounts. The disaster inspired contemporary poems and stories that lamented the loss and reflected on the power of nature. The earthquake is a notable example in the literature of the British Raj, where it is used to explore themes of empire, nature, and human vulnerability.