标签 印度 下的文章
雾气环绕的森林，喀拉拉邦慕那尔市，印度 (© Ahammed Riswan/EyeEm/Getty Images)
Bhagsu的热带瀑布，印度喜马偕尔邦 (© f9photos/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
斋浦尔琥珀堡附近当地妇女正在爬阶梯井，印度拉贾斯坦邦 Local women climbing a stepwell near Amber Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India (© Shanna Baker/Offset)
斋浦尔琥珀堡附近当地妇女正在爬阶梯井，印度拉贾斯坦邦 Local women climbing a stepwell near Amber Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India (© Shanna Baker/Offset)
Celebrating World Water Day
The stepwell that these women are climbing is an apt image to mark World Water Day. Stepwells originated in western India over a thousand years ago as way for locals in that arid climate to easily and reliably access freshwater—even during the driest months. The Panna Meena Ka Kund stepwell in Jaipur is a classic example of the beautiful, regular, geometric architecture used to produce these useful public works. Most stepwells also feature shaded side chambers where locals (primarily women) can gather to escape the heat of the day.
In this image, one can see obvious signs of previous high-water marks on the well's walls as seasonal fluctuations and the changing climate affect water levels throughout the region. The impact of climate change on freshwater accessibility is the theme that the United Nations has chosen for this year's World Water Day. The goal of today's observance is to focus attention and energy not just on those problems, but on potential solutions as well.
喜马拉雅山脉的钱德拉塔尔湖，印度 (© f9photos/Getty Images Plus)
印度活根桥 Living root bridge in India (© dhritipurna/Shutterstock)
印度活根桥 Living root bridge in India (© dhritipurna/Shutterstock)
The roots of invention
Living root bridges like this can be found in the tropical rainforests of Meghalaya, a state in northeast India, which is among the wettest places on Earth. The gentle waterways that flow through the region's valleys become gushing torrents during the summer monsoon season and will wash away traditional bamboo bridges. So, generations of indigenous Khasi people have devised a way of building root bridges by shaping living trees.
It works like this: Rubber fig trees are planted or located on opposite riverbanks. As the trees' above-ground roots grow, the Khasi will guide them across the water, sometimes with the support of temporary scaffolding, like bamboo. After years of patient tending, the roots will eventually join and take hold of each other, forming a living suspension bridge that provides safe passage over the swollen rivers. The innovation has proved critical to the Khasi people. In this environment, bridges made from harvested materials would quickly rot and fall apart, leaving villages cut off and isolated. Building a living root bridge requires patience, though. It takes about 15 to 30 years to grow one sturdy enough to support humans. But investment pays off. As these bridges age, they get stronger. Some are 100 feet long and can hold over 50 people.
