CULTURE OF MAWLYNNONG AND DAWKI


Mawlynnong, a small village in India's Meghalaya region, known as "God's own Garden" was named Asia's cleanest village by Discover India way back in 2003. This village has a population of about 600.

The proverb "if it is to be, it is up to me" has found a home in this village, and every resident is responsible for this. Here, it's not uncommon to see folks raking leaves, cleaning the roads and their homes, and dumping trash into the bamboo. The bamboo trash cans scattered throughout the village are intriguing to observe. Here, cleanliness is a long-standing custom and a way of life for everyone in the community. Each home has a bamboo trash can outside, and each leaf that has fallen on the road finds its way there. Both smoking and the usage of plastic are strictly prohibited in this area. Everyone abides by the village's unwritten laws, and those who break them face heavy punishment. After that, all the trash is thrown into a pit to make organic manure. The villagers, both adults, and children take care of cleaning the streets in addition to their own homes. Tree planting is another common occurrence. The village chief assigns them any extra labor that needs to be done on Saturdays. These extra chores, which can include cleaning schools, and public property, mowing lawns, tending gardens, and other tasks, are typically done for the sake of community improvement or service. Environment protection, community service, and cleanliness are innate qualities of the villagers.


Mawlynnong is steadily gaining popularity among tourists, and the homestays here can compete fiercely with others not just in terms of amenities but also in terms of upkeep. In one of his monthly radio shows called Mann ki Baat, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recognized this community as the cleanest in Asia and a role model for the nation (from the heart). The locals take responsibility for maintaining this pride because they are proud of it. 

Imagine this before leaving for school each morning, a group of children assembles on the streets with brooms to pick up the trash and dead leaves. After separating the burnable rubbish from the organic waste, they also take care of emptying the bamboo-made conical trash cans. The flowers that line the footpaths are cared for by devoted gardeners. 

It's interesting to note that the village claims a 100% literacy rate. In Mawlynnong, there is a primary school that has so far maintained a zero student dropout rate. It appears that teachers start teaching the finer points of cleaning to their kids at a young age.


Every tourist to Mawlynnong should try to live like a Khasi for a day or two. In this matrilineal society, women rule over all aspects of life, including economics and household management. Children adopt their mother's last name, and property is inherited by the youngest girl in the family. In contrast to other regions of the nation, females here are allowed to select their life mate from among their peers.

In addition to the laborious work in the fields, all of the villagers are committed to community projects, which include—aside from keeping the village immaculate—constructing the neighborhood school, setting up and maintaining water connections from nearby streams, and jointly taking part in inter-village football matches. Only fishing can compare to football's intensity. The villagers compete in annual fishing tournaments for which they prepare for months. In their free time, groups of villagers armed with fishing rods would travel along their pathways in search of crystal-clear streams.


These walkways also lead to the area's well-known living root bridges and gushing waterfalls. They have allowed an increase in tourists to visit Mawlynnong. The populace is renowned for being extraordinarily hospitable and welcoming to visitors. No one is exactly sure when or how this custom of cleanliness began, but it is generally accepted that it spread after a cholera epidemic some 130 years ago. No surprise every traveler learns something new at Mawlynnong.


A trip to Mawlynnong is incomplete without visiting Dawki

Dawki, which is well-known for its cleanliness and its transparent river, is only an hour away from Mawlynnong. In addition, it is so close to Bangladesh that it can seem like one is in two different countries at once. The Dawki River, also called the Umngot River, is what makes this picturesque settlement famous. It is a known fact that the Umngot River is the cleanest in India, and from a distance, it appears as though the boats are sailing on transparent water. For those who enjoy the outdoors, Dawki is a treat with its verdant surroundings. 


The Khasis, Jaintia, and Gharo are the three main ethnic groups represented in Dawki. The Mon-Khmer ancestry of the Khasis can be traced back to South East Asia. Christians make up a large portion of contemporary Khasis. The Jantias are regarded as a sub-tribe of the Khasi people, although they have their own culture, traditions, and religion. They practice Niamtre and consider their religion to be a direct commandment of God. About a third of the population in Dawki is made up of members of the Gharo tribe, who are of Tibetan and Burmese descent.


In a gender-inclusive economy where women are the engine of socio-economic emancipation, the matrilineal community in this Khasi-dominated region is extracting the value of natural wealth. They have turned to farming, fishing, mining, and tourism as means of producing income because they are self-sufficient in these areas. Along with the development of a basic market for necessities like food and clothing, Dawki has also built communication, postal, and banking facilities. Selling produce from their farms, mainly luscious oranges and veggies, these women. Khasi women have established rural business centers in local panchayats where they sell both farm products and handicrafts. They are leaders in sustainable business practices.


Along the International Radcliffe Line, there are two different cultural groupings. They each speak an own language. However, the serene, lovely, and welcoming Dawki River invites everyone to admire the beauty and enjoy the peace.

BY - YASHWI NAGDA (C - 2554)

REFERENCES-

1.https://beyonder.travel/india/north-east-india/mawlynnong-asias-cleanest-village-and-dawki/ 

2. https://www.india.com/travel/articles/dawki-a-surreal-town-nestled-in-jaintia-hills-3713782/ 

3. https://mediaindia.eu/tourism/dawki-meghalaya/ 

4. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/experiencing-khasi-culture/articleshow/48370151.cms 

5. https://www.kiomoi.com/travel-guide/india/city-dawki/89/ 

6. https://nomadicweekends.com/blog/dawki/ 

7. https://travel.earth/mawlynnong-cleanest-village-asia/ 

8. https://natgeotraveller.in/life-in-mawlynnong-asias-cleanest-village/ 

9. https://www.thebetterindia.com/62963/dawki-meghalaya-bangladesh/ 

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