God’s Own Garden: Mawlynnong
Been wanting to hitchhike across the North-Eastern part of India? The subtle diversity in every nook and corner of this region will leave you wanting more. Be it the tiny city of Shillong loaded with musicians, churches, and strong self-sufficient communities, or bridges made out of natural root formations in Cherranpunji and Mawsynram.
There’s another little paradise known as Shnogpdeng. You could literally call it a beach in the middle of a valley and humungous mountains. We’ll delve into Shnonpdeng a little more in another article.
Now let’s unfold the location of a secluded, immaculate, and sparsely populated village in the state of Meghalaya. Situated just off the India-Bangladesh border lies Mawlynnong, the cleanest village in the entire Asian continent. In fact, esteemed global organizations that deep-dive to preserve and share stories about lesser known and explored cultures, like the likes of UNESCO and National Geographic, have recognized Mawlynnong as “The Cleanest Village of Asia”.
From the minute you step foot in the village, every turn you take, hill you climb, household you visit, meal you eat, will give you a stark realization of an alternative efficient lifestyle. These villagers have absolutely no carbon footprint, thrive on recycling, and reap the benefits of the abundant access to natural resources.
Who said a village of fewer than 700 people wouldn’t be literate? On the contrary, they possess a literacy rate of over 90%. Although they are extremely varied from city-folk, it is their eagerness and cultural habit to educate themselves in all fields of life.
Sustainability Habits
Bamboos are something that you will see all over the village. The villagers go deep into the forests of the East Khasi hills and spend days churning out bamboo from plants. Despite their cut-off lifestyle, they are mentally and physically well-equipped to mold the woody elements of a bamboo plant into full-fledged bamboo poles.
These bamboo poles will be evident in the form of both, small and big objects, throughout the village. Here are a few of their creative ideas that help them make a difference in environmental sustainability:
Bamboo Dustbins
I bet as an Indian you are aware that 99% of Indian villages don’t even know the concept of a dustbin? Things are on the rare end of the cleanliness spectrum in this village. Every 40 to 50 meters you walk, you will notice bamboo dustbins alternating at either side of the road/paths. Well, you can’t call it a road as vehicles are not allowed to cross the entry point of the village. The only vehicles they have are cycles, that too the majority of them are made by the children of the village. Some call this environmental-friendliness at its best.
Now what’s fascinating is that all the waste in the bamboo dustbins is purely recyclable. Forget the sale of chips, biscuits, and ready-to-eat foods in the village, outsiders are banned from entering the village with such items. Zero plastic packaging, zero ceramics, wax boxes, or anything that nature doesn’t digest within a couple of months is prohibited in Mawlynnong.
What happens with the waste in these dustbins?
People who truly respect their home will do more than an ordinary man would do to sustain it. All the waste is transferred to a pit and used as manure. The villagers then extract this manure in a few months time to create housing equipment, expand their homes, and also as fertilizers for deep-village farming activities.
Bamboo Staircases
Now be warned, simply imagining these bamboo staircases could be something that people who reside in urban areas fail to comprehend. These are no ordinary staircases to connect a piece of land that is separated by a few meters of height.
Imagine a structure, the height of a prominent 5 to 7 story building in a metropolitan city. Now imagine the internal architecture, the staircases, the concrete wooden polished railings, the walls on all four sides, the main doors of the residences, the dustbins outside their homes, the stench of garbage, and anything more that seems to be a part of the staircase walk up the building.
Now, look at this.
These are intricately binded bamboo pieces that are collectively knotted using sisal rope. The street-smart etiquettes and knowledge of the villagers help them build such structures that stand strong for decades. Imagine the expertise and confidence needed to build something like this up to the height of a 5 to 7 story building.
Remember, these bamboo steps utilize materials not made by man, but from the flora of the surrounding jungle. While you walk up the staircase, you have no visual restrictions. No walls, no doors, no fancy looking railings, nothing of the sort. What you will experience is petrichor: the earthy smell after rain (which occurs often in this village), your hand brushing the natural wet bamboo fibers (because of the consistent dew formation), your feet sliding on the slippery bamboo base while the ropes permit friction to lead you to the top.
The journey to the top of this structure is a story by itself, let’s save it for another time.
When you arrive at the pinnacle, you would be rewarded with a picturesque 360-degree view of the East Khasi Hills. The most thrilling part is that you will be looking into Bangladeshi territory with not the slightest clue of it. There may be a pair of binoculars hung up by the villagers to let you get a glimpse of the beauty.
Don’t be surprised to hear the sounds of children playing, cows mooing, women chit-chatting in loud audible tones, and even a variety of birds amidst the densely packed trees.
The odds are you won’t see any of them, but you will be able to hear them. Such is the beauty of nature, atop a bamboo structure in the middle of nowhere, getting to hear the sounds of liveliness, but only seeing the still beauty of mother earth.
Momo Ingredients
The tastiest food does not necessarily reside in the fanciest of restaurants and kitchens of experienced chefs. The people of Mawlynnong possess a unique style of cooking and packing their recipes with ingredients. One such mouth-watering specialty is the momos.
Every ingredient in the momo is locally sourced from the tiny backyards of the villagers. Some grow carrots and capsicum, some grow potatoes and onions, some grow beetroot and lettuce. Don’t be surprised when you munch on a momo and experience a first-time taste. Also, there are several ingredients that they use that I have no idea about.
Another kickass surprise is the unreal size of these momos. No jokes, it’s a little bigger than your palm and costs under 20 rupees per piece. Be assured, these are the most massive momos you’re getting your hands on anywhere in India. I legit had days where one momo was my lunch.
Verdict
There’s so much about this place that you would love to know about. The scattered homes (made of bamboos) in the forests, the misty mornings, the hidden clearwater ponds in the village, the tribal folk, and even their manner of cherishing and passing on family relations and possessions.
