Shillong: The permanent delegation of India to Unesco on Wednesday announced that India’s nomination dossier on the natural wonder of ‘living root bridges’ of the Khasi Hills, ‘Jingkieng Jri / Lyu Chrai Cultural Landscape, Meghalaya’, was formally submitted by Vishal V Sharma, ambassador/permanent representative of India to Unesco to Lazare Assomo Eloundou, director of Unesco’s World Heritage Centre for consideration of possible inscription on the Unesco World Heritage List in the 2026-27 evaluation cycle.Ambassador Vishal V Sharma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, officers in the Archaeological Survey India, ministry of external Affairs, experts and the local communities guarding the property for this historic nomination, an official statement says.
“Located across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, the nominated property represents an exceptional living cultural landscape shaped over centuries by Indigenous Khasi and Jaintia communities,” the statement underscores.“The landscape reflects a deep-rooted and harmonious relationship between people, nature, and spirituality, embodied in traditional systems of land use, governance, and ecological stewardship. Central to this cultural landscape is the Indigenous worldview anchored in principles of respect, reciprocity, and responsibility toward Mei Ramew (Mother Earth),” the statement explains.
