Mawlynnong, Meghalaya

Asia’s Cleanest Village with a Living Wonder Never mind the rather tongue-twister of a name and get ready for this place to totally blow your mind away! Nestled in the verdant East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, overlooking Bangladesh is the bucolic village of Mawlynnong that truly sets the bar very high with its cleanliness initiatives and not to mention natural beauty. Not only are the streets and laneways of the village spotless and litterfree with waste collected in bins made of bamboo that are then directed to a pit to be later used as manure, but unpleasant habits like smoking and the use of polythene is totally banned. A community initiative mandates that all residents should participate in cleaning up the village. And this superb initiative has not gone unnoticed. The travel magazine Discover India declared the village as the cleanest in Asia in 2003, and the cleanest in India in 2005. But it’s not all about cleanliness that will draw you to Mawlynnong. Don’t miss out on attractions like the 1,100-year-old living bridge made from tree roots that show us the farsighted vision of the village’s past generations. Other must-sees are ‘balancing rock’ and another rock formation called ‘shark’s jaw’. Do all this, and much more, while taking in the pollution-free air and mingling with the ever-smiling villagers who are only too proud and happy to show you their village.

GETTING THERE: Mawlynnong is a 90km drive from the south of the state capital Shillong.