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Trail Of The Unexpected: The root masters of India - Asia, Travel - The Independent
- The extraordinary bridges over the Khasi river valleys are living works of art
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By Jini Reddy
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"They're Meghalaya's Taj Mahal," said Denis Rayen, the owner of the Cherrapunjee Holiday Resort, as we sipped cold drinks on the front lawn and watched a band of local musicians perform a medley of folk tunes and Bollywood favourites for the guests.
The six bridges are the creation of the tribe who live in the area's isolated valleys: the Khasi. They, or rather their forefathers, dreamt up the idea of coaxing the roots of the Ficus elastica tree (otherwise known as the Indian rubber tree) along hollowed-out trunks of betel palm and bamboo in order to cross rivers. The bridges take 25 years or so to become functional, but they can bear the weight of up to 50 people at a time, and last for five centuries or more.
- One, two, tree: Local villagers line both levels of the 200-year-old Umshiang double-decker root bridge
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