Living Root Bridges
Why in news: A farmer takes forward the State’s traditional practice of building root bridges and connects two areas across Umkar river in Cherrapunjee.
About the Living Root bridges:
- A living root bridgeis a type of simple suspension bridge formed of living plant roots by tree shaping.
- They are common in the southern part of the Indian state of Meghalaya.
- Meghalaya is known for its root bridges, locally known as jingkieng jri. Many bridges across the State are over a century old.
- They are handmade from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees by the Khasi and Jaintia peoples of the mountainous terrain along the southern part of the Shillong Plateau.
- Although the exact history of the living root bridges remains undocumented, it is believed that they were built to overcome natural calamities, especially as Meghalaya is prone to floods due to excessive rainfall during monsoon.
- These bridges are taking forward the culture of the tribes. They feed into the idea and practice of sustainability.
Syllabus: Prelims
