Mawlynnong is a village in the East Khasi Hills district of the Meghalaya state in North East India.[1] It is notable for its cleanliness and also was chosen by Discover India magazine as Asia's cleanest village.[2]
Mawlynnong | |
|---|---|
village | |
 Mawlynnong in 2017 | |
 | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Meghalaya |
| District | East Khasi Hills |
| Block | Pynursla |
| Population (2019) | |
• Total | 900 |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Climate | Cwa |
The village comes under the Pynursla community development block and Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) constituency.[3]
Geography
editMawlynnong is located 90 km from Shillong, along the India–Bangladesh border.[4] Kalain "The Gateway Of Barak Valley" is 187 km from Mawlynnong. A famous geographical occurrence in Mawlynnong is the Balancing Rock of Mawlynnong
Demographics
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As of 2019, Mawlynnong had 900 residents.[5] As of 2014[update], there are about 95 households in Mawlynnong.[6] The literacy rate is 90%.[7] Agriculture is the chief occupation of the local population, with betel nut being the main crop.[7] During summers, one can find pineapples and lychees which are then exported to the nearby regions as well. The people residing in the community are Khasi people.[5]
The population is mostly Christian and the village has three churches.[8]
Matrilineal Society
editAs is the tradition of the Khasi people, Mawlynnong property and wealth are passed from the mother to the youngest of her daughters, who also keeps the mother's surname.[9][8]
Sanitation
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Mawlynnong is known for its cleanliness.[10] The waste is collected in the dustbins made of bamboo, directed to a pit and then used as manure.[7] A community initiative mandates that all residents should participate in cleaning up the village. Smoking and use of polythene is banned while rainwater harvesting is encouraged.[11]
The travel magazine Discover India declared the village as Asia's cleanest village in 2003, and the cleanest in India in 2005.[7] This reputation has boosted local tourism; in 2017 NPR reported that, according to the village headsman, incomes had increased by 60 percent due to increased tourism.[12]
References
edit- ^ IAY Report for Financial year 2010-2011
- ^ Choudhury, Samrat (29 August 2018). "A trip to Asia's 'cleanest village': Meghalaya's Mawlynnong". Mint. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
- ^ Electoral roll of Pynurla (ST) constituency Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Election Department, Government of Meghalaya.
- ^ Magical Mawlynnong Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Meghalaya Tourism.
- ^ a b Nieves, Evelyn. "Girls Rule in an Indian Village" (Archive). The New York Times. 3 June 2015. Retrieved on 5 June 2015.
- ^ Availability of MGNrega data on MGNREGA soft MIS[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d Eco Destination, Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya
- ^ a b Fezehai, Malin (8 August 2018). "A Village in India Where Clean Living Became a Tourist Attraction". New York Times. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- ^ "Where women of India rule the roost and men demand gender equality". The Guardian. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
- ^ Mawlynnong - the cleanest village of Asia Archived 4 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine, India-north-east.com
- ^ "A picture-perfect hamlet: Asia's cleanest village, Mawlynnong". The Economic Times. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ^ "Welcome To 'The Cleanest Village In India'". NPR.org. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
