Living Root Bridge Technique & Making of Ka-Leng Boat with Biodiversity Rural Immersions

Meghalaya, the wettest place on the planet has rich flora and fauna. Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills contribute to the biodiversity and the clouds dance in the eco system of Meghalaya very often spreading greenery all around with exquisite flowers and waterfalls. Meghalaya is also a caver`s delight with limestone caves hidden between the valleys. The main inhabitants are Khasi and Garo tribes who live with nature and have utmost respect for it. The villages of Meghalaya are cleanest in the world.

Deep in the dense tropical forest of Meghalaya, and shrouded in cloud and rain for much of the year, are some astonishing man-made natural wonders. Known as living root bridges, inventive members of the Khasi tribe have trained them to grow from the roots of ancient rubber trees, native to the northeast region. The root bridges provide a stable alternative to wooden bridges, which decay and get destroyed during the lengthy monsoon seasons.

It takes around 15 years for a new root bridge to become strong enough to bear the weight of people crossing it. However, it will continue to grow and strengthen even more over time. Some of the bridges are believed to be hundreds of years old, although no one knows their exact age. Their tangled webs of roots are almost eerie in nature and wouldn’t look out of place in a fantasy world.

Another wonder in Meghalaya is River with crystal clear water and is cleanest river in India called Umngot. The river flows from India to Bangladesh, and right on border between 2 countries is Darrang. The boat which plies in the river gives an appearance as if it is flowing in air and not water. The special boat Ka-Leng boat is unique and is definitely the life line of numerous villages lining the river.