Meghalaya, which means “the abode of clouds” in its literal sense, has earned the tittle “Scotland of the East” for its breathtaking natural beauty that mesmerises and enthrals onlookers. Meghalaya is an epitome of the wonders of nature.
The living root bridges, also known as jing kieng jri, in the northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya are one of the region’s many natural wonders and have been tentatively included to UNESCO’s list as a first step towards the prestigious World Heritage Site designation.
The eighth site on the tentative list from India’s north-east, which consists of eight border states, is the living root bridges of Meghalaya. The next step would be to submit them for the World Heritage Committee’s review.
The flexible roots of the Ficus elastica tree are used to span a stream or river to create a living root bridge. The roots are left to grow and become stronger with time until they can support the weight of a person. The juvenile roots are occasionally twisted or knotted together, and inoculation is frequently used to promote root fusion. It is simple to encourage the Ficus elastica tree’s roots to take hold on the opposing sides of river banks because it is well suited to anchoring itself to steep slopes and rocky surfaces.
