Mawlynnong – Perfect Harmony with Nature

Guess where is the cleanest village in entire Asia? You won’t believe it is located in a remote

part in the Khasi Hills of the northeastern India. Mawlynnong or the most appropriate term of

this village, “God’s Own Country” is declared as the cleanest village in Asia by Discover India

Magazine in 2003. It is a picture perfect village housing less than 90 families in the state of

Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh. It is better than any of the garden resorts I have travelled till

now and can be regarded one of the best places to visit in India.

Travelling around 90 kilometers from Shillong, I was spellbound by the beauty of the village.

Traversing through the lanes, I wondered if this village is planned in such a way. The traditional

Khasi bamboo house, each with a little but beautiful garden with exotic and wild forest flower

and lined with a neat hedge of either bushes or flowers is what you will find in this Mawlynnong

village. With no traces of waste around, I was surprised how this village earned such a Utopian

look. The children from a tender age are taught to keep the place clean by throwing the rubbish

in the little bamboo basket which serve as a dustbin. You will find these baskets after every few

meters. And if someone by mistake also litters the place, they are imposed fine; you won’t find

traces of polythene bags there.

Cleanliness is the way of life there; it is the most important factor to attract tourist from various

parts of the globe. Living in India, if you have not visited this little village till now, you are

missing a great treasure of this land. The picturesque landscape with lush mountains, lined on

either side by green bamboo and betel nut trees on the way to Mawlynnong with definitely

make you wonder in awe. Trees and that too sturdy ones are the lifelines in this region

inundated by heavy rainfall. The living root bridges in Meghalaya which links the Khasi villages

are the center of attraction of the tourist. People flock to Mawlynnong to see the root bridge in

Riwai. How can I miss this wonderful opportunity? Following a stone path from the Riwai

village, I purchased a ticket from a young Khasi guy to see the bridges. At the first sight of the

bridge called the “King’s Way”, it simply took my breath way. Just couldn’t believe if the bridge

is really made of the roots. The buzz words of the modern world – eco-friendly, sustainability

and recycling, the Khasi has been using these in the true sense of the term.

You will be even more amazed to know that the Mawlynnong village boasts of hundred percent

literacy rates. The small kids are also very fluent in English. The people there don’t follow any

Khasi rituals rather they follow Christianity. They are also known for their worship of nature and

conservation of forest. Climbing up the Sky Tower, built with bamboo sticks tied together

stretching branches of five or six trees gives a mesmerizing view of the place and far flung plains

of Bangladesh. Mawlynnong is a place with perfect harmony with Nature.

Visit to this unique place with surely be one of the memorable experiences of lifetime. The

moments I spend there, I am cherishing it till now.

If you want to have the flavor of incredible India, India tour package is the best option to avail.

Get in touch with an Indian travel agent for the journey to be memorable.