The cleanest village in the world - Where women own

Nestled in the clouds, the small village of Mawlynnong is considered the perfect symbol of a 'natural community'.

Located in a corner of the cloud of Meghalaya state in Northeast India, Mawlynnong is recognized as the cleanest village in the world. Mawlynnong was completely crowned after the National Geographic magazine poll in 2004 and was recognized by UNESCO in 2006.

Photo: kavita-myroom.blogspot.com

The village consists of only about 90 families with nearly 500 people, forming a closed community. Although small, there are many facilities such as churches, schools . and people also have their own way of life.

People here respect nature and use all means to protect their living environment. They consider the protection of nature and the cleanliness of the village a precious tradition to circulate for generations.

All roads are regularly 'tucked in' bamboo and trash bins. Each piece of falling garbage or leaves were immediately cleaned up, put into the bin. That's why most gravel roads around the village are "clean , " not a piece of trash.

Plastic bags are strictly prohibited to be used in the village and all types of waste are environmentally friendly. Rubbish was taken to a digging hole in the forest near the village so that they would decompose into fertilizer. Besides, smoking in the village is a taboo.

Because of the heavy rain in the Himalayas, Mawlynnong people took advantage of this to collect rainwater. They use hollow, natural stone pots placed in front of the house to catch rainwater. For Mawlynnong people, what belongs to nature is extremely pure and precious.

To get the essential materials for life, the villagers often have to walk about 2 hours to the market concentrated in the town. There are quite a few traffic means in this area. Bus routes also exist around the area, however, most people prefer to walk through the rain forest to feel the taste of nature.

Although it is located far away from the modern world, this does not turn Mawlynnong into a 'remote' village and illiterate. It boasts 100% of the population who can read and write with a fairly complete primary education system. People here still have activities to interact with neighboring cities and towns and are not outdated.

Another thing quite unexpected that visitors found in this village is that the people here live according to the matriarchy. This means that women have absolute authority in the village. The clans are given names based on the surname of the wife, not the husband.

The result of this is a society in which girls are considered the most important component to inherit the lineage and all the property is given back to the youngest daughter.

Along with the privilege of bringing the name of the family, the girls here have to take a lot of responsibility since childhood. Right from the age of 8, the girls in the village have control and take over all family activities.

When growing up, every woman in the house often takes care of three generations living under one roof. Despite being isolated from the outside world, the Mawlynnong girls still experience a life of freedom and reverence.

With being recognized as the cleanest village in Asia with its special culture, Mawlynnong has become the state's emerging tourist hotspot.

Tourism also becomes the main source of income for residents here. With the boom of tourism, the people of Mawlynnong are even more diligent in keeping their village clean. Mawlynnong residents regularly organize cleaning up villages, while building additional facilities for the tourism industry.