#TRAVEL DIARY #OBSERVATION #EXPERIENCE #ROOT BRIDGE #MEGHALAYA

                                            

                                                              

When this living ROOT bridge was GROWN , The Khasi tribes of yester years in this region  wouldnt have thought that I would  travel in the 21st centry so far to Meghalaya, and trek  this far in to the forest  near Mawlynnong , Walk and experience  and mention it in my diary. Afterall they Grew  it to solve their day to day problem of crossing rivers  deep inside the jungle and for passing across streams seperating villages in the mountainslopes , which otherwise would  have  taken hours or days to cross over. 

The principles and simple techniques of Basketry, Flower stringing, Palm leaf weaving , Rope braid of hairs , were very well used to GROW these bridges .  We have heard of construction of bridges , building of bridges , now what is this GROWING of bridges?

The Khasi Tribes had bridged  the roots of the trees  on the opposite banks of the river , by entangling them while growing  and thus forming a suspension bridge . Its a kind of Indegenious botanical engineering  which was developed  hundreds of years ago and they have passed on to the next generations and thus making "the Curious " 'me' to arrive here .

They identify  two trees or plant two trees, selectively rubber fig trees , one each on the opposite banks of the river and the aerial roots of the both trees are gingerly and botanically twined and weaved to form a flexible but strong bridge between the banks of the river . When the roots grow they form a big bond between both the trees enabling people to walk on these natural bonds . And the human movement help compact the soil over time on the top of the roots and form  as a leveled surface  as in a normal floor .  

These bridges are long lasting , as much as  the life of the trees , may be for 500 years or 1000 years and they are strong and reliable. And they have grown these bridges in remote locations deep inside the forest where its difficult to rollout an earth moving equipment or carryout construction activities .  

Well , I read it in the information provided near one of the bridges as , it may take 30 years to  grow a bridge -.....imagine the continuity in supervision on the growth of the roots and timely engineerinig  to shape up the direction of the roots and also the maintenance work to be carried out ......its an Art developed over a period of time , and this is where nature and man have really synced well to create an infrastructure .

While walking on the bridge we could feel the soul of those men who were involved in this marvelous  craftsmenship .... will not feel that we are walking on roots, the surface is naturally soiled with human movements and it gives the feel of walking on a mud road with natural  suspension. 

There were single level and double decker bridges also and I learned that the tourism dept is in the process of growing a three decker bridge as well . 

I eagerly looked for a stone tablet with some local politician's or tribe leader's name  inscribed on it , who have inauguated this bridge, which is normally the case in India , but this is a bridge with a difference. 

 #travel  #rootbridge #rajesh_whistler 

 

- Rajesh babu - experienced on 26th of May 2019