Beating like the heartbeat of Meghalaya is the beautiful and clean Mawlynnong. 92 km away from Shillong, this beautiful village is also known as the ‘God’s Own Garden’. It is also the winner of the Discovery award of ‘Cleanest Village’, 2005. The residents of the village take extra initiative to protect the environment. Plastic and smoking are prohibited in the village. Moreover, the major population of the village practices Rainwater harvesting. With 100% literacy in the region, the citizens are fluent in English. 

Why Should You Visit Mawlynnong?

  If you want to visit a peaceful and beautiful place in India. If you want to escape the noise and stress of city life and want to relax with nature. Then I will suggest you plan your next trip to Mawlynnong. This clean and serene village offers more than one reason to visit them:

1) Cleanliness

The value and lifestyle of Mawlynnong residents is based on cleanliness and sanitation. If you want to visit a village and learn how to respect Mother Earth and keep your surroundings clean, then this village should be your bucket list. Every waste is thrown into the bamboo dustbin, installed all over the village. Each house has a functional toilet. They convert their garbage to manure and plants trees along the road. 

2) Tribals- 

 One of the most significant attractions of this clean village is the Khasi Tribe. It is one of the tribes that shatters patriarchal whims. The children take the surname of their mothers and the property is also transferred through the matrilineal lineages. This tribe proves that if society supports, women empowerment is possible.

3) Living root bridges-  

Mawlynnong is incomplete without its beautiful phenomenon, ‘Living root bridges’. It is also declared as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is a bridge constructed by Mother Nature itself. It connects the aerial roots of a big rubber tree and creates a bridge over the river. This bridge took years to construct itself and can support 50 to 70 people at the same time. 

4) Local dishes- 

If you are a foodie traveler like me, I am sure one of the points is to try the local cuisine. Mawlynnong would not disappoint your tastebuds. They offer a wide range of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and none of them are artificially grown. The vegetables are organically grown and the animals and birds are house-bred. You can choose to either taste freshly cute banana flower or Jadoh, a dish prepared from rice and meat, or Tungrymbai, a delightful blend of fermented soybeans, bamboo leaves, and local spices. 

5) Tourist Attraction-

Mawlynnong offers its visitors mesmerizing sky views from a bamboo tower. Moreover, it is situated on the border of Indian and Bangladesh and you can enjoy the beautiful landscape view of Bangladesh. The chirps of epiphany is a fascinating hundred-year-old tourist attraction that has stood the test of time. You can also relax and tune in with nature under the beautiful waterfall of Mawlynnong in its jungle.