A Slice of Serenity

The early morning view outside Desia Cottage

Odisha’s Koraput is blessed with the best of Mother Nature’s bounty. In a small village of this southern district, tribals are not just ensuring that their green heritage is conserved but also redefining the concept of sustainable community-based tourism through a tour initiative called Desia. 

Tucked in the foothills of Eastern Ghats, Desia is a slice of serenity. Surrounded by lush forests, waterfalls and a river, it is located in Bantalabiri village near Macchkund, one of the most remote corners of Koraput district. The hospitality offered by local tribals, though, makes the long journey worthwhile. They not only maintain the Desia cottage, but also conduct nature walks, cook up delicious tribal food and work as expert guides. 

The Desia Cottage in Bantalabari Village

Desia is today counted among the very few successful community tourism projects in Odisha, often frequented by travelers from European countries. The brain behind the tourism model is Puri-based Yugabrat Kar, founder a social organisation Barefoot, and owner of a tour company, Heritage Tours. 

The objective of Desia, Kar says, is to highlight the rich cultural heritage and flora and fauna of the region among travelers who believe in responsible travel and at the same time inspire local youths to preserve their heritage and environment. The project that was started two years back, has been providing a sustainable source of income to villagers who are also traditional paddy cultivators. Paddy, though, has not been giving them good returns of late due to changing weather pattern and procurement issues.

Tribal musicians from Bantalbari village

The villagers are offering tour packages to visitors who want to get an essence of the tribal lifestyle and soak in the local culture. The packages include stay in Desia cottage, local sightseeing, trekking, visit to tribal haats and authentic tribal cuisine. The village is located close to Macchkund river, the famous 574 ft-high Duduma Waterfall and Onkadeli market, where the primitive Bonda tribals arrive every Thursday to sell or barter vegetables and non-timber forest products.

The Duduma Waterfall

Desia cottage has been aesthetically designed like a tribal house with a little modification, offering a perfect blend of ethnic living with basic modern comforts. It was constructed by people of Bantalbiri village under guidance of artist, Bidyut Roy from West Bengal, who himself lives in an ethnic house at a Santhal tribal village, says Kar. Made up with clay, the two-room cottage is painted with colourful tribal paintings and decorated with Dokra and Terracotta tribal handicrafts. “Designing has deliberately been kept minimal to appeal to all kinds of travelers who are seeking a break from the fast and polluted city life,” says Kar, adding that organic vegetables, fruits and legumes are grown within the campus by villagers in charge of the tourism project. “Only meat and rice are procured from local market while the vegetables used in Desia kitchen are grown within our campus,” says Paana, a woman of Bantalbiri, who works as a cook in Desia.

A porch that opens up to sights of mustard fields and hills

“During our trips to Koraput, we used to camp at Government Inspection Bunglow in Koraput town. One day, watchman of the Inspection Bunglow took us to his village Bantalbiri where we camped with a group of foreign tourists in a small school house. We were touched by the warmth of the villagers and the village became a regular camping place for us. I spoke to the villagers about the community tourism concept and they offered us a land adjacent to the village at a very nominal price to set upDesia,” recalls Kar, who was instrumental in opening a ‘Model Beach’ and ‘Green Rider Rickshaw’ project in Puri four years back. He had received the National Tourism Award-2013 for Model Beach concept under Best Responsible Tourism Initiative category.

After the Desia cottage was ready, five girls and three boys of Bantalbiri village underwent hospitality and business training under the Government sponsored ‘Hunar Se Rozgar’ at Puri. Currently, six men and as many women run every aspect of Desia, except for marketing which is being done by Kar. The project also offers indirect employment to around a 100 other villagers, which includes folk artistes to vegetable farmers. While a majority of the profit share from the project is shared between villagers, some amount is kept for maintenance of the cottage. A Desia Tourism Society has been formed with village heads, elected representatives and Government officials as members, who oversee functioning of the project. 

In future, Kar wants to start a pre-school up to primary level designed on the lines of Awake and Shine School by Rtd General Singh in Kalimpong for children in Bantalbiri and provide skill development training to women of the village in jewellery and pickle making. In fact, construction of the pre-school has already started within Desia campus.

An edited version of this story was published by The New Indian Express.

Bold Troupers of a Folksy Dance Cult

Gotipua dancers ready for a show

By Diana Sahu

Raghurajpur, the first heritage village of Odisha situated on the banks of river Bhargabi, is known worldwide for its Pattachitra. Bylanes of this quaint little village, where every house is a canvas, are also home to another beautiful art form—Gotipua. At the far end of the village, stand two organisations that have been nurturing Gotipua with all its pristine flavour and glory—Dasabhuja Gotipua Odissi Nrutya Parishad and Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad.

 

 

 World-renowned Odissi guru Kelucharan Mohapatra was a Gotipua dancer in his early days. To continue the tradition, the organisations have given the dance form a new lease of life amidst cultural apathy within the state. The Dasabhuja Gotipua Odissi Nrutya Parishad was established by late Guru Maguni Charan Das, the pioneer of Gotipua dance, almost four decades ago. Sebendra Das, brother of Guru Maguni Das, currently runs the Dasabhuja Parishad. He explains the relevance of the dance form. “Gotipua is an amalgamation of two Odia words; Goti means single and Pua means boy. When the dance of the Maharis and the Devadasis of the Jagannath Temple at Puri disintegrated due to various reasons, young boys from various ‘akhadas’ were trained to take the tradition forward. Earlier, Gotipua used to be performed by a single boy, but over the years it evolved as a group dance.” 

The Abhinna Sundar Gotipua Nrutya Parishad has been working for the promotion and popularisation of the ancient dance form for 11 years. It was set up by late Guru Laxman Maharana. “A boy who masters all the three skills of singing, playing folk musical instruments and dancing is considered a true Gotipua. In Odissi, a dancer is restricted to dance,” says Priyabrat Pallai, the guru at Dasabhuja Parishad.
He feels that Gotipua is a poor man’s dance. “Such is the plight of Gotipua that not many cultural organisations in Odisha provide a platform for the artistes during their annual festivals. In fact, our boys perform more outside Odisha. Even the Culture Department has stopped organising its annual Gotipua Festival that was started in 2011,” rues Pallai.

It is believed that most of the grammar and material of the present day Odissi repertoire were distilled from Gotipua that originated as a temple ritual for Lord Jagannath. Movements in the two dance forms are same. The style and approach is different. The uniqueness of Gotipua is its combination of song and dance by boys between five and 15 years, who dress up as girls. They perform to verses on Radha and Krishna written by the Vaishnavite poets of Odisha.

Gotipua is gaining global recognition for its rawness and exuberance. “Though Odissi got the classical status due to proper documentation and promotion by connoisseurs, no such effort has ever been made for Gotipua. It is mainly practised in villages by boys mostly coming from BPL families,” says Abhinna Parishad’s Basanta Kumar Moharana, who recently took a batch of students on a dance tour to Paris.

Both the organisations follow the traditional ‘gurukul’ form of teaching and practise the Raghurajpur ‘gharana’ of Gotipua. Dasabhuja Parishad and Abhinna Parishad have trained more than 300 Gotipua dancers from Puri district. Currently, 35 boys are undergoing training at Dasabhuja Parishad and 15 in Abhinna Parishad. For both the parishads, finance has been a concern. The future is uncertain. “There have been years when we have done 100 shows across the world at a stretch and at times, we get to do just 20 to 30 shows in a year. Stage shows abroad fetch good money. Besides, we earn by performing at all festivals related to Lord Jagannath like Rath Yatra, Chandan Yatra, Jhulana, Dola Yatra,” Basanta adds. 

- dianasahu@gmail.com

Odisha's Buddhist Heritage

Even though Lord Buddha had never visited Odisha during his lifetime, the state has a rich heritage of Buddhism. In fact, Odisha is home to more than 200 Buddhist sites, scattered across its length and breadth. Here, Buddhism flourished from the 6th century BC to at least 15th to 16th century AD. After the death of the Buddha, his followers were divided into two sects―'Hinayana' and 'Mahayana'. The latest Buddhist phase is 'Vajrayana' which is believed to have been originated from Odisha. According to the Buddhist scholars of Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies, Biraja (modern Jajpur) was a sacred land of Buddha Padmaprabha and the cradle of 'Mahayana'. The presence of 'Mahayana' antiquities, stupas and relics in Jajpur district are a testimony to this. Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited these Buddhist sites in Odisha in the 7th century and between 8th and 10th century. Buddhism was the religion under the Bhaumakaras clan. The tantric form of 'Mahayana' Buddhism started during this period. One of the most popular Buddhist destinations in Odisha is the Diamond Triangle comprising Ratnagiri, Udayagiri and Lalitgiri in Jajpur district. There are several places in the state where Buddhism is still practiced today. Trips To Roads Less Travelled gives you a look into the sites that would interest travellers on exploring Buddhist heritage of Odisha.

Langudi

Explore the remains of a Buddhist centre of learning that flourished till 11th century at Langudi Hill, located 90 km away from Bhubaneswar. The site is situated in Salipur village of Jajpur district. There are a series of 34 rock-cut Buddhist stupas and several early medieval Buddhist monuments and shrines atop the hill. The most popular of these rock-cut stupas is the 7th century 'Smaudra Mudra' image of Lord Buddha. Historians say the hill also has the remains of Pushpagiri University or Puspagiri Mahavihara, a major Buddhist centre of learning that flourished from 2nd century BC to 10th century AD. Excavations by Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies revealed that the structures found on Langudi Hill are even older and larger than other Buddhist centres of learning like Nalanda and Vikramashila. The remains indicate that it was a centre of the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana sects of Buddhism. The northern part of the hill houses the country's oldest Ashoka stupa. Besides images of Buddha in various postures, there are sculptures of Hindu goddesses on the hill. Flowing below the hill is river Kelua, a tributary of river Brahmani. This is a centrally protected site by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Buddhist Sites in Balasore and Bhadrak

The districts of Balasore and Bhadrak have a significant number of smaller Buddhist sites. Numerous Buddhist relics, both small and big, lie scattered in Balasore district. There is a museum in Santikanan area which contains images of Khasarpana, Lokeswar, Avalokiteswar, Buddha and Tara. At the 11th century Marichi temple in Ajodhya area of Balasore district, the idols of Goddess Durga (Mahayana Goddess Marichi) and Lord Buddha are worshipped together. Besides these main idols, there are other smaller idols related to Tantric cult and Jainism. There is a small Buddhist stupa on the temple premises. Images of Buddha can also be found at Khadipada and Soro. The ideal base to visit these places is through the town of Balasore with the help of a taxi. Surrounded by hills on three sides, lies a quaint village called Kupari in Bhadrak district (67 km away from Balasore), where remains of an old Buddhist temple and a monastery have been discovered. Towards the west of the village, visitors can see a well preserved portion of the monastery―a long narrow hall surrounded by pillars. There is an image of Mayadevi near the site and an inscription on the back of it refers to 10th century AD.

Padmasambhava Mahavihara Monastery

Amidst the verdant surroundings in Jirang near Chandragiri of Gajapati district, stands the beautiful Padmasambhava Mahavihara monastery, reportedly the largest in eastern India. The colony which houses the monastery is Buddha Vihar (the land of happiness and plenty) and area is popularly known as a mini Tibet in Odisha. It is a part of the Rigon Thubten Mindolling monastery that was part of the Tibetan settlement near Chandragiri. The monastery is named after Acharya Padmasambhava, who was born in Odisha and is believed to have spread Buddhism to Tibet in 7th century. Driving through the roads of Jirang, visitors are welcomed to the Buddha Vihar with Buddhist flags on both sides of the road. Inaugurated by Dalai Lama in 2010, it has been built as per the 'Atanpuri style of Nalanda' and in the assembly hall, a 23-foot-high idol of Lord Buddha along with his two disciples have been installed. On the right side of the Buddha's idol is the 1000-armed, 1000-eyed Avalokiteswar. While on the left, is the large idol of Guru Nangsi Zilnon. The five-storey monastery has its interiors richly decorated with traditional religious paintings of Tibetan culture. The 70-feet-high monastery can house over 200 Lamas. Apparently, Jirang is considered one of the earliest Tibetan resettlement villages in the country; the Tibetans had arrived here on May 1, 1963. Visitors can also experience maize cultivation in the village, which is the main avocation of the Tibetans. Jirang can be approached by road through Berhampur.

Jaugada Hill

After Dhauli Hills, Jaugada Hill in Ganjam District is the second place where one of the famous rock edicts of emperor Ashoka is located. Located at a distance of 30 km from Berhampur, Jaugada was also an ancient fortified settlement that had boundary walls with four main gates each. It was a settlement similar to Sisupalgarh in Bhubaneswar. The fort is believed to have been built by Duryodhan. Inside the fort, there are five stone images worshipped in the temple of Gupteswar. Locals believe the five images represent the five Pandavas. Jaugada Hill, a part of the Malati Range of hills, has a large clean surface of granite where there is an Ashokan edict that provides valuable information about the pattern of administration followed by the Kalingan emperor. The site is preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. Few kilometres from Jaudaga, visitors can visit the ruins of an ancient fort and a temple at Kesarpali near Buguda. Here, there is a Biranchinarayan Temple with an exquisitely carved wooden 'Jagamohan' (prayer hall of a temple) and mural paintings on stories from Ramayana. Another site Buddhakhol is located just two km away from Jaugada where there are various images of Buddhist pantheon along with small Shaivite shrines. On the way to the site from Berhampur or Chhatrapur, one can also see the Tara Tarini Temple, which is one of the famous shrines of Shakti in south Odisha.

Kuruma

Located 10 km south-east of the popular Sun temple in Konark, is the ancient lesser known Buddhist site of Kuruma. It is said that a Buddhist monastery flourished in the area, remnants of which were found during excavations by the State Archaeology wing. In fact, in the pages of history, this monastery has been mentioned by Hiuen Tsang. The origin of the site is dated to be between 8th and 9th century AD.

At the site currently, there is a small temple which houses three Buddhist images―crowned Buddha seated in Bhumisparsa mudra, Padmapani Avalokitesvara and Revanta. These three images are jointly worshipped as 'Yamadharma' by Kuruma villagers. These images were found near a water tank called Dharma Pokhari (tank of Dharma), located at one end of the village, by a school teacher Brajabandhu Dash in the 70s. Later on, the archaeological wing started excavating the site. Historians say the length and width of the monastery is 34 m each and it also houses a shrine chamber, cells for Buddhist monks and a large courtyard, which is in the shape of 'Swastik', denoting tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana or Tantrayana). Visitors can hire taxis from either Puri or Konark to reach Kuruma.

Shanti Stupa

One of the popular landmarks of Odisha's Buddhist heritage is the Dhauli International Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa), located eight km south on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. 
The Peace Pagoda stands atop the Dhauli Hills, close to the river bank of Daya river. It was built as a collaborative project between Kalinga Nippon Sangha and the Odisha Government in 1972 to commemorate the famous Kalinga War that was fought along the banks of the Daya river around 261 BC. The war was won by emperor Ashoka, but the bloodshed that had happened, change his heart and he converted to Dharma Ashoka (peace lover) from Chanda Ashoka (fierce warrior). Emperor Ashoka subsequently turned a Buddhist and started propagating Buddhism to kingdoms in foreign lands. The Dhauli Shanti Stupa has four massive idols of Lord Buddha in various postures along with episodes from Gautam Buddha's life carved on stone slabs. Just behind the Stupa stands a Shiva temple, which sees a large crowd during Shivaratri. Other major attractions of Dhauli Hills are the various rock edicts, which are a living testimony of emperor Ashoka’s change of heart. Historians say Ashoka wrote ‘Welfare of the Whole World’ in Kalinga Edict VI, depicting his concern about mankind. A rock-cut elephant located above the edicts is considered to be one of the oldest Buddhist sculptures in the State. The Dhauli Hills also provide a bird's eye view of the entire area, lush green agricultural lands and the river Daya. The heritage site is approachable from Bhubaneswar by buses and taxis. 

Lalitgiri

Considered one of the earliest Buddhist sites in Odisha, Lalitgiri stands between the hills of Parabhadi and Landa belonging to the Assian Hill range in Jajpur district. A huge banyan dominates the area that is home to a massive brick stupa. The site was excavated from 1985 to 1992, and from the stupa, a precious relic casket containing bones, believed by some historians to be of Gautam Buddha himself or one of his important followers, was found. The relic casket comprised four containers one inside the other, each layer made of khondalite, steatite, silver and gold respectively. These containers were arranged in the manner of a Chinese puzzle box. Being one of the most important findings of Buddhist heritage in Odisha so far, the casket has been shifted to a small museum nearby. The stupa can be accessed by a flight of steep steps. Hiuen Tsang had described that the stupa at Lalitgiri's highest point emitted a brilliant light due to its sacredness. Excavations also revealed the remains of four monasteries and sculptures of Lord Buddha in different postures belonging to Mahayanistic phase of Buddhism. Antiquities like gold and silver ornaments, stone plaques of Ganesha and Mahisasurmardini Durga, and a tiny figure of Avloketisvara is also found here. Excavated inscribed potsherds belonging to different time spans i.e. post Mauryan period to 8th-9th century AD suggest that Lalitagiri was occupied by both Hinayana and Mahayana sects. In subsequent period the site came under the control of Vajrayana faith of Buddhism patronised by the ruling Bhaumakaras (9th-10th century AD). Hence, historians say that Lalitgiri is one of the earliest Buddhist sites of Odisha having a cultural continuity from the post Mauryan period to 13th century AD without any break. At the site, there is a small sculpture shed where all the sculptures found from the spot have been kept. The site is open for tourists from dawn to dusk. Entry is free for Indians while foreigners have to pay `100 to enter the site. Lalitgiri is 90 km away from Bhubaneswar and can be approached by road.

Udayagiri

Udayagiri or the 'Sunrise Hill' is another important Buddhist site located on the banks of River Birupa. It is just 10 km away from Ratnagiri. Votive stupas can be found scattered here. This site, dating back from 2nd century AD to 13th century AD, was divided into Udayagiri 1 and Udayagiri 2 for excavation purpose from 1958 to 2000. Excavations at Udayagiri 1 have revealed remains of a large complex―Madhavapura Mahavihara―comprising a Maha Stupa and a square monastery. Maha Stupa has four niches, enshrining a beautifully carved image of Dhyani Buddha Aksobhaya on the eastern side, Amitabha on the western side, Amoghasiddhi on the north and Ratnasambhava on the south; all inscribed with Buddhist creeds. Similarly, the square monastery has an ornate gateway leading to the shrine chamber that houses the image of Lord Buddha in 'Bhumisparsa' mudra. Excavations at Udayagiri 2 have also led to discovery of the remains of a brick-built monastic complex called Simhaprastha Mahavihara with 'Pradakshinapatha' (parikrama) around the sanctum. A large number of sculptures of Buddha and other Buddhist divinities like Tara, Manjushri, Bhrikuti, Hariti, Chunda, Avalokiteswara, Maitreya, Aparajita, Vairochona and Vasudhara have been discovered here.

Ratnagiri

Ratnagiri in Jajpur district of Odisha is often referred to as the 'Hill of Jewels'. This site is located on an isolated hillock of Assia Range between Birupa and Brahmani rivers. Many Buddhist remains, including a massive stupa (Maha Stupa), monasteries, temples and Buddhist antiquities―dating from 5th century to 13th century AD―have been excavated from this site. The ruins of the Maha Stupa can be seen atop the hill. The stupa, made of burnt bricks, is surrounded by votive stupas. Apparently, around 700 votive stupas have been found from this site during the course of excavations. A mound, locally called Ranipokhari or queen's tank, is located to the north of Maha Stupa. The remains of two monasteries, lying side by side with a narrow passage in between can be seen here. Both the monasteries face the Maha Stupa. Also, antiquities including the stone and bronze images of the Buddha and a host of other divinities like Tara, Lokesvara, Vajrapani, Padmapani Aparajita, Heruka, Sambhara and Hariti have been found from the spot. A visit to Ratnagiri will not be complete without visiting a Buddhist museum on the north-west corner of the site, which exhibits an impressive collection of antiquities that were excavated from the site. There are four galleries in the museum that remain open from 10 am to 5 pm and are closed on Friday.Ratnagiri is 100 km away from Bhubaneswar and can be approached by road.

God's Own Garden

Road to Heaven: From Shillong to Mawlynnong

Mawlynnong is a paradise in its own right. Even before the term 'Swachch Bharat' was coined by the present Government, people of this village have implemented it in true letter and spirit. Far from the hustle bustle of city life, here is a destination that has everything that a tourist wants―tranquillity, adventure, nature's beauty―and to top it all, cleanliness. Unlike other tourist destinations that are often ill maintained, this is a village where cleanliness is a norm that every villager abides by. Yes, the village is extremely clean and has hidden treasures within. Read on to know more about the enriching experience that Mawlynnong can be.

Nestled barely four km from the Bangladesh border and 90 km away from Shillong - Mawlynnong - is the nearest I could get to paradise. A paradise in true sense of the word.
Even as there are many interesting places in and around Shillong, my choice of visiting the small, picturesque village of Mawlynnong was not random. For, the village has earned the reputation of being the ‘Cleanest Village in Asia’. It was accorded the status in 2003 by the Discover India magazine. After reaching Shillong, I and three of my friends set out for Mawlynnong on a Sunday morning in a taxi. The journey, I must say, was as beautiful as the destination. The road was relatively empty that day so we stopped on a ridge overlooking the Sohra plateau. We climbed onto top of this small hillock and got an eagle's eye view of the terrain below us. I wished I could get on a glider to enjoy the view.

 

After around three scenic hours of driving through meandering narrow roads, we arrived at Mawlynnong. ‘God’s Own Garden’ – the sign at the entrance of the village read. Inhabited by people belonging to the Khasi tribe, we were awestruck by Mawlynnong’s cleanliness and aesthetic beauty. The village was dotted with small houses each sporting a colourful neat garden.  Clean concrete walkways and beautiful flowerbeds all along marked the village that is home to 87 Khasi households. Interestingly, there were no fences between the houses and huts. The village was spotless with no debris on the ground and no littering of any sort. The paths were also dotted with dustbins made of bamboo. Plastic bags are completely banned and waste, at the end of the day, is thrown into a pit dug in a forest near the village where it is left to turn into compost. There is a small tea stall at the entrance of the village. We stopped here for a cup of tea and our guide Henry was there to receive us. He then took us to the Mawlynnong guest house, rather a tree house, which Carol Nongrum, a member of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum, had booked for us in Shillong.

Large rocks with deep craters in them can be found in every corner of the village. The name Mawlynnong actually means Cluster of Stone. These craters are used by villagers to store rain water.

The house, entirely made of bamboo, had two cosy rooms on both sides and a central area. Outside, there was a machan that looked onto the jungle and a small waterfall beneath. The machan was suspended at least 80 to 100 feet in the air, supported and constructed by bamboo on stilts. Connecting the verandah to the first machan, was a narrow bamboo bridge.
Staying in a tree house like this one was indeed a childhood dream come true. The rooms had comfortable double beds also made of bamboo, clean linen and blankets, mosquito-nets and squeaky clean bathrooms.
We quickly placed our luggage in the house and set out to explore the nature’s marvels that Mawlynnong had in store for us. Henry took us to Riwai village which was 10 minutes drive away from Mawlynnong. Riwai housed one of the most interesting and unique creations of nature, a living root bridge formed by roots of Indian rubber trees. It was a 20 minute trek to the root bridge from the village. About 150 years old, the roots of two trees have been entwined by villagers to grow into a natural bridge. A gurgling stream flanked by dense forest flows below the root bridge giving the finishing touch to the postcard picture setting.

The Living Root Bridge

The small stream beneath

Next, we proceeded towards Niriang Falls located amid thick forests on the outskirts of Riwai. The roar of falling water, butterflies fluttering around and the mist – the sight was astounding at the bottom of the falls. We were sweating after the difficult trek to the falls and dipped our heads into the water to get some respite. The trek uphill was the perhaps the most tiring thing I had done in the recent past.

The secret waterfall

Nature's Balancing Rock

Henry took us to another spot nearby which defied the forces of nature, The Balancing Rock or Maw Ryngkew Sharatia as it is locally called. A huge flat rock lay balanced on a much smaller rock and has been so for how many years, none knew. It is believed to have been an old Khasi sacrificial altar.
After the tiring trip, we went back to our guest house to freshen up and have a late lunch. The caretakers, whose hut was on the guest house premises, served us local chicken, fish curry, rice and fresh vegetables that were seasoned with Khasi herbs.
Our evening at Mawlynnong was spent in lazy walks around the village and a visit to another attraction – the Sky View Point or the Hanging Bridge. The bridge was made out of bamboos spanning across two trees. Atop the Sky View, we could clearly see the flooded plains of Bangladesh as far as the eyes could go.
Henry told us that Mawlynnong's reputation for cleanliness has even earned it a place on the State's tourism map. “Our village is a 100 years old, and we have learnt to maintain cleanliness for generations,” he said. There is a fine imposed by the village council for anybody found to be throwing litter around or cutting trees. Besides, children are taught to collect litter at an early age and regular inspections are carried out by village council on sanitation facilities in each house. True to his words, cleanliness seemed like a way of life for villagers here.

Our Lunch: Rice, Dal, Chicken seasoned with local herbs

Since it was a long day for all of us, we returned back to our house early and decided to relax at the machan under a star-studded sky with doses of Khasi beer till it was time to retire for the day.
The next morning greeted us with a sunny smile. The village looked like a colourful canvas decorated with flowers of various hues. We finally said bye to Mawlynnong with this mesmerising sight in our eyes.

Here's my quick guide on Mawlynnong:

1. Valleys of East Khasi Hills

The drive through cloud-kissed valleys from Shillong, nicknamed Scotland of the East, to Mawlynnong is a surreal experience. There's a saying that the journey is as beautiful as the destination in this part of the country. The meandering roads from Shillong are surrounded by hills with small cascading waterfalls on both the sides―a postcard picture setting. Mawlynnong is located 90 km south of Shillong.
There are a number of view points en route that provide a glimpse into the spectacular green valleys and the breathtaking landscape that accompanies the traveller till the entry point of Cherrapunjee. Here, the road bifurcates into two directions―while one goes towards Cherrapunjee (locally known as Sohra), another turns left towards Dawki-Tamabil route, which is the border crossing point to Bangladesh. Mawlynnong is only one hour drive from here. After crossing the hilly routes, the road to the village is a stretch of curvy plains covered with long grass. Visitors can hire taxis from Shillong and for those looking at budget options can take shared taxis to reach the village.

2. Mawlynnong Village

This small picturesque village, which overlooks the sylvan plains of Bangladesh, is unique in more ways than one. It has earned the sobriquet of 'God's Own Garden' and the Discover India Magazine had accorded Mawlynnong the status of being 'Asia's Cleanest Village' in 2003. The achievement might be an old one, but the village folks continue to live up to it. The lush green village, located in Pynursla block of East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, has around 87 environment-conscious families who make sure their abode is spic and span round-the-clock. Villagers take turns to clean the concrete roads, which are decorated with colourful creepers, natural stone structures and flowering plants of varied hues. In front of every house, there is a large rock with deep crater in it, which is used by villagers to collect rainwater.

At every 30 metres of the roads, there is a bamboo basket placed where people can throw in the garbage. The garbage collected throughout the day is thrown in a large pit on the outskirts of the village and left to turn into compost. Littering is a punishable offence and plastic has been banned here. The cosy houses on stilts are primarily built with bamboo and straw and all the households have a small garden of flowering plants and fruit-bearing trees. For tourists, the village has just one small eatery, Halathygkong, which serves tea, local noodles, puffs and pastries.

3. Experiencing Khasi Culture

Experiencing the lifestyle of Khasi residents is a must for every visitor to Mawlynnong. Here, the society is a matrilineal one where women take control of everything, from economy to managing household. The youngest girl in a household inherits the property and children take their mother's surname. Unlike other parts of the country, girls here are free to choose their life partner but within the community.
Interestingly, the village boasts of 100 percent literacy rate. There is a primary school in Mawlynnong which has maintained zero student dropout rate so far. Apparently, students are taught nuances of cleanliness in the classrooms from an early age. Agriculture is the mainstay and besides paddy, villagers grow cash crops like bay leaf, betel nuts and local spices. They also cultivate fruits like oranges, papaya and pineapples, which are sold in Shillong and often in bordering areas of Bangladesh. Their staple food is rice and fish, which is available aplenty in the local water bodies. While some villagers are also into fishing, there is a strict no to cattle and poultry rearing. Villagers reason that livestock rearing would create dirt in the village. While the entire village maintains a strict cleanliness regime, Khasi women can be seen either washing clothes or cleaning the village roads throughout the day.

4. Church of the Epiphany

Khasis in Mawlynnong are devout Christians. Surrounded by orange and palm trees, stands a 100-year-old church in the village called 'Church of the Epiphany'. Narrow stone paths with plants bearing orange flowers reach out to the Church, which is a black and white structure exuding an old-world charm. There are no houses that rise above the Church spire.
According to history, Welsh Christian missionaries came to Mawlynnong in the 19th century from Bangladesh and since then, the village has been following a strong tradition of Christianity. The government website of Meghalaya reads that the village was initially known as 'Ri Kharpangkhat' and it got the name of Mawlynnong during the Christian mission of Rev. G A Jones. Mawlynnong, meaning a Cluster of Stones, was derived from the fact that there are numerous rocks in the village that have craters in them. Interestingly, villagers link the tradition of cleanliness to Christianity. They say it is the missionaries that changed their lives and taught them ways to reach God through cleanliness.

5. Sky Walk to Flooded Plains of Bangladesh

Located a little away from the entry point to Mawlynnong, there stands the Sky Walk, a unique structure that gives a glimpse to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh. It is an eco-friendly ladder-like structure that has been made entirely of bamboo poles tied to branches of six trees using jute and bamboo ropes. No nails or any metal has been used in putting the structure together. A visitor has to climb four circular layers of bamboo ladders―stretching across the tree branches―that extends up to a height of 80 feet. Atop the Sky Walk, there is a square platform, again made of bamboo, from where the inundated Bangladesh Plains can be easily viewed.

Climbing the Sky Walk takes around 30 minutes. The entire structure is surrounded by large trees with a small water channel in between which is often used by locals for cleaning clothes and collecting water. The villagers charge Rs 10 per person who is willing to climb the Sky Walk to witness the Bangladesh Plains and have a bird's eye view of Mawlynnong. From the top, the village looks like a green carpet dotted with colourful flowers. The money goes into making the structure afresh every year to ensure safety of tourists. No eatables packed in polythene sheets are allowed in the area.

6. Machaan, A Tree House

The village has limited accommodation options for tourists but one of the most beautiful options available is the centrally-located Tree House, an eco-friendly guest house raised in stilts and made of bamboo. Resembling a Khasi hut, the guest house has a small rock garden in the front decorated with blooming marigold, orchids and wild flowers. Inside, there is a verandah, two rooms with four beds on both the sides, a living room, dining area and a Machan (an elevated rectangular platform on the branches of a tree). While the dining area overlooks a beautiful forest on the outskirts of Mawlynnong, a small waterfall is located beneath the Machan and one can hear the gentle gurgling of the water. The Machan is connected to the dining area with long bamboo poles that have been tied up with jute ropes. The interiors of the guest house have nothing fancy, all the furniture are made of bamboo and even all the knick-knacks in the house including the ashtray are made of bamboo roots.

The guest house is taken care of by the local guide Henry Kharrymba and his family. As far as food is concerned, Henry's family cooks authentic Khasi cuisine that includes local rice, chicken or beef prepared with local herbs, dal and salad. One can also enjoy the local rice beer. There is another similar but small guest house to the left of the main structure. The guest house is a no smoking zone.

7. Living Root Bridge

At a time when the nation is speaking about science and innovation, here lies a man-made wonder that is also an apt example of bio-engineering. In the Wahthyllong hamlet, 10 minutes drive away from Mawlynnong, hangs a large living root bridge over a gurgling stream. Only found in this part of the country, the living root bridge is the result of innovation by the Khasi tribals. Locals say the bridge was constructed to cross the overflowing stream during monsoon. The thick roots of a variety of rubber tree (Ficus elastica), grown on either side of the stream, have been intertwined together by villagers and flat rocks and mud placed on them to make a path. The roots have grown for several years making the living root bridge stronger by each year. No one knows the age of the bridge, but villagers vouch for its longevity and strength. Interestingly, when any villager witnesses a new root even today, he/she weaves it into the bridge structure.

One has to take a fleet of steps downwards to reach the living root bridge. At the entry point, the villagers charge Rs 10 from each visitor willing to see the nature's wonder. The money goes into development of the villagers. While the one at Wahthyllong is a single-decker root bridge, a double-decker root bridge can be seen in Cherrapunji (Sohra). However, the one at Cherrapunji requires the traveller to undertake an extremely difficult trek.

8. Secret Waterfall at Riwai

Mawlynnong has little beautiful secrets hidden deep within. One of them is Niriang Falls, located around five kilometres away from the living root bridge. It is created by the crystal clear water of Wah Rymben River that falls 400 m into a deep green pool located amidst thick green forest. Getting to the spot, though, isn't an easy task; one has to take a steep trek through a slippery stone pathway to reach Niriang Falls. The journey is arduous, but a sight of the waterfall can leave any visitor wonderstruck. One cannot hear any sound other than the roar of the falling water and chirping of birds and crickets. Nature is truly at its best here. The magnificent waterfall attains its full glory during the monsoon when there is a massive flow of water.
The waterfall is a "secret" one, as put by the local guide, because people rarely visit the place due to the difficult approach road to it. Below the main waterfall, there are two smaller ones located to its left. The only problem one has to take care at the spot is the leeches that are stuck to the rocks below the waterfall. There is no entry fee.

9. Balancing Rock

On the outskirts of the village lies a balancing rock, a must see nature's wonder for science freaks. Enclosed within a wired fence, the spot has two stones, a huge boulder resting on a smaller stone. The structure has remained like that for ages and no cyclone or storm has been able to disturb the formation. The place, which is surrounded by bamboo plantations, is called Nature's Balancing Rock or Maw Ryngkew Sharatia, locally.
While some elderly locals say that this was the spot where human sacrifices were made 1000 years back to appease the presiding deity of the area, the local guide Henry informs that it was an ancient shrine of the Khasi tribals that was no longer used after the advent of Christianity in Mawlynnong and Riwai. There is no entry fee to the spot and unlike the living root bridge and waterfall, it can be easily accessible in a four-wheeler. Maw Ryngkew Sharatia is one of the few places in the country where balancing rock can be seen. A similar structure is Krishna's Butterball, which can be seen in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.

FACT FILE

Getting there: Mawlynnong is situated 90 km south to Shillong, Meghalaya. Taxis are available to the village from Shillong round-the-clock at the price range between Rs 1800 and Rs 2000. It preferable to hire the taxi for overnight stay and visits to the tourists spots nearby the village.

View of Flooded Bangladesh Plains from Sky View

Where to stay: Mawlynnong guesthouse has two huts — the larger accommodates four persons and costs Rs 2,400 while the smaller sleeps two and costs Rs 1,000 each. To book, call Deepak Laloo or Carol Nongrum (0364-2502420, 09863115302). The caretakers prepare tasty meals that include some interesting local cuisine using meats, jackfruit and Khasi herbs. One has to pay an additional Rs 250 for the tourist guide and Rs 100 towards community welfare and upkeep besides the food and accommodation charges.