India: The Khasi people build bridges that live

India
The Khasi people build bridges that live

A miracle from roots: The “living bridges of Meghalaya”

© Abhijeet Khedgikar / Shutterstock.com

There are real experts in living architecture in India. But they don’t live in the city, but in the deepest jungle.

Getting around in the deepest jungle is a real problem. Especially when you have to cross raging rivers, after all, metal and cement for building bridges cannot simply be transported into the jungle. The Khasi people in northern India have found a solution to this problem: bridges made of roots!

The big question: How do you get roots to grow in certain shapes? Of course, it cannot be any number of roots. For “the living bridges of Meghalaya” only the rubber tree (Ficus elastica) is suitable – thank God there is plenty of it in the Indian jungle. With the help of a corset made of bamboo and trunks of the betel nut tree, the roots are brought into the desired shape – bonsai fans should be familiar with this method. Of course, none of this will happen overnight.

If you want to cross a living bridge, you need patience. How the magazine “National Geographics” writes, it can take more than 15 years before the network of roots offers a passable transition over stream, river and abyss. Another advantage: unlike their brothers made of metal and concrete, the plant bridges do not wear out, but become even stronger and more stable over the years. The oldest bridges of this type are said to be up to 500 years old and to be able to carry up to 50 people.

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