Did you know Asia's cleanest village is in India?

Mawlynnong Village in Meghalaya is called 'God's garden' for all the right reasons, as it is Asia's cleanest village.

With less than 100 households and a population of approximately 1,000 people, Asia's cleanest village Mawlynnong is nestled in the East Khasi hills. Inhabited by the Khasi tribe, the village is home to the natural beauty, picturesque setting, serenity, warm hospitality of friendly locals, and adventures, but it is famous for its cleanliness. The village is free from issues like litter and open defecation as there's a fine imposed on these.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rakhi (@rakhi_simmi)

Innovative ways to keep the cleanliness

But how does the village maintain its cleanliness? What's the secret? Well, it's nothing but a few innovative and eco-friendly practices that lead to this cleanliness. The use of plastic – a major pollutant, is banned along with smoking. The waste disposal system is creative and you cannot walk over a street without getting a sight of conical bamboo dustbins placed on the roads. Every house has a bit of nature in it with a small garden containing flowering and fruit-bearing plants.

The village is titled ‘Asia’s cleanest village’ and the secret behind this is the collective efforts of its community. The residents must help clean up the village every day – in the mornings as well as in the evenings. Each household adopts eco-friendly practices like using waste to make compost and rainwater harvesting. The children of the community are also taught the value of cleanliness at an early age.

Also Read: Did you know India’s only floating post office is in Kashmir?

Who runs the world? Girls (Literally in this village)

Cleanliness is not the only thing that the village is known for. With a 100% literacy rate, this matrilineal society has lesser gender disparities. The tribes have left the concept of a patriarchal society far behind. Women hold the position of authority and take all the important decisions. Kids take up their mother’s surname, and the generational wealth of the mother is passed on to the youngest daughter. The village has been an incredible example of women's empowerment.

Witness the living root bridges

Source

Mawlynnong is only a few minutes drive away from Meghalaya’s well-known living root bridges. Instead of any bridges to cross the streams and rivers, the locals found a more eco-friendly solution. The roots of rubber trees are interconnected with one another through knots and tagged to tree trunks, forming natural bridges. Commute through the lakes and rivers with the help of these bridges - an entirely different experience in itself, especially for outsiders.

So, visit the cleanest village of Asia in Meghalaya to experience the true essence of cleanliness. And maybe, you can adopt a thing or two for your benefit.

Also Read: Royal Opera House in Mumbai is India’s only surviving Opera House!

For more such stories follow Local Samosa on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram