Meghalaya event endorses living root bridges for Unesco world heritage tag
Shillong: The department of arts and culture, Govt of Meghalaya, alongside Unesco, INTACH, and the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA), conducted a workshop on the Living Root Bridges Cultural Landscape at the Heritage Club, Tripura Castle here on Tuesday.
This event marked progress towards preserving and potentially nominating Meghalaya's living root bridges for Unesco world heritage status.
The initiative, as highlighted by principal secretary of forest & environment dept, Sampath Kumar, was conceptualised by CM Conrad Sangma, who pledged dedicated funding and showed keen interest in drawing Unesco's attention to these unique structures.
Kumar mentioned ongoing research activities examining the bridges, with governmental bodies actively collaborating with local communities to advance the initiative.
Junhi Han, chief of the culture unit at Unesco South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, expressed appreciation to the Meghalaya govt for enabling the study of these bioengineered structures. She characterised the living root bridges as "extraordinary examples of harmony between nature and humanity" and praised the state's efforts in promoting these natural formations, "which are not products of industrial machinery but the result of indigenous knowledge and skills passed down through generations".
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
[부산 한정] 빠진 치아 1개도 10개도 개당 33만원에 임플란트 해드려요!
플란치과
더 알아보기
Undo
She emphasised the necessity of heritage preservation and youth education.
Padma Shri recipient and former UPSC chairman David R Syiemlieh participated in the discussion 'Guiding the Preparation of World Heritage Nomination Dossier for Living Root Bridges' and shared his insights.
The academic highlighted these bridges' crucial function for local inhabitants, particularly for crossing rivers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Love Horoscope Today, June 07, 2025: What the stars say about your love life
I explore the zodiac's shadow selves through human figures on a dark wooden wheel, set against a cosmic nebula. Aries Today, singles may find themselves seeking new connections. Embrace life's surprises with an open heart. Love yourself enough to lower your defenses—true bonds are formed when you're authentic. Stay true to who you are, as someone may be drawn to your genuine self today. For those in committed relationships, take time to appreciate your partner. Small gestures of love and consideration will strengthen your bond. Taurus It's important to express your needs and desires clearly—your partner can't read your mind. The best approach is to be honest and direct about your feelings. Don't assume your partner knows everything you're thinking. Strengthen your communication by being open and willing to share your emotions. This will help build a stronger and more loving connection. Gemini Despite what the world may seem to suggest, hope remains. Misunderstandings or recent missteps are temporary and will soon give way to clarity. Trust that the universe is working in your favor. Be open to finding your ideal partner and welcome whatever comes your way with an open heart. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Cancer If you've overlooked the fact that your partner also needs understanding and care, it's time to realign. Your partner may need extra attention and patience today. Listen closely to their concerns and desires. Reflect on what's best for the relationship and use this moment as an opportunity for personal growth. Love thrives when nurtured with empathy. Leo Your recent indecisiveness might be frustrating your partner. Begin to address this today. Whether it's dinner plans or weekend outings, take initiative and make decisions. This not only improves communication but also shows your willingness to lead and support the relationship. Virgo Don't shy away from discussing practical matters—especially financial concerns. Love isn't just about sweet words and affection; it's also about facing life's realities together. New relationships today may offer a balance between emotional and financial harmony. Be open to sincere, grounded connections. Libra Committed relationships thrive when both partners understand and respect clearly defined boundaries. Today calls for reflection. Ask yourself: do you and your partner share the same expectations and goals? Building a strong foundation begins with mutual respect and aligned life visions. Scorpio Today, the universe hints at new beginnings in your love life. Whether during work, errands, or casual encounters, there's a chance to meet someone special. Be yourself and stay open—you never know when or where a meaningful connection might spark. Good luck finding someone whose soul resonates with yours. Sagittarius You may find yourself torn between the desire for companionship and the need for independence. Even if you're attracted to someone, take your time. Make sure their intentions are sincere and that you feel at ease around them. Authenticity and comfort are key—just be yourself. Capricorn View challenges as chances to deepen your connection. Communicate clearly, listen actively, and practice patience. When conflicts arise, seek understanding instead of victory. A strong relationship isn't about being right; it's about growing together through love and shared resilience. Aquarius You may be struggling with guilt from past relationship mistakes. It's time to stop dwelling and start healing. Let your experiences guide you rather than define you. Acknowledge your growth and use it as a stepping stone. This is a positive step forward—embrace it with grace. Pisces Trust is the cornerstone of every meaningful relationship. Let go of your fears and reveal your authentic self. Your resilience and passion will attract the right kind of energy. Engage in things that uplift your spirit and keep you open to love. Romance could find you when you least expect it. Discover everything about astrology at the Times of India , including daily horoscopes for Aries , Taurus , Gemini , Cancer , Leo , Virgo , Libra , Scorpio , Sagittarius , Capricorn , Aquarius , and Pisces .
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Meet Morningstar Khongthaw, the man who grows bridges
We had been walking for over an hour—down a steep, moss-slicked staircase cut into the hillside of Rangthylliang, a remote village in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills. The forest thickened with each step—bamboo groves pressed in close, their trunks darkened by rain, the sound of a stream somewhere below. And then, around a bend, it appeared. A bridge. Not built—grown. Braided roots—some as thick as a thigh, others slender and pale—stretched 53 metres across a river gorge, from one bank to another. They coiled and twisted through the air like something alive. This was no ordinary structure. It was a living root bridge—a marvel of bioengineering shaped by hand over decades, even centuries, using the aerial roots of the Ficus elastica tree. What began as a sapling on either side of the stream had been trained, over generations, into this bridge. No nails. No cement. Just bamboo scaffolds, time, and quiet resolve. Together, they formed a span that felt like the forest folding in on itself to offer passage. 'This one," says a voice ahead of me, 'is still learning to walk." Also read: Amid conflict, the lessons we can learn from the humanism of forests Morningstar Khongthaw, 29, is crouched near the bridge's edge, touching a pale, new root lashed to the bamboo guide. The founder of the Living Bridge Foundation, a community-driven initiative focused on preserving Meghalaya's living root bridges, points a few steps further to an older, hardened line of root now fused deep into the body of the bridge. 'That one, maybe 300 years. We don't build them. We raise them." Barefoot and slight in frame, Khongthaw moves with the precision of someone who knows every knot and creak. He explains how roots are selected, how they're fed with compost from the forest floor, how each one is trained over monsoons and winters, checked, re-checked, then left to grow in its own time. He isn't a scientist or a civil engineer. He is a Khasi conservationist. A guardian of knowledge that lives in the hands and memory of a fading generation. 'I was six when I crossed this bridge for the first time," he says. 'Back then, it was just one root and two bamboo poles. My father carried me on his back." That same bridge still stretches across the gorge—but it's no longer a single line. It has thickened with Khongthaw adding three or four new roots every year, each cared for until they fused into the structure. Now others cross it without hesitation. Tourists pose for photos. It's on the tentative Unesco world heritage site list. But he still remembers that first crawl: the way the root trembled, the river's sound below, and the quiet strength of his ancestors, and it's what drives him to save these living bridges. QUIET INHERITANCE As India nears its 100th year of independence, plans for highways, smart cities and bullet trains dominate the future narrative. But in the hills of Meghalaya, another blueprint persists; one dependent on strong roots. For generations, the Khasi and Jaiñtia tribes have grown bridges, living structures coaxed from rubber fig trees and passed down like heirlooms. But that quiet inheritance is at risk. Tourism moves faster than the roots. Policy arrives from the top down. And the knowledge— passed from uncle to nephew—is fading. Khongthaw is trying to hold the line. He set up the foundation in 2018 to care for the root bridges, preserve knowledge of living root bridge construction, which he calls 'living architecture", and help young Khasis appreciate their heritage of interconnectedness with nature. The foundation has around 10 core members, mostly volunteers from local Khasi villages. They fund their work through small grants, community contributions, and occasionally, support from organisations like UNDP India. 'Root bridges are perhaps one of the most elegant examples of ecological intelligence and cultural heritage intertwined," says Sameer Shisodia, CEO of Rainmatter Foundation, which supports community-led conservation projects across India, but does not fund Living Bridge's work. 'Morningstar's approach shows us that meaningful innovation often lies in quietly enhancing traditions rather than forcing external solutions." Also read: Social reform amidst a sea of poppies Root bridges are just one expression of a wider tradition. Depending on the terrain, Khongthaw and his community shape living ladders up cliffs, tunnels through the forest, and swings woven into the canopy. 'If it's a rock face," he says, 'we don't need a bridge. We build something to climb." In some places, the aerial roots become scaffolds for play—suspended like vines from a Tarzan story. 'It's not just engineering," he says. 'It's adaptation." A single bridge can take 25 years to mature, and once formed, it grows stronger, some lasting centuries. Today, more than 100 of them exist across the Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills. It begins with a Ficus elastica sapling—an Indian rubber fig—chosen for its aerial roots that descend from branches and seek the ground. If the terrain allows, trees are planted on either side of the stream or gorge. 'First, you look at the stream," Khongthaw says. 'If there are no trees on either side, you plant." In the rainy season, when the roots are soft, they are gently bent and guided across the span using bamboo scaffolds, hollowed areca palm trunks or ropes. The bamboo structures are replaced annually as they decay. The roots are lashed in place with whatever is available: natural fibres, plastic cords, even aluminium wire. 'You don't touch the roots too early," he says. 'They'll snap. Three or four months old, they're too fragile. One or two years— that's when they become candidates." Guiding the root is not a one-time action but a sustained relationship. The team returns each monsoon to weave, check growth, and layer compost. 'Rotten leaves, branches, old wood… we place it under the roots like something precious. That's how we feed it." There are no blueprints. No manuals. 'One uncle to another," he says. 'You grow up near a bridge, you start helping and grow more of them." Also read: A new book takes a deep dive into rubber's living legacy A bridge is never finished. It may take 10 years before it holds weight. Twenty-five to be strong. Fifty to endure. 'We don't stop weaving," Khongthaw says. 'Even after you walk on it. Even after it holds." Every bridge is a collaboration—not just between roots, but between people. One person starts. Another finishes. 'It's inheritance." In Khasi myth, there's a golden bridge of roots, jingkieng ksiar, which once linked earth to heaven. Khongthaw gestures toward the trees. 'It's in the stories," he says. 'When a bridge grows weak, we plant a young ficus on top of the mother tree. When she dies, the child is already growing." Even endings, here, are designed to carry on. TURNING POINT In 2013, when he was still a school student, a Doordarshan crew arrived in Rangthylliang to film the elders and their stories. Khongthaw was asked to help. For the first time, he saw the bridges through a different lens. They weren't just crossings. They could be destinations. Other places were already being promoted—the double-decker in Nongriat, the one in Mawlynnong. 'I thought we could do the same here," he says. But the more he explored those tourist sites, the more unsettled he became. The noise. The footfall. The bridges roped off and rotting under crowds. The visitors who came for photos, not stories. 'It became a turning point," he says. 'Before we promote, we need to learn how to protect." He started visiting elders again—for instruction. How did they guide the roots? How did they feed them? 'I learned the ficus is a keystone tree," he says. They help the water table, prevent landslides, and act as both anchor and climate shield. 'Even a lone ficus supports life—birds, squirrels, insects, people." From a boy chasing a tourism dream he became a quiet conservationist. 'I wanted to protect what we had," he says. But it all came together sometime in August or September 2018 when he heard about a bridge that had fallen. The tree in Pynursla, a neighbouring village, belonged to Ba-Bli Khongthani, nearly 90 and bedridden. Since the bridge had fallen, they were considering cutting the tree. Khongthaw knew what he had to do. He drafted an agreement to formally transfer ownership of the tree and had it typed up. That evening, Khongthaw, a village elder, and Willem Betts, a Canadian friend, walked to Ba-Bli's home. Khongthaw described his vision—to nurture the tree as a symbol for future generations. 'If you really want to take care of the tree, then it's yours," Ba-Bli said with a smile. Without ceremony, Khongthaw presented the agreement. Years later, he would laminate this document and preserve it like an heirloom. That day Khongthaw felt a profound sense of relief. Yes, a bridge had fallen— but something deeper had been strengthened. Ownership had passed from one generation to another, with a promise and trust. Also read: This women farmers' network envisions a feminist future for agriculture Another giant ficus has changed his life. 'It was going to be cut for charcoal," he says. The tree was over 400 years old. Its aerial roots had been guided into two bridges. But the family that owned it needed money. 'I couldn't let it go." He borrowed ₹5,000. 'That's all it cost. A sacred tree. A living bridge." The canopy now hosts a bamboo ladder that rises into the branches—a vertical scaffold, temporary, handmade. This time, the roots won't be guided down into a bridge. They'll be shaped inward, into a circle. 'Not for people to look at," he says. 'For us to stay. Sleep. Live in." He calls it his 'Avatar Tree", in reference to the Hometree in James Cameron's Avatar. THE CHALLENGES Despite the community's involvement and understanding of their unique heritage, there are challenges. He recalls one bridge being cut down because a man didn't want it near his farmland. In another clearing, a half-grown bridge was slashed after a feud between neighbours. Khongthaw doesn't argue. He returns with stories. He sits with the elders and asks, 'What did the bridge do wrong?" He reminds them to watch the forest more closely. How roots seek each other, how they grow stronger by holding. 'The bridge never divides. It connects." The loss of his mentor was another hit. 'Jalong Khomola dedicated his whole life to root bridges," Khongthaw recalls. Their relationship began in 2015 at village meetings near Khomola's orange orchard. Khomola moved barefoot through the forests, scaling ficus trees to gather saplings, each destined to become a bridge. He also married tradition with innovation, using plastic irrigation pipes instead of open bamboo scaffolds to water the roots and help them grow faster, and patiently taught Khongthaw all these techniques. In October 2022, Khomola, nearly 80, fell from a tree. He died shortly afterwards, but Khongthaw is carrying on his legacy. Khongthaw's original team of 30 has thinned to five. 'Some needed jobs. Others wanted faster change. This work doesn't offer either." In 2022, the monsoon came early. Rivers swelled. Five bridges were washed away. Khongthaw didn't mourn. 'When a bridge falls," he says, 'you don't ask why. You start weaving again." So far, Khongthaw and his team have mapped 133 bridges across Meghalaya. 'Still more to discover," he says. Many remain unnamed, tucked inside forests. THIS IS MEMORY In 2019, the state government came with a proposal to put Meghalaya's living root bridges on Unesco's World Heritage list. On the surface, it looked like recognition. To Khongthaw, it sounded like a warning. The plan barely involved the people who raised the bridges. No elders were consulted. No weavers invited. 'How can you write policy," he asks, 'if you don't even know what inosculation is?" he says, referring to the natural process of two trees fusing and growing into one. Also read: 'Loal Kashmir' review: Stories of love and longing from Kashmir What troubled him wasn't heritage recognition, but how it was imposed. A template from elsewhere, dropped on to a landscape with its own rhythm, its own sacred groves. 'We already had rules," he says. 'Our clans made them in 1939. You cut a tree, you paid a fine. We didn't wait for Unesco to tell us what was sacred." He refused to endorse the plan. Instead he gathered elders, youth and landowners from eight clans. He asked them to look at the bridges and the way they grow. 'No root dominates. No hand forces. We all weave." To make his point, he referenced the jingkieng ksiar story every Khasi child knows. 'This isn't tourism," he says. 'It's memory. It's instruction. It's ours." Officials called him difficult. Some said he was politicising trees. But Khongthaw wasn't against recognition; he was against erasure. 'We don't want fences," he says. 'We want responsibility. That's what makes a bridge last." COMMUNITY EFFORT Khongthaw bends over a sapling barely a foot tall. Around it, bamboo scaffolds rise like skeletal bridges-in-waiting. This is where his Project 2047 begins. Project 2047 is Khongthaw's vision to plant and nurture 30 new root bridges across Meghalaya by 2047, when India will mark 100 years of independence. He involves the larger community—village elders, students and volunteers—in planting, maintaining and documenting these bridges, aiming to pass traditional knowledge to younger generations and revive Law Kyntang, the sacred groves protected by community law and oral memory. 'It takes 25, maybe 30 years (for a root bridge to mature)," Khongthaw says. 'So we start now. When India turns 100, these bridges will be strong." Since 2022, 30 bridges have been planted and raised with the help of village elders, students and barefoot engineers. Khongthaw calls it 'design, build, grow". A phrase he repeats often, sometimes to schoolchildren, sometimes to funders sceptical of a project whose return lies decades ahead. 'The bridge doesn't belong to me," he says. 'It belongs to the child who will cross it when I'm gone." He's working with local schools, encouraging students to adopt nearby bridges, guiding them through root weaving, asking them to track growth and sketch what they see. 'Not everyone will stay," he says, referring to migration from the region for work and studies. 'But some will. And that's enough." Traditionally, only old, unmarried men were allowed to plant ficus trees. 'You had to be over 50," he says. Khongthaw ignored it and planted 25 saplings. 'Belief is important," he says. 'But belief in yourself is more important. My legacy is the belief that young people can shape tradition. That we don't have to wait until we're 50 and alone to start planting trees. We can begin now—and someone else will finish." He walks the hills almost daily—sometimes alone, sometimes with visitors, often with a bundle of bamboo tied over his shoulder. He greets elders. He checks saplings. Project 2047 is a slow, quiet defiance in a world too quick to build and too reluctant to tend. 'When they ask what development looks like," Khongthaw says, 'we can point to this. A root in the ground. A bridge above a river. Still growing." Pankaj Mishra is a journalist and co-founder of FactorDaily, reporting on the intersections of technology, environment, and culture. Also read: A new exhibition spotlights the impact of heat stress on informal workers
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: 45kg gold worth Rs 50 crore used; public access to Ram Darbar restricted
Ayodhya Ram Mandir: 45kg gold worth Rs 50 crore used; public access to Ram Darbar restricted AYODHYA : Nripendra Mishra, chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee, said 45kg of pure gold was used in the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He said the estimated value of the gold, excluding taxes, is around Rs 50 crore. Gold has been used extensively in the doors on the ground floor of the temple and the throne of Lord Ram. He said gold work is still on in the Sheshavatar Temple. While the main structure of the Ram Mandir has been completed, other parts of the temple complex, including the museum, auditorium, and guesthouse, are still under construction. These are expected to be completed by Dec 2025. Following the consecration of Ram Darbar, Mishra said arrangements are being made for controlled public access to the sacred space. For now, only a limited number of devotees will be allowed to visit the Ram Darbar, and entry will be regulated through passes, which will be issued free of cost, he said. The trust will finalize a plan for public access at a forthcoming meeting, Mishra said. The consecration ceremony has drawn large crowds to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Champat Rai, general secretary of the temple trust, on Friday advised the temple visitors to exercise patience for visits to the Ram Darbar. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo A trust official clarified that the newly consecrated Ram Darbar is not yet open to the general public. As the Ram Darbar is 20-foot-high and requires devotees to climb nearly 40 steps, there are limited arrangements for going up, and the lift's construction will take time, Rai said. "A lift is being constructed for elderly devotees, but it will take time to complete. Devotees will have to wait to visit the Ram Darbar due to unfavourable conditions and, after the rainy season, public visits may be possible," Rai said. The final task will be to hoist the flag on the temple's shikhara, likely in Oct or Nov, once the weather is favourable. Until then, minor works will be completed, Rai said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
