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Mawlynnong Village located in the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, also referred as ‘God’s own garden’. It has won the status of being the cleanest village in Asia in 2003 and cleanest village in India in 2005. The village known for its cleanliness is located around 90 kms from Shillong and is a community based eco-tourism initiative. The community has made collective effort with some notable personalities to maintain the ambience of a clean village. The village offers picturesque natural beauty, a trek to the living-root-bridge at a neighbouring village Riwai.
Being the cleanest village in Asia gives some kind of satisfaction and proud to the villagers which even keep them going harder on cleanliness. "We got the long-awaited-award/due of the hard work put in by people of this village" tweets a community leader. It is an honour for all of us to be recommended like this.
"We have already started organising short training programmes on cleanliness for the surrounding villages" says another community leader.
The village is quite pretty, especially in the monsoons when there is lush greenery all around, with waterfalls paving the way to small streams and abundance of flowering orchids dangling from the trees and hedges add to the beauty of the village.
The onus to keep the village clean lies with every person residing in the village. A team of designated local people cleaning the roads, picking up leaves and throwing garbage in the bamboo-made bin is a very common sight. Bamboo garbage bins adorn every nook and corner of the village highlight the consciousness of cleanliness among the villagers. Cleanliness is an age-old-tradition and a way of life for all villagers.
The village also offers breathtaking view of Bangladesh plains as it is located on the Indo-Bangla border.
Surprisingly, the village has hundred percent literacy and most of the villagers are conversant with the English language. The village offers a number of small tea shops, where you can relish a hot of cup of tea with some snacks.
Mawlynnong village has set an example for others that needs to be replicated in other villages.
India within India Holidays (http://www.indiawithinindia.com/)
salutes to the spirit of people, their simplicity and hospitality.