In the depths of northeastern India, in one of the wettest places on earth, bridges aren’t built – they’re grown.
The living bridges of Cherrapunji, India are made from the roots of the Ficus elastica tree. This tree produces a series of secondary roots from higher up its trunk and can comfortably perch atop huge boulders along the riverbanks, or even in the middle of the rivers themselves.
Cherrapunji is credited with being the wettest place on earth, and The War-Khasis, a tribe in Meghalaya, long ago noticed this tree and saw in its powerful roots an opportunity to easily cross the area’s many rivers. Now, whenever and wherever the need arises, they simply grow their bridges.
In order to make a rubber tree’s roots grow in the right direction – say, over a river – the Khasis use betel nut trunks, sliced down the middle and hollowed out, to create root-guidance systems.
The thin, tender roots of the rubber tree, prevented from fanning out by the betel nut trunks, grow straight out. When they reach the other side of the river, they’re allowed to take root in the soil. Given enough time, a sturdy, living bridge is produced.
The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they’re extraordinarily strong – strong enough that some of them can support the weight of fifty or more people at a time
Because they are alive and still growing, the bridges actually gain strength over time – and some of the ancient root bridges used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji may be well over five hundred years old.
All the credit for this post goes to Atlas Obscura’s Wonderful Post on living root bridges
Sam said on August 18th, 2009 , 6:02 pm
That is unbelievably awesome! It’s a symbiotic relationship like non other. The humans get a safe mode of self renewing passage, and the trees get a nice root-massage and the smell of stinky feet.
Rico said on August 28th, 2009 , 7:32 pm
that is truly amazing!!!!
eric said on September 1st, 2009 , 5:59 pm
Striking photos…I don’t know about photography, but these are some intriguing images.
I’m guessing these people aren’t still growing bridges and living in the jungle, but instead in the region’s standard type of housing. Naive, I know; I apologize if I’m being offensive. It’s impressive simply for being a different way of life than I’ve ever known, and intriguing, like I said, but my first impression when I saw the lady in the photo was, “man, I’d want to move.”
Arman Erfanfar said on September 10th, 2009 , 2:23 am
thats so cool
Brad said on September 11th, 2009 , 2:01 pm
Surreal and beautiful!!!
Calgary web design said on October 27th, 2009 , 12:09 am
Awesome photos…love it.
karen said on October 29th, 2009 , 5:37 am
Nature never seizes to amaze me
Alen said on November 7th, 2009 , 5:53 pm
Very nice photos.
Fringl said on November 16th, 2009 , 5:00 am
Looks like other planet! Great!
Charles said on November 26th, 2009 , 10:17 pm
Wow, never been to a place like that. I need to travel farther away.
ruchi said on November 27th, 2009 , 3:06 am
where is this place in india???
south??
Kitri said on November 29th, 2009 , 5:48 am
These pics are from my part of the world, its that part of the world where ppl have not literally cut off their roots from their past, even though like one of the commenters said, they live in standard type of housing. The beautiful part is that bridges are still being ‘grown’ like this…u have to see it to believe it and you’re all welcome to travel to this part of the world which is like no other…
Darlene said on December 1st, 2009 , 10:39 am
God is Great!
Claudia said on December 5th, 2009 , 8:53 am
Very nice photos!!!
Anupum said on December 7th, 2009 , 5:44 pm
I live in the same country. Disgrace I’ve never been to Cherapunji
. Lovely nature.
aTravelAroundTheWorld said on December 11th, 2009 , 7:58 am
Amazing pictures, I really have to go there, maybe next year, when I finish my rtw.
Tapas said on December 11th, 2009 , 2:14 pm
Exotic indeed and as a Indian i am proud about its sanctity and beuty. Having good knowledge of the terrain may i warn the dreamers you will have to break ur ass trekking to the inside of these forests and no helicopters pls.!!If you are to tough trekker welcome to India!
yaynessness said on December 13th, 2009 , 11:16 am
wow who knew of such wonders i fell off my chair no really u can see the bruizes
Kari said on December 17th, 2009 , 10:15 am
We need to plant a few of those across our river
Jim Jones said on December 19th, 2009 , 8:11 pm
I would really like to cross all these bridges, great pics thanks.
McCow said on December 20th, 2009 , 1:00 am
In 2007 the area was logged off, to make houses………. now all that remains are stumps, & rotting bridges, & people wading through the streams.
Andrew said on December 22nd, 2009 , 2:25 pm
This brings to mind the elves from the Lord of the Rings. They grow their houses from trees.
Jeff said on December 26th, 2009 , 3:04 am
Very interesting great pictures. Go green!
Trailer Park Girl » Living Bridges in India said on December 26th, 2009 , 5:56 pm
[...] Posted by dragonfly jenny on 26 Dec 2009 at 01:56 pm | Tagged as: Permaculture/Sustainability A tribe of people living in northeastern India make living bridges by training the roots of rubber trees to grow across rivers. It takes some years for the bridges to become fully functional, but once they do, they are strong. And they only get stronger with age. Some of the bridges are up to 500 years old and capable of accommodating 50 people at once. The bridges are beautiful and you can see pictures and a description here [...]
cjsavvy said on December 29th, 2009 , 12:46 am
WTF!
Sarah said on January 1st, 2010 , 9:06 am
Excellent natural sites around the world. It proves that we must preserve our nature before it is all too late..
Pupe said on January 3rd, 2010 , 6:26 pm
Looks like Avatar a tad
Anonymous said on January 4th, 2010 , 2:57 pm
Japan appears to have its own form of living bridges as well.
http://atlasobscura.com/places/vine-bridges-japan
vj said on January 10th, 2010 , 12:56 pm
Lovely
Cathy Mason said on January 22nd, 2010 , 8:56 pm
Amazing Photos!
Thank you for posting!
Ross Canpolat said on March 24th, 2010 , 7:07 pm
That’s well cool!
EntityPhoto said on April 16th, 2010 , 4:52 pm
Loving the pictures!
mondeep said on April 16th, 2010 , 9:01 pm
this root bridge is in Mawlynnong in Meghalaya,India. This became famous in the north east region of India after Mawlynnong was given the tag of ‘Cleanest Village’ by the Meghalaya Govt as a publicity move. I have seen other villages just as clean as Mawlynnong. You do not have to trek to get to the bridges. Mawlynnong is accessible by car. To get to the bridge you will need to walk downhill for about 15 mins tops. The villagers have also made a “machan” combining 4 trees; which is about 3 stories top Bangladesh is visible.
unknown kadanth said on April 16th, 2010 , 11:38 pm
Love the pictures. I hope the tourists don’t wreck it.
god is republican said on April 29th, 2010 , 1:43 pm
what planet is this on?
Nixxi said on May 16th, 2010 , 10:19 am
it looks like something right out of Avatar.