At the foot of the Himalayas, in one of the wettest places on Earth, the Khasi people have been training tree roots to grow together into living, functional bridges for centuries. And when they're no longer used, 'they'll become a part of the forest.'
A single Ficus elastica tree forms the backbone of a double-decker bridge near the village of Nongriat in the Indian state of Meghalaya.A single Ficus elastica tree forms the backbone of a double-decker bridge near the village of Nongriat in the Indian state of Meghalaya.It was a cloudy monsoon afternoon, and I had been trailing my guide Bah Drong for over an hour.
During the dry season, the community's focus is split between farming and preparation for the rainy season. which the bridge builders then coax across the river with the help of bamboo scaffolding. This scaffolding doubles as a temporary way for pedestrians to cross the river while the bridge is under construction. Over the years, the aerial roots are pulled and woven to meet the tree on the other side of the river. The roots are tied with one another and eventually they merge by a process of fusion known as anastomosis.
A villager crosses a root bridge over a deep river valley while a man takes a bath in the river's turquoise water. During monsoon season, the water level rises by a few feet, and it becomes impossible to cross the river in the absence of such bridges.The more I learned, the more I realized how conventional vocabulary related to building and construction simply did not seem adequate to describe this process.
While documenting different aspects of these bridges, I was keen to photograph them in a unique light. The idea was to isolate these monumental bridges from the rainforest background that engulfs them. I was certain of only one thing: illuminating my subject with multiple fixed-light sources was not an option, as it would require ferrying much equipment to such a remote location and might also disturb the bridge ecosystem with constant bright light.
The photographer used the technique of light painting to highlight this bridge by carrying a light while taking pictures to highlight a bridge's details, which would otherwise blend in with the scenery in daylight.The photographer used the technique of light painting to highlight this bridge by carrying a light while taking pictures to highlight a bridge's details, which would otherwise blend in with the scenery in daylight.
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