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Living Roots & Strength of Bamboo - (Part 1)

Tribes, heritage, cottage industry, nature, science, ecological awareness, technology, mines, weaving industry and the tale goes on...
If the current civilization needs to take some learnings, especially India.. Meghlaya is the place to visit. 

Remotely located but has bundles of wisdom embedded in each zone. To get glimpses of the entire place in a nutshell, Don Bosco Museum in Shillong is a place to visit. Seven halls on seven floors winding up in a concentric ring take back you to an era giving an overview of entire North Eastern India.

Meghalaya is one of the cleanest states in India and it had been inhabited majorly by Gori and Khasi tribes, after whom the hill ranges too have been named. Cleanliness to an extent, there is no open defecation and you will not find any mound of trash on your way. The tribes have contributed a lot to the socio-cultural and economic growth.

 Agriculture and Fishing are the primary sources of income and food.  Their tools and the variety of baskets showcase the innate sense of art and engineering present in old days. The diverse range of baskets meant for fishing, weaved out of cane, in various shapes and sizes with openings present at different points will leave you in awe, trying to figure out the logic, design aspects with technical detailing done by those who never had the chance to acquire degrees. Nature is their best teacher..


Bamboo, another natural resource available in abundance contributes a lot to the cottage industry. Most of their daily use tools, accessories, furniture, kitchenware, cattle rearing, rain protection etc. are made of bamboo. The versatile plant with one of the strongest tensile strength is also the best available resource for construction. With over 38 species from 14 genera in Meghalaya only the livelihood of the majority population in the state is dependent on handicrafts made of bamboo, thus contributing to ecological balance and green living!!


 The testing time challenge for the strength of this monocotyledon angiosperm is it’s use in suspension bridges as well. Preferred over any metal by the locals, this stem can compete with steel!!

How to reach: Guwahati Aiport is 100kms from Shillong. Shillong too has an airbase but with limited flight options.  

Tip: Shillong is densely populated hence do keep a watch on your clock to avoid getting stuck in traffic jams which are unexpected in a Hill Station. Leave your hotel before office opening hours. 

Nature lovers can reach Cherapunji directly, just take a quick tour of Don Bosco in Shillong on way..






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Location: Laitumkhrah, Shillong, Meghalaya 793003, India

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