tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10192145661977012292024-03-23T03:14:21.692-07:00Living Root BridgesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145005637349824333noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1019214566197701229.post-86222722514137746562009-08-05T18:37:00.000-07:002010-04-29T11:33:37.708-07:00<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">In the depths of northeastern India, in one of the wettest places on earth, bridges aren't built - they're </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">grown</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu34F5tH8laNnWwuN9T5kuVEFMmlhO7i5lGB8VJz9YUmGBcXQKuvgIWiTJvPJn7_x-E2LnBeDVZ9Kb4kIF-nXGaCq3oUG5yIZgcbt-Lm1GA8jLAS8vNokJeTYk964MBCluWYAlkqr6xK4b/s1600-h/1493245031_d922002d62_o.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu34F5tH8laNnWwuN9T5kuVEFMmlhO7i5lGB8VJz9YUmGBcXQKuvgIWiTJvPJn7_x-E2LnBeDVZ9Kb4kIF-nXGaCq3oUG5yIZgcbt-Lm1GA8jLAS8vNokJeTYk964MBCluWYAlkqr6xK4b/s640/1493245031_d922002d62_o.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366667684489691570" border="0" /></a>The<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>living bridges<em> </em>of Cherrapunji, India are made from the roots of the <em>Ficus elastica</em> tree. This tree produces a series of secondary roots from higher up its trunk and can comfortably perch atop huge boulders along the riverbanks, or even in the middle of the rivers themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwtDext_TcPkJKnSONu5ICTyff3an7UG7cJouCariRcxErcN-S6b_nPXlvkjTqVaEFarCZP8sWyKXuf4xXLEZfdCEI9L1WW-AH4rtUwvTlVFMikPc73DIv9_Ta5ZbnXV6Q_G8y4N-DSDY/s1600-h/2349364138_bae3ce784f_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTwtDext_TcPkJKnSONu5ICTyff3an7UG7cJouCariRcxErcN-S6b_nPXlvkjTqVaEFarCZP8sWyKXuf4xXLEZfdCEI9L1WW-AH4rtUwvTlVFMikPc73DIv9_Ta5ZbnXV6Q_G8y4N-DSDY/s640/2349364138_bae3ce784f_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366667547818921970" border="0" /></a>Cherrapunji is credited with being the wettest place on earth, and The War-Khasis, a tribe in Meghalaya, long ago noticed this tree and saw in its powerful roots an opportunity to easily cross the area's many rivers. Now, whenever and wherever the need arises, they simply grow their bridges.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigelKzgMd43gv9aYMGLn7lmhQG4qRfK1lCEcWDKksPweUP67_UN7wkE3cE_GetDfsg9BkqJYAFARo-xuy46-5W4wBCb6eCpr8TBJeXVsCMJIUQ6QlqeMHaqyFOQQWFd-sECXw_N3kMjqML/s1600-h/69349915_fc5eb5d5f5_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigelKzgMd43gv9aYMGLn7lmhQG4qRfK1lCEcWDKksPweUP67_UN7wkE3cE_GetDfsg9BkqJYAFARo-xuy46-5W4wBCb6eCpr8TBJeXVsCMJIUQ6QlqeMHaqyFOQQWFd-sECXw_N3kMjqML/s640/69349915_fc5eb5d5f5_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366667448456623554" border="0" /></a>In order to make a rubber tree's roots grow in the right direction - say, over a river - the Khasis use betel nut trunks, sliced down the middle and hollowed out, to create root-guidance systems.<br />The thin, tender roots of the rubber tree, prevented from fanning out by the betel nut trunks, grow straight out. When they reach the other side of the river, they're allowed to take root in the soil. Given enough time, a sturdy, living bridge is produced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9KpbRmVljpoKF0UJvrLJc9EOuc80jrJQT6NfE4JKj0ESXq1ZyL_JFHgZGLIr4jkor-mHO_0-gTLRtlC3FqJTgGf9I9FOu3ESCt4qxy4muSnUj-0ludDkiziw3YsYzPumjxvrWTH2RAt-/s1600-h/1493248165_c79250beee_o.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9KpbRmVljpoKF0UJvrLJc9EOuc80jrJQT6NfE4JKj0ESXq1ZyL_JFHgZGLIr4jkor-mHO_0-gTLRtlC3FqJTgGf9I9FOu3ESCt4qxy4muSnUj-0ludDkiziw3YsYzPumjxvrWTH2RAt-/s640/1493248165_c79250beee_o.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366667267583159922" border="0" /></a>The root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional, but they're extraordinarily strong - strong enough that some of them can support the weight of fifty or more people at a time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWQ7DXtI8lMRhmlW8fK8YBBgGUh-wElGw6d5T6K64vc5s5pI7x83fRebU2EWM3QHAhWFHM0_ACDAh6R1wkWrJq0DqyjCEIO9rwbiMQCf4_3x5BrHV1qwNGOoBjzN2522uX-dqEV6pOcJN/s1600-h/2808361530_05dcc57c25_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWWQ7DXtI8lMRhmlW8fK8YBBgGUh-wElGw6d5T6K64vc5s5pI7x83fRebU2EWM3QHAhWFHM0_ACDAh6R1wkWrJq0DqyjCEIO9rwbiMQCf4_3x5BrHV1qwNGOoBjzN2522uX-dqEV6pOcJN/s640/2808361530_05dcc57c25_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366667074657114034" border="0" /></a>Because they are alive and still growing, the bridges actually gain strength over time - and some of the ancient root bridges used daily by the people of the villages around Cherrapunji may be well over five hundred years old.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOoYdZxDiZH-VH3lWZ-BRTA8EstPUr0XaiScMU3w3J9ZcGCq713rMnkO4aYFaTmAka4AiHlQultakyQUJjdSwr1ZAYWyncvB3DfDYzy0G2m5yplvuVQteUOzCxgx2_eU4ZpTE1aadJS7l/s1600-h/2808362372_99ac1ceb4d_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOoYdZxDiZH-VH3lWZ-BRTA8EstPUr0XaiScMU3w3J9ZcGCq713rMnkO4aYFaTmAka4AiHlQultakyQUJjdSwr1ZAYWyncvB3DfDYzy0G2m5yplvuVQteUOzCxgx2_eU4ZpTE1aadJS7l/s640/2808362372_99ac1ceb4d_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366666991471731042" border="0" /></a>One special root bridge, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world, is actually two bridges stacked one over the other and has come to be known as the "Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge."<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09609251980608998 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09609251980608998 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09609251980608998 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09609251980608998 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-022563805816470017 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09670405547915285 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><a style="left: 339px ! important; top: 15px ! important;" title="Click here to block this object with Adblock Plus" class="abp-objtab-09670405547915285 visible ontop" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"></a><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEI_GRjvDPk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMucALtEltjp206I86Qauv10jdly1gWxrWv5h-A_KNELHUoeEQLCY4_lcmtgOknhENXnPP-mPKjPL9xNEfbTpkMftbfBuaDAliTsapTwtLzuZG02Clk-MWWMOK7UkvtmIbThrPQzrCg7u/s1600-h/69351066_cd9671a4db_b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMucALtEltjp206I86Qauv10jdly1gWxrWv5h-A_KNELHUoeEQLCY4_lcmtgOknhENXnPP-mPKjPL9xNEfbTpkMftbfBuaDAliTsapTwtLzuZG02Clk-MWWMOK7UkvtmIbThrPQzrCg7u/s640/69351066_cd9671a4db_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366691716064058754" border="0" /></a>Click on any image for a larger view<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFRkpMJZoypTx75qf77FK1DbCsgOv_eDID4fB8gk06Az6hnBfbugOXrDNfovxePk8RJCcSvELnF3fmrdfioeOyupMvGiq3gXD0EVNc2DJkBPNx3dsoRlWVTbkmB2MoEgByqeIROc9orHv/s1600-h/Picture-1_9.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFRkpMJZoypTx75qf77FK1DbCsgOv_eDID4fB8gk06Az6hnBfbugOXrDNfovxePk8RJCcSvELnF3fmrdfioeOyupMvGiq3gXD0EVNc2DJkBPNx3dsoRlWVTbkmB2MoEgByqeIROc9orHv/s640/Picture-1_9.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366664299489986594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">All the credit for this blog goes to <a href="http://atlasobscura.com/places/root-bridges-cherrapungee">Atlas Obscura's Wonderful Post</a> on living root bridges.<br />Many thanks to Thomas<br />Video from: <a href="http://www.travelandaction.blogspot.com/">Travel and... Action!</a> Thanks Barbara, Jose and Gines</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02145005637349824333noreply@blogger.com362