A one day festival will be held in Pyrnai village near Pynursla to showcase the unique heritage surrounding living root bridges.
The event, on April 20, will be held to celebrate World Heritage Day and is being organised by Ka Syrwet U Barim in collaboration with the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) and the North East zone unit of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) India.
As part of the festival, a heritage walk will be held from 8:30am onwards, curated by the Ka Syrwet U Barim to trace ancient paths and display the rich historical and cultural treasures of the state, the connection between the people and the landscape around them, manifested in the renowned root bridges and the accompanying stories.
The festival is open to the public and will also feature traditional performances, song and dance by indigenous artists, exhibitions of indigenous crafts and traditional attire, indigenous culinary delicacies, cultural performances, songs and traditional games.
This programme is dedicated to deepening public understanding of our invaluable heritage, featuring iconic landmarks such as the living root bridge (Jingkieng Jri/Lyu Chrai), representing a living heritage of inseparable human-nature-culture relationships within Khasi-Jaintia Hills, a press release said today. Other highlights include resting stones, ancient ritual grounds, traditional footpaths, and the rich stories passed down from our ancestors.
