Meghalaya (Meg)

‘The Land of Clouds’

From Skt: mēgh, ‘cloud’; and Skt: alaya, ‘dwelling’, ‘abode’.

The state deserves its name. It is the wettest region in India (12,000 mm falls every year) Meghalaya broke off from Assam in 1972, and is home to the three ancient hill tribes: the Garos, Jaintias, and Khasis. 

Meghalaya  is the only place in the world where you can cross rivers and canyons on Jingkieng Jri or ‘living root’ bridges. They are made by training the roots of the Ficus elastica tree across a stream or a gorge; the roots then grow and strengthen over time until they can be used as bridge capable of holding the weight of several people. They often take decades to build. 

Meghalaya has recently applied to UNESCO to get World Heritage status for these bridges:

‘Grown by indigenous Khasi tribal communities, these structural ecosystems have performed in extreme climatic conditions for centuries, and encapsulate a profound harmony between humans and nature. The underlying knowledge and skill has evolved through generations and continues to be practiced today, affirming its exceptional value and relevance.’  [UNESCO, World Heritage Tentative Lists]

Meghalaya and the North East Region (NER)