A Walk On The Bridge That Breathes In Riwai

This small village, 90 km south of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, came into prominence when a travel channel voted it the cleanest village in India. However, our main interest was the living root bridge connecting the villages of Riwai and Nohwet, very close to Mawlynnong. Root bridges are unique to the state of Meghalaya and are not seen in any other part of the country—perhaps not even anywhere else in the world.

It took us about three hours to reach Mawlynnong from Shillong. The drive usually takes around two hours, but we couldn't resist stopping for photo breaks along the way. It was a beautiful March morning, with perfect weather and an absolutely picturesque route. Many shades of green flanked both sides of the road for miles and miles until we arrived at a small stream.

Inspired by John Keats… lingering along streams of rushing water in the heart of pristine nature — blue skies, virescent trees, and a cool breeze — echoed our hearty laughter. :) :P

(Okay, that was a terrible effort, and I hope Keats didn’t turn in his grave. I owe him an apology.) :P

The loveliness of the tranquil ambience cannot truly be captured in photographs. It must be experienced, smelt, and felt — a painter’s paradise, a poet’s muse, a writer’s haven, a singer’s mood.

Had we brought camping equipment, this would have been the perfect place to pitch a tent for the night. I’m not sure if it’s safe after dark, but if camping is allowed, I would surely try it next time.

The multi-purpose cane basket. Here is an eco-friendly, innovative trash cone — isn’t it cute? Mawlynnong and Riwai are eco-tourism community ventures, and they use only natural, biodegradable materials for trash bins everywhere.

Off we went on the trail to the Living Root Bridge. As the name clearly implies, a living root bridge is an actual living bridge. :) It is formed from the roots of a living tree of the species Ficus elastica — the banyan fig, in this case.

To guide the tree’s roots in the right direction, betel nut trunks are used. The trunks are sliced down the middle and hollowed out to create root-guiding channels. The thin, tender roots of the ficus tree are led through these hollowed sections, preventing them from fanning out and allowing them to grow straight across. When they reach the other side of the river, they are rooted back into the soil.

Over time, layers of roots intertwine to form a strong, sturdy bridge capable of carrying a considerable amount of weight. Once the structure becomes very strong, stone slabs are placed on top to create a smoother walkway.

It is said that these bridges can last for hundreds of years, depending on the health of the mother tree. Since new roots keep growing, the bridge literally regenerates whenever older roots or trees die. Over the years, its strength increases as more layers of roots intertwine.

Of course, the villagers maintain them carefully and are prompt with repairs, since these bridges are often their only way to commute.

These bridges are often the only means of connecting the small interior villages of Meghalaya that do not have road access. The trail to the Riwai Bridge is not too steep, slimy, or narrow compared to many of the others.

Khasi men and women washing clothes along the beautiful stream. The same cane baskets are used to carry the clothes.

A precarious little stretch of rocky trail. 

A typical bamboo and cane hut. Mawlynnong has homestays and guest houses for visitors. I think one must stay overnight to experience the place better, since there are a couple of waterfalls and other nature trails that can be enjoyed at leisure rather than during a hurried and tiring day trip. Definitely a treat for those who enjoy a little rustic, non-city atmosphere.

A tall bamboo tower leads to a sky-view shelter. The structure is at least 10–12 meters tall and made entirely of bamboo, even the ties and joints. Initially, I was a bit scared, but once I began to trust the strength of the construction, I relaxed. The view from the top was spectacular. The feeling of being in a really high tree house could be nothing less than amazing.

There are even tree houses for visitors to stay in. I’m not sure how brave I’ll be to perch up that high for a night, but I shall give it a try next time.

There are no restaurants in the village. The only options are homemade food and fruits offered by the villagers. We tried some new types of berries — above: Shophie, and below: Shohsang.

These berries looked quite tempting, but… but… one bite and I literally jumped. It was extremely sour! I must have mimicked one of Jim Carrey’s favorite antics as an uncontrollable tickle ran through my entire body. :P

That’s the best way I can describe the degree of sourness.

We didn’t stay back for the night, as we had plans to go to Sohra for the waterfalls. But I made a promise to myself — next time I will carry a good, fat book and stay there until I finish reading it. Fresh air and a good book should be quite relaxing. I think I should take Roots. :)

The Untouched Jaintia Hills

From Tyrshi Falls, Jowai

The Jaintia Hills lie on the eastern side of Meghalaya. Jowai is the official headquarters of West Jaintia Hills and Khliehriat is the official headquarters of East Jaintia Hills. Jaintia Hills were a part of the Jaintia Kingdom. The Greater Jaintia Kindom spread across parts of the present-day, states of Meghalaya, and Assam in India and the present-day state of Sylhet in Bangladesh. Its winter capital was Jaintapura, in present-day Bangladesh, and its Summer capital was in Nartiang, present-day India. Later in 630 AD Jaintia king Raja Guhak (as per Wikipedia) divided the kingdom among his three sons - Jaintia Kingdom (present-day Meghalaya and Assam) went to Jayantak, Gour Kingdom (Northern Sylhet in Bangladesh) went to Gurak and Laur Kindom (another part of present-day Sylhet) went to Ladduk. 

What was the history of the Jaintia tribes is a bit of a contradiction. Some say they were an Austroasiatic tribe of Mon-Khmer Origins, who traveled to India from East Asia or South East Asia. Some say they were the origins of present-day Cachar or present-day Sylhet. I lean towards the former version considering the features and cultures of the Jaintias. 

As per some historians, a group of Mon-Khmer tribes traveled to the Kopilli Valley, from Tonquin (a region in North Vietnam) Via Yunan (a southwestern province of China), and Myanmar. They settled in the Kopilli Valley fed by the Kopili River. Later after the Indo-Aryan rulers took over this region under their reign and established the Pragjyotish Kingdom, the tribe moved west and north. Eventually, they settled in the region known as the Jaintia Hills.

The migration of Mon-Khmers from Tonquin to Kopilli Valley

The Kopili River Valley

The Jaintia kingdom went through many changes and rulers till the Britishers annexed it in 1835. One of the first known rulers of Jaintias was queen Urmi Rani. Jaintias are Matrilineal like the Khasis and Garos of Meghalaya. As the term suggests, the women carry forward the lineage, the surnames, and the inheritance. The youngest daughter of the family inherits the property. If the youngest daughter dies or is disowned, the immediate elder daughter inherits the property, and then her youngest daughter carries forward the inheritance. If there are no daughters in the family, the mother's youngest sister inherits the property and it continues in the same order. After marriage, the men move into the bride's family. Ancient Jaintia Kindom was ruled by Queen Monarchs. Women were powerful and highly respected.

Medieval Kingdoms of North Eastern India

The Jaintia matrilineal traditions continue even to the present day. Some Jaintias today are converted Christians and Muslims and some follow the Hindu way of living but the indigenous Jaintias worshipped nature their religion is called Niamtre and they follow three cardinal principals, Kamai yeh hok, tipbru tipblai, and tipkur tipkha which signify, honest living and livelihood, fulfilling duties for fellow humans, and all living beings, respect for the family.

Ruins of Jaintia KIngdom in Jaintapur in Bangladesh (Source: Wikipedia)

Jaintia Hills is a region still not destroyed by human activities. It is endowed with lush green vegetation, beautiful waterfalls, and crystal clear-water rivers. Some famous points of interest are Tyrshi Waterfall, Nartiang monoliths, Umngot River, and Thlu Amwi Waterfall among others.

Places of interest in Jaintia Hills

Tyrshi waterfall (picture source Wikipedia)

Nartiang Monoliths (Picture source wikipedia). These monoliths were erected by Jaintia rulers in honor of their predecessors. This collection of monoliths is perhaps the largest collection in any one place

Thlumuwi Waterfall (Picture source Wikipedia) This falls is famous for a stone footbridge built by the Jaintia rulers 

Umngot River (Picture source Wikipedia). The Umngot or Dawki River is famous for being one of the cleanest rivers in India

The Regnant Queens Of Egypt

Queen Nefertari with Horus, the Falcon head God (painting at Nefertari's tomb in Luxor)

Nefertari - The Deified Queen from the 19th Dynasty (13th century BC):

I visited Nefertari's gorgeous tomb in Luxor's Valley of Queens last January during my seven-day trip to Egypt. The entry fee was pretty steep and only a limited number are allowed entry per day. The tomb's exquisiteness is evidence that Nefertari. was no ordinary queen. Initially, I thought Nefertari was Nefertiti but the guide cleared my doubts regarding the same. Nefertari was the beautiful wife of Pharoah Ramesses II. In fact, her name means 'beautiful companion'. She was considered one of the most powerful royal wives who was highly educated, for those times. Ramesses II bestowed upon her one of the highest honors ever received by any Royal Consort. He built her a temple alongside the Sun Goddess, Hathor in Aswan, known as the temples of Abu Simbel today. 

Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel. The entrance facade has colossal statues of Ramesses II and his deified Queen Nefertari

The temple of Abu Simbel was originally built on the second cataract of the Nile in Aswan which currently is submerged under Lake Nasser after the Aswan High Dam was built. To conserve the temple, it was relocated to another site on the western bank of Lake Nasser, now called Abu Simbel. 

The original Abu Simbel temples were relocated from Aswan to Abu Simbel

Interesting Fact: The name Abu Simbel was actually the name of a Nubian Boy who showed the mound under which the temple was buried to Swiss explorer Burckhardt. Burckhardt, however, was not successful in excavating the temple. It was Italian archaeologist and the pioneer of Egyptology, G. Belzoni who later excavated it. The site was named after the boy who discovered the site.

Nefertiti - The Reformer Queen from the 18th Dynasty (1351-1336 BC):

The famous limestone bust of Nefertiti, currently displayed in Berlin Museum

Nefertiti was the wife of Pharoah Akhenaten. Her name meant "The beautiful one has come". Some say she ruled for a few years after the Pharoah's death before Tutankhamun took over the reign of Egypt. She is known for religious reforms in Egypt. Akhenaten and Nefertiti introduced monotheism in the earlier polytheist Egypt. They established The Sun, Aten, as their sole GOD. Some studies suggest she may have been Akhenaten's blood sister. Some researchers suggest she may have been the mother of Tutankhamun. However, the recent, discovery of a mummy in KV35 whose DNA matches that of Tutankhamun and Amenhotep III negates the former theories.

Hatshepsut - The Pharoah Queen from the 18th Dynasty (1479 - 1458 BC)

Hatshepsut is the only queen whose tomb is in the Valley of the Kings. She was considered the most powerful female Pharoah however, chronologically, she was the second female Pharoah after Queen Sobekneferu (12th Dynasty) or perhaps the third considering Queen Merneith (First Dynasty) may have been a Pharoah as well.  She was the consort of her half-brother Thutmosis II and daughter of Thutmose I. She became a regent to the two-year stepson Thutmose III post the death of her spouse. Eventually, after a few years, she established herself as the Pharoah in her own right and even assumed the dress code and traits of male Pharoahs. She changed her name to Maatkare (Maat - Truth, Ka - Soul, Re - Sun God) to affirm, that she like any other Pharoah could communicate directly with God. While her original tomb was destroyed several times and her mummy relocated by her predecessors, her grand mortuary temple at the Valley of Kings proclaims her power and position. She and her achievements were almost erased from the history of Egypt by her predecessors considering her reign was one of the most prosperous and attributing success to a woman ruler was not acceptable to some of them for political reasons. Ironically, she trained her predecessor Thutmose III to become a skilled warrior, a scribe, and a priest as expected of a thoroughbred Pharaoh. He in turn ensured her name was obliterated for reasons still unexplained. Yet after all, the attempts to wipe out the existence of this great woman, she stands today as perhaps the most progressive Pharoah Queen of Egypt, and as her befitting name, Hatshepsut means 'The foremost of nobel women' who expanded trade relations to as far as Punt, led many infrastructure projects, and patronaged many great temples and buildings like the Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Deir El Bahari, and many others.

Deir El Bahari - The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Luxor

Merneith, The first Regent Queen from the First Dynasty (31st Century BC)

Bust of Merneith. Photograph source: National Geographic website

Merneith whose name means 'The beloved of Neith (the Ancient Egyptian goddess of home and feminity)' was the consort of Pharoah Djet and mother of Pharoah Den. She reigned as the Regent when Djet died and her son Den was too young to take over the responsibilities of a Pharoah. Some historians debate She may have established herself as a Pharoah in her own right and thus may have been the First Pharoah Queen of Egypt. Some historians believe she was the second regent queen, after Neithhotep, who ruled as regent for her baby son Hor-Aha after the death of her spouse, the first Pharoah of Egypt Narmer.

Sobekneferu - The first Regnant Queen of Egypt from the Twelfth Dynasty ( 18th Century BC)

Bust of Sobekmeferu at Berlin Museum. Photograph Source: Wikipedia

Sobekneferu was the daughter of the Pharaoh Amenemhat III and the last Pharoah of the 12th dynasty. She is considered the first woman Pharoah of Egypt, considering there is no clear evidence of Merneith being a Pharoah. She ascended or usurped the throne of Egypt after the death of Pharoah Amenemhat IV, who may have been her spouse or half-brother, or both. Her name means 'Beauty of Sobek (the ancient crocodile god of Egypt).

Cleopatra VII - The most Celebrated Queen and the Last Pharoah of the Last Dynasty, The Ptolemaic Dynasty (69 0 30 BC)

Statue of Cleopatra VII in Altesh Museum. Picture source: Wikipedia

Perhaps, Cleopatra is the most famous and most celebrated Egyptian queen. For a very long time as a kid, I thought Elizabeth Taylor was the actual Cleopatra. Cleopatra was the last queen, the last regnant of Egypt. I am not sure why popularly the title of Pharoah is not associated with her but technically, she is also the Last Pharoah of Egypt before the Romans took over Egypt. She was the daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes. Her name means 'The father loving godess'. After her father's death, she ascended the throne along with her brother Ptolemy XIII as a co-ruler. However, they did not get along and civil war engulfed the empire. Meanwhile, Triumvir Julius Caesar occupied Alexandria in the process of chasing his enemy Pompey who sought refuge in Egypt but was betrayed by Ptolemy III. Caesar's army defeated and killed Ptolemy III and established Cleopatra and Ptolemy IV as the joint rulers of Egypt. Caesar had a famous brief affair with Cleopatra till his assassination. Cleopatra had a son Caesarion with Caesar. Later Cleopatra married Triumvir Mark Anthony and they had two sons and a daughter. Cleopatra was highly ambitious and had plans to expand her empire to far south and north with the alliance of Mark Antony. Unfortunately, her dreams were squashed when Octavian / Augustus Caesar, Caesar's Nephew ascended the throne of the Roman Empire, rather laid the foundation of the Roman Empire. Octavian manipulated Anthony into marrying his sister Octavia as a political strategy which angered Cleopatra but she eventually steered the divorce of Octavia and Anthony brought him back to Alexandria and proclaimed her children as successors to her throne. This led to the final war between the Roman and Egyptian Army. The Egyptian army was defeated, and Anthony committed suicide. There are stories, that Anthony committed suicide on hearing the rumor of Cleopatra's suicide. Cleopatra was hiding in her tomb when Octavian took over Alexandria. Fearing her capture, she got herself killed by a snake bite and thus ended the 3200 years of Pharoah rule in Egypt.