CHAPTER 21: THE HYBRID
I chose correctly. Arriving in Kshaid a few hours before sunset, I made contact with the village headman and was … Continue reading CHAPTER 21: THE HYBRID
CHAPTER 20: ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Dawn comes extremely early in Northeast India. This is because the whole country falls within the same time zone, which … Continue reading CHAPTER 20: ON THE ROAD AGAIN
CHAPTER 19: HALFWAY
Upon reaching Sohra I gave myself three days to rest. The 25th and 26th of February were cloudless and warm. … Continue reading CHAPTER 19: HALFWAY
CHAPTER 18: MAWPHU
It’s undeniable that the Khasi world is undergoing cataclysmic change, yet even as the 21st century filters ever deeper into … Continue reading CHAPTER 18: MAWPHU
CHAPTER 17: THE PRISON OF THE 16 VILLAGES
The task ahead was to reach the village of Mawphu before sundown. This meant heading north from Nongsteng, at first … Continue reading CHAPTER 17: THE PRISON OF THE 16 VILLAGES
CHAPTER 16: NONGSTENG
The paths that lead away from Thieddieng either go straight up or straight down, and the ones that head down … Continue reading CHAPTER 16: NONGSTENG
CHAPTER 15: TREE ROOT VILLAGE
Long ago, the two daughters of the God of Shillong Peak, Ka Ngot and Ka Iam, decided to have a … Continue reading CHAPTER 15: TREE ROOT VILLAGE
CHAPTER 14: THE MATRILINY
A distinct and much commented upon aspect of Khasi culture is that a person’s surname comes not from their father’s … Continue reading CHAPTER 14: THE MATRILINY
CHAPTER 13: PHLANGWANBROI
Phlangwanbroi was a place I knew nothing about and was deeply looking forward to reaching. Having trekked for hours up … Continue reading CHAPTER 13: PHLANGWANBROI
CHAPTER 12: SICK
That night I became terribly ill. For the next 24 hours, my life consisted of stumbling between my bed and … Continue reading CHAPTER 12: SICK
CHAPTER 11: TREE SPELUNKING
The good people of Mawpdai Village have pinned much of their hopes for the future on a single tree; a … Continue reading CHAPTER 11: TREE SPELUNKING
CHAPTER 10: THE ROAD TO BALAT
The next morning dawned grey and sullen. A flat dark cloud ceiling hung over Nongnah and all the West Khasi … Continue reading CHAPTER 10: THE ROAD TO BALAT
CHAPTER 9: IT’S DIFFERENT
After two days of hiking up and down, into and out of the valley of the Lyngon, I needed a … Continue reading CHAPTER 9: IT’S DIFFERENT
CHAPTER 8: THE TROUBLED PLATEAU
Even by the high standards of the Khasi Hills, Ngunraw, the village in the sky, was a remarkable place. This … Continue reading CHAPTER 8: THE TROUBLED PLATEAU
CHAPTER 7: THE PAINFUL DOWNHILL
The next morning Professor walked with me as far as the start of the trail to the plateau-top settlement of … Continue reading CHAPTER 7: THE PAINFUL DOWNHILL
CHAPTER 6: THE LIVING LADDER OF NONGNAH VILLAGE
Emerging through a small gap in the broom grass, I was confronted with one of the most dramatic landscapes in … Continue reading CHAPTER 6: THE LIVING LADDER OF NONGNAH VILLAGE
CHAPTER 5: TO BIG ROCK VILLAGE AND BEYOND
The next morning, the trek began. After one last meal in Ranikor with Biplab and his family, I hefted my … Continue reading CHAPTER 5: TO BIG ROCK VILLAGE AND BEYOND
CHAPTER 4: MEGHALAYA MASALA
The previous day had ended well. Following a bit of confused wandering around Ranikor after dark, I managed to snag … Continue reading CHAPTER 4: MEGHALAYA MASALA
CHAPTER 3: JUST GETTING THERE
The next day was a long one. As I would soon find out, locals rarely travel all the way from … Continue reading CHAPTER 3: JUST GETTING THERE
CHAPTER 2: THE ROAD AHEAD
I was standing on the edge of a cliff near the town of Sohra one hazy evening in early February … Continue reading CHAPTER 2: THE ROAD AHEAD
CHAPTER 1: THE KHASI HILLS
In early 2019, I walked across the Khasi Hills of Northeast India. It wasn’t easy. But where are the Khasi … Continue reading CHAPTER 1: THE KHASI HILLS
UPDATE ON THROUGH THE CANYONS OF LIVING BRIDGES
Howdy folks, and happy new year! So, I just wanted to send out a short update on my book Through … Continue reading UPDATE ON THROUGH THE CANYONS OF LIVING BRIDGES
Big Elk Creek State Park
I’ve been posting about the 1700 acre tract of public land bordering Fair Hill State Park Maryland, just across the … Continue reading Big Elk Creek State Park
A QUICK LOOK AT MILL CREEK FALLS
There really aren’t many waterfalls within an hour’s drive of Newark Delaware. Go due south, and it’s all Delmarva flatlands … Continue reading A QUICK LOOK AT MILL CREEK FALLS
GREEN UNKNOWN UPDATE 2
Hey there Just writing to say that a new edition of my book The Green Unknown: Travels in the Khasi … Continue reading GREEN UNKNOWN UPDATE 2
GREEN UNKNOWN UPDATE
Howdy! So, these past few weeks I’ve been working on getting a new edition of The Green Unknown: Travels in … Continue reading GREEN UNKNOWN UPDATE
BOHEMIA RIVER STATE PARK
Or: Maryland’s newest state park. It’s always exciting when a new chunk of public land opens up in my neck … Continue reading BOHEMIA RIVER STATE PARK
CHAPTER 13: TO THE SINGING HILLS
It was among the hardest walks I’ve ever taken, and among the most beautiful. Morningglory, his dad, the ever-boisterous John … Continue reading CHAPTER 13: TO THE SINGING HILLS
CHAPTER 12: BLOOD HUNTERS AND BABY GHOSTS
At about the halfway point on the car ride from Shillong to Sohra, just after the village of Mawjrong, the … Continue reading CHAPTER 12: BLOOD HUNTERS AND BABY GHOSTS
SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 3
Now for the third and final post of my series on the Khasi Hills’ architecturally unexceptional, yet inarguably scenic, steel … Continue reading SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 3
CHAPTER 11: THE FEARFUL BRIDGE OF MAWSHUIT
One day while searching for a living root bridge hidden deep in the canyon system of the Umrew river, I … Continue reading CHAPTER 11: THE FEARFUL BRIDGE OF MAWSHUIT
CHAPTER 10: RAIN
‘Slap’ is one of my favorite Khasi words. It means ‘rain,’ and if you’ve spent any time in Meghalaya during … Continue reading CHAPTER 10: RAIN
MOUNTAIN LAUREL
It’s getting on toward the end of spring here in Delaware. We’ve just started having our usual midyear hot, muggy, … Continue reading MOUNTAIN LAUREL
CHAPTER 9: GIANT SPIDERS
The entrance to the limestone cave near Kudeng Rim village was small and easy to miss. A shallow indentation in … Continue reading CHAPTER 9: GIANT SPIDERS
SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 2
This is the second part of my series on the architecturally unexceptional, yet often spectacular, conventional steel and wood suspension … Continue reading SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 2
CHAPTER 8: KWAI, AND THE EXQUISITE IMPORTANCE THEREOF
Kwai, otherwise known as betel nut, paan, and, occasionally, Khasi lipstick, is as important a part of life in Riwar … Continue reading CHAPTER 8: KWAI, AND THE EXQUISITE IMPORTANCE THEREOF
BECKS POND IS FULL OF TURTLES
It’s a little-known fact—even by Americans themselves—that the U.S. is far and away the turtle capitol of the world. We … Continue reading BECKS POND IS FULL OF TURTLES
THE WILDS OF BIG ELK CREEK, PART 2
So we’re back straddling the Mason Dixon Line in the ungainly titled Big Elk Creek section of White Clay Creek … Continue reading THE WILDS OF BIG ELK CREEK, PART 2
CHAPTER 7: THE ROOT BRIDGES OF RANGTHYLLIANG
The most extraordinary places in Meghalaya are all hidden. The darker vales of Riwar abound in secret waterfalls and deep … Continue reading CHAPTER 7: THE ROOT BRIDGES OF RANGTHYLLIANG
THE LIVING LADDER OF NONGNAH
The term ‘‘jingkieng jri” (sometimes “jingkieng dieng jri”) in the Khasi literary language is generally rendered into English as “root … Continue reading THE LIVING LADDER OF NONGNAH
SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 1
There’s a good reason why Northeast India’s incredible root bridges have captured the world’s attention. While living architecture has been … Continue reading SUSPENSION BRIDGES OF MEGHALAYA: PART 1
CHAPTER 6: ROMAN REIGNS KA DIL TOH PAGAL HAI
In travelling to new places, one might reasonably assume that the strangest experiences will be those had in completely unfamiliar … Continue reading CHAPTER 6: ROMAN REIGNS KA DIL TOH PAGAL HAI
THE SMALLEST ROOT BRIDGE
Or, perhaps a better title might be: “The smallest root bridge I’ve ever clapped eyes on, though there could be … Continue reading THE SMALLEST ROOT BRIDGE
YES, THERE ARE WATERFALLS IN DELAWARE
No, they’re not very big ones. Still, they’re perfectly nice ones. A few days back I headed out into the … Continue reading YES, THERE ARE WATERFALLS IN DELAWARE
CHAPTER 5: THE CANYON OF THE FALLS
The Khasi Hills were made by rivers. Coming to know the lay of the land in Meghalaya is therefore a … Continue reading CHAPTER 5: THE CANYON OF THE FALLS
A QUICK LOOK AT HOW A ROOT BRIDGE DEVELOPED OVER TIME
Today I thought I’d share a few photos of a small root bridge in the Khasi Hills that I was … Continue reading A QUICK LOOK AT HOW A ROOT BRIDGE DEVELOPED OVER TIME
THE QUEST FOR MUHAMMAD’S FOOTPRINT
According to tradition, in the middle of the 14th century Fateh Khan, the son of Firoz Shah, third ruler of … Continue reading THE QUEST FOR MUHAMMAD’S FOOTPRINT
CHAPTER 4: FOOD
What a group of people eats is a big part of who they are. That means it’s not a good … Continue reading CHAPTER 4: FOOD
THE FORGOTTEN STEPWELL OF RED FORT
And speaking of stepwells…. I’m out of town and away from my laptop at the moment, so this is going … Continue reading THE FORGOTTEN STEPWELL OF RED FORT
CHAPTER 3: ON BEYOND NONGRIAT
Nelson Nongbri had helpfully made me a rough map of the network of trails west of Nongriat. It looked basic, … Continue reading CHAPTER 3: ON BEYOND NONGRIAT
Patrick Rogers 