Once the roots reach the soil on the other side they grow stronger. When the bamboo eventually disintegrates, a living bridge remains.

It takes around a decade to develop a living bridge but they can last hundreds of years, the oldest known in the area are said to be over 500 years old.

While the settlements of the Khasi hills have historical rainfall records locked down, there has recently been speculation that the world’s wettest place could be elsewhere.

Both the main challengers are found in Colombia but neither can technically be compared to the Indian champions.