India submits Meghalaya's living root bridges for Unesco World Heritage status
Beyond their cultural and ecological significance, the bridges have also attracted global attention in recent years, including the hosting of an international yoga event on the structures in June last year
India has nominated the iconic double-decker living root bridges of Meghalaya, built by the Khasi tribe, for inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage List for the 2026–27 cycle.
The living root bridges, constructed over fast-flowing hill streams in the northeastern state, are formed entirely from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees. Carefully guided and woven over decades, the roots create natural walkways that strengthen as they grow, reflecting generations of indigenous engineering and ecological knowledge.
According to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, India's Ambassador to UNESCO Vishal V Sharma formally handed over the nomination dossier of Meghalaya's living root bridges to UNESCO Director Lazare Assomo Eloundou.
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"We are hopeful that the living root bridges will be inscribed this year, ensuring that the indigenous communities, the true guardians of this living heritage, receive the global recognition they so richly deserve," Sangma said in a post on X.
Set amid mist-covered hills, dense rainforests, cascading streams, and waterfalls, the living root bridges have endured for centuries through the craftsmanship of the Khasi community. Beyond their cultural and ecological significance, the bridges have also attracted global attention in recent years, including the hosting of an international yoga event on the structures in June last year.
