Meghalaya’s Living Root Bridges: A Century-Old Engineering Solution That Strengthens with Age
In the hills of Meghalaya, India, Khasi and Jaintia communities cultivate living bridges by guiding the roots of rubber fig trees across rivers. Unlike conventional structures that degrade over time, these bridges grow stronger as they age, with roots fusing together to support heavy loads. The process takes 15 to 30 years, and the knowledge required to build them is held by fewer than two dozen elders, raising concerns about the survival of this traditional skill.