Ru-Soam Bridges:
UNESCO has partnered with the Sikkim government to document the indigenous engineering known as Ru-Soam.
- Ru-Soam Bridges is a cane bridge built by the Lepcha community in Sikkim, especially in the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.
- In the Lepcha language, ‘Ru’ means cane or rattan, while ‘Soam’ refers to a bridge.
- It is crafted from locally available materials such as bamboo, cane, and wood.
- It consists of two parallel canes called soamgyang. The soamgyang are tied to trees on the two ends, ensuring that the bridge remains suspended.
- A ru-soam contains swinging cane loops called ahool.
- Bamboos, or soamgur, are used to make the deck of the bridge.
- The bridges can be 100 metres long, and two or three people can cross them at a time.
- This engineering practice reflects a sophisticated understanding of ecological balance and structural resilience.
- The Ru-Soam cane bridges are not relics of the past; they are living expressions of engineering ingenuity.
