📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joydeep Chakraborty
Travel
Meghalaya's Living Root Bridges: Manmade Marvels Without Concrete or Steel
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 11 Oct 2026, 06:47 PM
👁 13
In Meghalaya, artisans guide tree roots to form sturdy bridges that span rivers, creating unique manmade structures without using concrete or steel.
Living root bridges are a unique form of engineering found only in Meghalaya, where artisans guide the roots of rubber trees across rivers to create sturdy, natural bridges.
The process begins with a sapling planted beside a riverbank. Craftsmen carefully train the roots to grow along a frame, encouraging them to spread over the water. Over decades, the roots thicken and become strong enough to support foot traffic.
These bridges are more than functional; they are a living heritage that reflects the region's deep respect for nature. Tourists from around the world visit the villages of Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong to see the bridges in action.
While the bridges remain in use by local communities, conservation groups are working to protect the surrounding forests and ensure that future generations can continue this ancient practice.
The process begins with a sapling planted beside a riverbank. Craftsmen carefully train the roots to grow along a frame, encouraging them to spread over the water. Over decades, the roots thicken and become strong enough to support foot traffic.
These bridges are more than functional; they are a living heritage that reflects the region's deep respect for nature. Tourists from around the world visit the villages of Cherrapunji and Mawlynnong to see the bridges in action.
While the bridges remain in use by local communities, conservation groups are working to protect the surrounding forests and ensure that future generations can continue this ancient practice.