Known for its extensive cave system and its unique living root bridges, Meghalaya is a traveller’s paradise. The state has once again been put on a global map with the inclusion of the living roots in the tentative list of Unesco’s World Heritage Sites.
The announcement was made by Meghalaya’s Chief Minister — Conrad K Sangma — on Twitter. “The living root bridges not only stand out for their exemplary human-environment symbiotic relationship but also focus on their pioneering use for connectivity and resilience, and the need to adopt sustainable measures to balance economy and ecology,” he said.
Focussing on their significance, the Unesco website stated, “Besides playing a critical socio-economic role within each village, Ficus-based Living structures also contribute to the ecology through forest and riparian restoration. The indigenous community, including traditional farmers and hunters, continue to use and nurture these structures, reinforcing the remarkable spirit of their ancestors.”
“Representing a supreme model for primitive ingenuity and craft technology, LRB are being acknowledged as authentic global markers for a sustainable future and offer profound educational and research opportunities for a responsible shift in design, engineering and construction,” the website added justifying the addition of the bridges to the tentative list of world heritage sites.
Often used as a path across a stream or a river, the bridges famous in Meghalaya are found in many villages — currently about 100 bridges spread across nearly 70 villages. These bridges are built by the local tribal communities and take a few years before they are fully strengthened and ready for use. More common in the southern part of Meghalaya, one needs to trek to the exact site in order to see and access the bridges. One of the most famous living root bridge is in Nongriat, which is a double decker living root bridge and is spread across two levels.
