The Logical Indian Crew

Meghalaya: Khasi Tribe Builds Living Root Bridges From Ficus Trees, Lasts For 500 Years

The thick forests of the Khasi and Jaintia hills in Meghalaya are home to centuries-old living root bridges. These unique bridges have been sculpted by the Khasi tribe from the Ficus Elastica or rubber tree. The ever-evolving Meghalaya bridges are made up of tangled thick roots that provide formidability to the structure and make it good enough to hold 50 or more people in one go. According to Alok Chandra Samal, an Environmental Scientist, the life span of these bridges is thought to be between 500-600 years. The longest known living root bridge in the state is of 175 feet located near Mawkyrnot village of East Khasi Hills district.


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Writer : Tarin Hussain
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Editor : Shiva Chaudhary
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Creatives : Tarin Hussain

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