Text / Compiled and reported by the editorial team of MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network
The living root bridges located in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya in northeastern India are bridges constructed using the secondary roots of the Indian rubber tree. As this area receives an annual rainfall of fifteen meters, it is the region with the highest rainfall in the world. As a result, it has created a unique terrain where water is ever-present. Therefore, the indigenous people of Meghalaya in the past discovered that the roots of the Indian rubber tree were strong enough to be used to construct “living bridges” over countless rivers. The locals ingeniously utilized the sprawling nature of tree roots — a true embodiment of taking from nature and using what nature provides.
A typical living root bridge can support the weight of dozens of people. (Image source / Youtube)
Depending on the design, the shapes of living root bridges vary greatly. (Image source / Inhabitat)
The traditional method used by locals to construct these bridges is truly one of a kind in the world. First, they split betel nut tree trunks lengthwise into two halves and use these “half-betel nut trunks” to span the river while guiding the secondary roots of the Indian rubber tree to grow across to the other side and take root. After some time, once the roots have grown strong enough, they begin weaving and twisting the rubber tree roots together to form the bridge platform and handrails. It takes around ten to fifteen years to complete a single bridge. Among the root bridges in this area, the oldest ones are over 500 years old.
This one-of-a-kind design is created using the traditional methods of the indigenous people of Cherrapunji. (Image source / Inhabitat)
The longest living root bridges can exceed thirty meters in length. (Image source / Inhabitat)
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