Mawlynnong, a town in the northwestern part of India draws a large number of tourists who want to experience a bit of the village’s life, lush greenery and the culture of cleanliness.
In the beautiful greenery that is the Eastern Khasi hill range in Meghalaya State along the Indian border with Bangladesh lies the serene community of Mawlynnong. The green hills with rolling hills and topaz-colored watering holes are the backdrop for the village’s 500 inhabitants which increase in the peak season, with just a few hundreds of tourists daily.
At an era when major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are confronting an ever rising waste crisis The prime minister Narendra Modi turned the spotlight on the pristine village to inspire others by highlighting Mawlynnong as an example for the rest of the nation during a weekly radio message in the year 2015.
“I was ecstatic to learn that in the country we live, there’s a village in the northeastregion, located in Meghalaya where people are passionately carrying out the task of keeping the environment clean for a long time,” he said. “It has become the routine of the inhabitants to keep the cleanliness of the area.”
It is cited to show what coordinated efforts to cleanse the environment can produce, and then utilized to support efforts to support the “Clean India Mission” campaign to cleanse the entire nation by the year 2019, which is the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi (who promoted cleanliness in the community as well as sanitation throughout India). One of the objectives that this Clean India Mission program is to boost the number of toilets used throughout rural India. In Mawlynnong every home has toilets.
The village gained acclaim following a 2004 article in Discover India Magazine that said that “this is the most clean community within India.” In the article, it stated that broomsticks as well as bamboo plants were everywhere and the article quoted a local resident who claimed that just 14 years ago, the town was totally plastic-free. The village’s gardening tradition that has been handed down generations, helped.
In the present, Mawlynnong grapples with the benefits and pitfalls of tourism. It is also trying to preserve the spirit of the community, preserving the primary reason why people choose to come here. Laphrang Khong Thohrem who is 62 and others from the village council and the community members have gathered to solve the issues tourists’ arrivals create. Their solution include: daily street cleaning by locals who help bamboo dustbins at each street corner and trash is composted , and utilized to sustain the agriculture of the village, in particular the production of betel nuts.
“Our grandparents were good habits back then They didn’t have any idea of the day that the town would be an attraction for tourists,” said Mr. Thohrem who is an elected member of the village council that oversees the construction of new houses. The council has ruled that it is illegal to construct anything taller than a two-story home, in order to keep the village’s style. “Otherwise the village would look poor and tourists will not ever want to come back to the village,” he said.
Maintaining the unique character of the village and sense of community is essential to the locals. The majority of people living within Mawlynnong belong to the Khasi people, who are part of an ancient matrilineal tribes in world. (Children adopt the name of their mother and in the tradition of Mawlynnong, mothers transfer their land to their daughters who are the youngest.) To purchase land in Meghalaya, you need to be a Khasi (or an approved Khasi person) and rights to land are protected by the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act of 1971 (which regulates how land is transferred from tribal people to non-tribal persons).
It is extremely difficult for developers from outside to build resorts, thereby limiting the amount of tourism and keeping it local and controlled by the local community. It also is a part of the plan, which also contains the “homestay accommodation model”
Villagers, which are mostly Christians are also involved to maintain the village as well as the three churches it has. One of them is that is the Church of the Epiphany, is more than 100 years old. The spire, which is black and white, extends out from a mass of flowers and foliage.
Gardening is a vital part of the village’s tradition. On entering the village, guests will be greeted by the sign that reads: “Welcome to Mawlynnong (God’s personal Garden).” It is the Rev. Lumlang Khongthrem, who is 48 from the Church of the Epiphany traces the history of gardening passed down through the generations within the community, which has stunning personal gardens in each home, from generation to generation.
The oldest residence in the village is owned by Patrolyne Khongsni 60, and was constructed during the late 1940s. (People were settling in the area at the turn of the century According to a villager, Embor Klamet 32, however, the homes built before that haven’t been maintained.) She tends her garden on a daily basis by pruning and overseeing the magenta bougainvillea and flowers and other greenery around her home in the city where she lives alongside her younger brother as well as family. Ms. Khongsni is grateful to her mother for instilling the habit of gardening into her. Her parents are buried within the family compound, which is marked with gravestones, flowers and bushes.
The road that connected Mawlynnong with external worlds was completed in 2000, and tourism was made an option and a possibility, some of the residents of Mawlynnong were reluctant to open the village to tourists.
As time passed, the village changed and some resent the loss of traditions from the past.
The Reverend Khongthrem believes that once people in Mawlynnong began to earn more because of the rise in visitors, their mindset changed. “We were deprived of our charm and that’s crucial.”
With the focus of travel publications and the prime ministers, as well the possibility of making money increasing numbers of people are looking to establish guesthouses, as per Lormary Khonglament who is 60 her son is the owner of the guesthouse.
Looking ahead
As the governments around the world relax coronavirus rules as well as the travel industry, we hope that this year will be the year that travel returns to its throne. Here’s what to be expecting:
Air travel
More passengers are expected to travel by air compared to the previous year. However, you’ll need to be aware of for the latest requirements to enter, and be sure to wear a mask this time. However, there will be more destinations easily accessible as more countries open to visitors.
Lodging
In the aftermath of the pandemic travellers were able to experience the security offered by rental homes. In the aftermath of the pandemic, Hotels expect to be competitive with other hotels by providing fashionable extended-stay accommodations, eco-friendly options including rooftop bars, co-working areas.
Rental cars
Customers can expect to pay more as well as older vehicles with large mileage, as businesses haven’t been able to grow their fleets. Are you looking for a different option? Car sharing platforms could be a better option for those with lower budgets.
Cruises
Despite a rough start to the year because of Omicron’s growth the demand for cruises is still very high. Luxury expeditions are very attractive right now because they usually sail on smaller vessels and stay clear of crowds in destinations.
Destinations
Cities are back! Tourists are eager to explore the sights, food and sounds of a city such as Parisor New York. To help you relax there are some hotels located in the U.S. are pioneering an almost all-inclusive plan that eliminates the stress of planning a trip.
Experiences
Experiences that revolve around sexual health (think couples retreats or session at the beach on intimate coaches) are becoming increasingly in popularity. Travel experiences that are educational as well, are being popular with families with children..
A family of four constructed a treehouse and charged guests 30 Indian rupees (about 50 cents) to enjoy the view from a higher point of Bangladesh. Baieng Skhem, 28, told me that at times they could get up to 100 guests and it was a way to earn their family a boost in income.
Sunita Khongtiang who is 30 and mother of four children she has run the restaurant along with her husband. The restaurant serves dishes such as chicken, rice and Dal. The restaurant has no name, but it is open seven every day of the week.
Mrs. Khongtiang had been a housewife when she witnessed the first crowd of tourists pouring into the town 14 years ago. She started serving them meals in a modest manner; the current staffing is around 30 people. Guests frequent the restaurant for lunch and dinner each day.
Banjopthiaw Kharrymba, 32, the village’s head council, claimed that residents continue to “beautify” their village by putting out flowers. “Now we’ve been called the most clean village in Asia and we’ve got it in our to continue to improve until the day we will be the most clean village anywhere in all of the planet.”
The Mr. Thohrem said that the most appealing aspect of Mawlynnong is the community. “They are helpful and cooperative,” he said. If the council of village requests, the community is cooperative. “If the residents aren’t similar to that, it’s impossible to build a village that is like this.”