Meghalaya's living root bridges on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List

Background

Meghalaya's living root bridges, known locally as Jingkieng jri, were added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List on 17 February 2022 under the title 'Jingkieng jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes'. The bridges are grown by indigenous Khasi communities by training the aerial roots of Ficus trees across streams over generations until they can bear weight. The nomination lists 72 villages and village groups across Meghalaya associated with these structures. The site was nominated under UNESCO criteria (i), (iii) and (vi). The bridges are located in one of the wettest regions on Earth and are built to withstand extreme monsoon rainfall.