Living root bridges

Why in news?

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has underlined some green rules for the living root bridges of Meghalaya to get the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag.

Living root bridges:

• A living root bridge is a type of simple suspension bridge formed of living plant roots by tree shaping.
• It is 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. It spans between 15 and 250 feet and is built over centuries.
• They are common in the southern part of Meghalaya.
• They have also become world-famous tourist attractions. The two most popular tourist spots are- Riwai Root Bridge and Umshiang Double Decker Bridge.
• Most of the bridges grow on steep slopes of subtropical moist broadleaf forest between 50m and 1150m above sea level.
• There are no records to suggest when the Khasi community started the living root bridge tradition, but ecologists say it highlights the symbiotic relationship between people and nature. Such a bridge is locally called ‘jingkieng jri’.

PRACTICE QUESTION

‘Living root bridges’, the aerial bridges that are built by weaving and manipulating the roots of the Indian rubber tree, are commonly found in:

(a) West Bengal

(b) Sikkim

(c) Meghalaya

(d) Kerala

Answer