Meghalaya's Living Root Bridges in UNESCO world heritage site

Shillong: The Living Root bridges in Meghalaya has been included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage site tentative list, an official said on Tuesday.

A living root bridge, known to the indigenous Khasi people of Meghalaya as Jingkieng Jri, is like a suspension bridge formed by guiding the pliable roots of the rubber fig tree (Ficus elastica ) across a stream or river and allowing the roots to grow and strengthen over time.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who took to his social media sites said that he was delighted that Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes of Meghalaya has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site tentative list.

“I congratulate all community members and stakeholders in this ongoing journey,” he said.

Prof K Vijay Raghavan, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, said the Living Root Bridges deserve the UNESCO tag due to the rich micro as well as macro world associated with them.

In January, a team of scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) visited some sites of the Living Root Bridges in East Khasi Hills for the assessment of faunal diversity after Chief Minister had sought UNESCO nomination for the Living Root Bridges.

The team documented 83 fauna (six mammals, five aquatic, 72 terrestrials) from the 11 Living Root Bridges. Six species of mammals were reported for the first time from two bridges.

“The expedition to Living Root Bridges helped explore the faunal diversity for providing supporting data towards the recognition of these bridges as UNESCO World Heritage site by strengthening the proposal with inputs of biodiversity and ecosystem services of these biological bridges,” ZSI Director, Dr Dhriti Banerjee said.

There are about 100 known living root bridges spread across 72 villages in the East Khasi Hills district and West Jaintia Hills district of the State.

Forest and Environment Minister James Sangma congratulated members of different communities, stakeholders, and all those who are involved in working towards protecting these intricate bio-engineered bridges.

“The living root bridges not only stand out for their exemplary human-environment symbiotic relationship but also focus on their pioneering use for connectivity and resilience, and the need to adopt sustainable measures to balance economy and ecology,” the minister tweeted.

Ecologists said the Living Roots bridge takes 10 to 15 years to form and it has a lifespan last for several centuries. These bridges range in span from 15 feet to 250 feet.

However, there are no records to suggest when the indigenous Khasi people developed this living architecture that can withstand storm surges and flash floods.

Living root bridges exemplify a sacred relationship between humans and nature and highlight the essential human value of living with sensitivity and respect for all life. (UNI)