Mawlynnong is listed as ‘The Cleanest Village in Asia’. The village lies 90 kilometers from the town of Shillong, Meghalaya, India where the journey will bring us to some of the best breathtaking panoramas scenery in India.
A few decades ago, existence of Mawlynnong is not known by tourists until ‘Discover India’ magazine revealed its status as the ‘Most Beautiful Village’ in 2005.
It is located between the area of East Khasi Meghalaya, near the Indo-Bangla border. The villagers in this beautiful village have long lived in harmony with nature and this can be the example of other rural dwellers.
When a person stepped into the village, through the tortuous path of the village, it is quite amazing to see the cleanliness of the preserved black pebbles, with its yard and clean path leading to the house of bamboo-made villagers.
There is a unique style of trash baskets everywhere, with each isolated according to the waste category whether organic or inorganic. Polythene or plastic materials are prohibited from using. Smoking is also not allowed.
There are public toilets that the villagers themselves maintain well and each of them is responsible for taking part in weeding, sweeping and cleaning of the garden and street which they perform every evening.
Children have been taught from the very beginning to keep their environment clean and they will not hesitate to collect garbage on the roadside and throw them in the basket provided.
The village has also been supplied with good water supply and sanitation system.
Outside the village, there is a river connected with a bridge made from living roots which clearly shows the expertise and craftsmanship of the villagers there.
The bridge was built more than 200 years ago with roots of the banyan tree and they entangled it by manoeuvring one another so that the bridge gives way to people crossing the river.
There is also a high-altitude tower located on the east side of the village made from bamboo which allows anyone to enjoy the magnificent view of the plains of Bangladesh.
For curious travellers, there are many places that are still not marked on the map and one can explore the village around because it is full with scenery of small waterfalls and forests filled with flora and fauna.
The guest house in the village is built in the center of the tree with stilts made from bamboo that straps around the other trees.
Staying in them may also be part of a fun experience in the village.
For those visiting the village there may be much to learn from Mawlynnong, as they are the people who give priority to the environment.
Although their way of life is primitive, their behaviours and customs provided strong foundations created self-sustaining systems from adhering to the principle from generations to generations.
Mawlynnong is an example that everyone has a responsibility to keep the environment clean. Everyone needs to be protect the environment no matter where they are.
Credit: The Better India
