Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Themes
  • Videos
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Themes
Videos
App & Extension
  • Australia
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy
  1. Bing Gallery
  2. Australia
  3. 2019
  4. June 27
  5. Living root bridge in India
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Living root bridge in India

June 27, 2019

Living root bridge in India

© dhritipurna/Shutterstoc

This bridge is alive. The roots of invention

Living root bridges like this can be found in the tropical rainforests of Meghalaya, a state in northeast India, which is among the wettest places on Earth. The gentle waterways that flow through the region’s valleys become gushing torrents during the summer monsoon season and will wash away traditional bamboo bridges. So, generations of indigenous Khasi people have devised a way of building root bridges by shaping living trees.It works like this: Rubber fig trees are planted or located on opposite riverbanks. As the trees' above-ground roots grow, the Khasi will guide them across the water, sometimes with the support of temporary scaffolding, like bamboo. After years of patient tending, the roots will eventually join and take hold of each other, forming a living suspension bridge that provides safe passage over the swollen rivers. The innovation has proved critical to the Khasi people. In this environment, bridges made from harvested materials would quickly rot and fall apart, leaving villages cut off and isolated.Building a living root bridge requires patience, though. It takes about 15 to 30 years to grow one sturdy enough to support humans. But investment pays off. As these bridges age, they get stronger. Some are nine metres long and can hold over 50 people.

tree outdoor water jungle landscape nature plant riparian forest nature reserve creek riparian zone woodland state park old-growth forest river

Related Images

Kornati National Park, CroatiaKornati National Park, Croatia
Albion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaAlbion Falls, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Hunan, ChinaZhangjiajie Glass Bridge, Hunan, China
Glücksburg Castle, Schleswig-Holstein, GermanyGlücksburg Castle, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Windmills, Kinderdijk, NetherlandsWindmills, Kinderdijk, Netherlands
River Brathay, Lake District, EnglandRiver Brathay, Lake District, England
Oia, Santorini, GreeceOia, Santorini, Greece
Panther Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, USAPanther Creek Falls, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, USA

Today Bing

Kamikōchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Kamikōchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

Jun 27, 2021
The Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona in Italy

The Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona in Italy

Jun 27, 2020
Composite photo of the beach in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy

Composite photo of the beach in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy

Jun 27, 2018
Joshua trees in Death Valley, California

Joshua trees in Death Valley, California

Jun 27, 2017
Licancabur volcano on the border of Bolivia and Chile

Licancabur volcano on the border of Bolivia and Chile

Jun 27, 2016

Related Tags

water outdoor lake nature sky landscape tree mountain waterfall bridge forest surrounded river traveling reflection grass pond plant beach water resources
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
Download 1920x1080
  • © 2022 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.