• In a fusion of tradition, nature and well-being, yoga practitioners unrolled their mats at the Double-Decker Living Root Bridge in Meghalaya’s Umshiang on March 24.

• Against a backdrop of misty hills, gushing waterfalls and the whisper of ancient roots, the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH) organised a one-of-a-kind yoga session as part of the countdown to the International Day of Yoga (IDY) on June 21.

• The Living Root Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage tag contender, is woven entirely from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees, creating a living, breathing pathway that grows stronger with time.

• Surrounded by a lush rainforest and cascading streams, it served as the perfect venue to showcase how yoga is more than just a practice.

Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya

• The Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya showcase the close-knit relationship between the Khasi tribes and nature. 

• They are locally known as ‘Jingkieng Jri’.

• They are proof of the skilled craftsmanship of the tribe and also reveal an essential technique of survival. 

• These bridges stand as testimony to their history and collective identity.

• In March 2022, the Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes of Meghalaya were included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

• Facilitating connectivity and disaster resilience in more than 75 remote villages in and near the wettest region on Earth, the Living Root Bridges validate outstanding ingenuity and resilience of an ancient culture, where collective cooperation and reciprocity were the fundamental building blocks of life.

• The bridges vary in size and shape and the techniques of construction also differ. 

• The distinctive Ficus aerial root-based intertwined-inosculated aesthetic is a result of continual human-plant contact and experimentation over centuries.

• Besides playing a critical socio-economic role within each village, Ficus-based Living structures also contribute to the ecology through forest and riparian restoration.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)