Dawki is a small village in Meghalaya. What makes the village an interesting location is that it lies between India and Bangladesh. Wander a few metres, say 200, on the other side, and the Bangladeshi officials will book you under the charge of trespassing. As we approached Dawki, we realized that serenity was a far cry. The smooth, tar roads gave way to mud ones. They were mostly covered with slush, probably because of the pouring rains. A minimum of 20 lorries were scurrying one behind another, carrying stones across the border. The Bangladeshis, in return, supply coal. The ‘trade’, we were told, begins at 7 am, and ends by 6 pm. The BSF and the local police were sitting on either side of the border, monitoring the bustling trade activity, without displaying a single sign of boredom or weariness. We found out that this is the only form of entertainment for the locals and tourists. This is one of the few border villages in India that would give you a chance to stand on ‘no man’s land’ and take in the beauty of two neighbouring countries.
At a distance of 3 km from Mawlynnong Bus Stop, Riwai Living Root Bridge is a natural root bridge situated at Riwai village near Mawlynnong in Meghalaya. It is one of the natural wonders of Meghalaya and among the best places to visit in Mawlynnong. Also known as Jingmaham Living Root Bridge, this single decker bridge in Riwai is a 300 years old manmade bridge built across a stream by intertwining the aerial roots of Rubber trees around a Betel tree trunk. The roots keep growing out and entwining the trunk and the bridge is elongated to the desired destination taking about 10-15 years to completion. The roots thicken over time and the bridge is further strengthened with stones, sticks, leaves, bamboos and other items serving the purpose for hundreds of years. This is the only means for the villagers to cross the streams to reach the other side. To reach the bridge, one has to trek around 300 meters from the parking area. However the visual rewards will be so great that visitors will forget about all the discomfort that faced during the trek. The villagers of Riwai collect a nominal fee from the tourists for the improvement of the area. The best way to reach this place is to hire a taxi or jeep from Shillong.My cab driver Mr Ganesh too was very cooperative and reasonable. You can contact him on 8787541936.
