A man, riding a bullock cart on a muddy, cow-dung laden road with paddy fields and greeneries all around, directs the bullock, hurr hurr tete tete into his house.
His thatched house is small and cosy. In his little land, he grows seasonal vegetables, beautiful marigold and banana trees. There’s a small pond within the boundary of his compound that serves as a source of all water requirements – washing, cleaning, bathing, gardening, etc, etc. Then, there are poultry family happily loitering with a care free attitude within the premises, which is guarded by a gate made of bamboo poles. Fishes, on the other hand, enjoy a world of comfort in the pond eagerly sneaking out to have a look at what’s happening above the aquatic world. This is a scene of a village where I have grown up, and this is what I have assumed for every village in Manipur.
Mawlynnong, God’s own Garden
However, I was awestruck and my whole idea of village goes for a toss when I visited Mawlynnong, a small village nestled in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, about 3 hours drive from Shillong. It does amuse me a lot that a village earns world recognition only because of one reason – Cleanliness. All the media and travel channels rushed to the region to cover its story and uniqueness. And after reading about it, I also landed at Mawlynnong, which was conferred the‘Cleanest Village in Asia’ in 2003by Discover India.The title is an outcome of community based eco-tourism initiative.
After leaving behind many worth-capturing places, and passing through several kilometres of winding bamboo-lined narrow roads, I reached the welcome board that reads ‘Welcome to God’s own Garden’ making me even more curious. The pucca roads, bamboo garbage bins, creatively manicured blooming gardens and trees all around – the colourful village laid out its arms wide to give me a royal welcome. There are many small restaurants serving tea, snacks, and local food. Home-stay facility is also available.
This story is from the Volume 3, Issue 4 2017 edition of neScholar.
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This story is from the Volume 3, Issue 4 2017 edition of neScholar.
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The Transforming Face Of Villages In North East
A man, riding a bullock cart on a muddy, cow-dung laden road with paddy fields and greeneries all around, directs the bullock, hurr hurr tete tete into his house.
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the sun and our closest planetary neighbor.
Snakes: The Predator, The Prey And The Pest Control
Snakes are natural form of pest control. They play an important role in the balancing of nature and their absence from an area indirectly impacts the health of an ecosystem.
Ooti Ashangba/Chagem Ooti Manipuri Green Rice Porridge
OOTI Thongba (Thongba means cooking) is a classic vegetarian dish of Manipur usually made with rice, pulses and different type of vegetables with baking soda.
Swargadeo Rudra Singha: An Architect Of Ancient Assam
THE Ahom dynasty that entered into the then Assam (Pragjyotishpur) in 1228 CE is considered as the torchbearer of new evolutions on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra through their state-of-the-art skills in ruling the subjects, in convening new social systems, in building architectural heritages, in enriching the economic and political systems and in bringing a cultural revolution. The Ahom kingdom that was first established by Swargadeo Sukapha was later expanded and enlarged by Swargadeo Pratap Singha and it was Swargadeo Rudra Singha who added the charm of a cultural influence into the state and its subjects. It was this influential king of the Ahom dynasty who had first attempted at building a cultural and social bridge with other Indian states to introduce new dimensions into the Assamese culture. There had always been an effort to invest time and efforts to bring a fruitful outcome in the Ahom rulers and carrying this tradition forward. Rudra Singha too tried to select the best of the culturally promising artisans from among his subjects and engage them in the practice and production of notable artistic and cultural outputs.
Locals, Cultural Practices And Biodiversity- Attending The Close Links From Wetlands And Rivers
Mayanglambam Ojit Kumar Singh Assistant Professor in Zoology and Life Science Ramjas College, Delhi University
Knowledge Corner
The tattoos on our hands, neck or arms may catch some attention, but they come with risks.
The Thirst Integrity For The Quenched Unity
Coordinator, Center for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRAM)
