The Living Root Bridge
The Graphic Novel Tynrai was conceived at IIT Bombay as a 3rd semester project while I was doing my Master of Design (2019). It was on hold for a while and then in 2020-2022 when the whole world had to stay home because of the pandemic, i got the chance to reopen my Masters degree project and reworked on it. It was finally released on 9th April 2022 by the commissioner and secretary of Arts and culture, Meghalaya, Shri Frederick Roy Kharkongor. The book by the name itself “Tynrai” translates Roots, The Graphic Novel takes the form of a conversational narrative between a grandfather and his granddaughter through a folktale. It seeks to demonstrate the need of living in harmony with nature . The explanation takes the form of a folktale in which a greedy queen exploits nature and her pride eventually leads to the loss of her only son ( the sole heir to the throne). One of the major themes is the interconnection of various folktales - the Sacred forests (‘LawKyntang), the tigers who heal the wounds of the trees by licking them, nymphs (Puriblei).
Another theme was the beliefs or the myths of the Khasi tribe: The notion of cutting down trees and executing a project in the month of April (Iaiong) which is considered taboo, the restriction of taking a dip or bathing at noon at the river. I have also inserted khasi day to day farming tools, snacks and utensils. In the book one can also get an idea of Khasi terms like “ U Nai khatsawsynnia” and others in which a glossary at the last page can guide readers who are not familiar with the language.
One can also understand the social structure, political structure, geographical conditions and sustainable development of the region. I hope that the readers can get a gist or an idea about the Khasi tribe - The tools we use, the snacks we have and the culture of the region. I also hope they understand and value the worth of nature and the benefits we get from mother nature. And I do hope they visit the Khasi hills and the Living root bridge and enjoy the richness of our culture.
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