floating villageImage Credit source: hijamrajiv/planonlinetrippvtltd
If you are fond of traveling and like adventure trips, then you should definitely visit the floating villages of India. Not only houses are built here, but all the basic essential things like school, market are present, but everything keeps floating on the water. The location of the houses here keeps changing due to the direction of flow of water and wind and even when you stand on the ground, you will feel as if the earth is shaking. Going here will truly be a unique and lifetime memorable experience for you. Here even inside the houses one can feel them slowly shaking.
Coming to the Floating Village will be a magical experience for you on earth, because the houses built here are neither boats floating in water nor are they built on solid ground. There is a lot special here which makes it completely different from other cities and villages. In this story you will know where this village is, how you can reach it and why this village keeps floating. What is the lifestyle of the people here?
Where is this floating village?
The floating village (named ‘Champu Khangpok’) is in Manipur, North India. It is built here on Loktak Lake. Many families live on the island (called ‘Phumdi’) built on this lake and it is an entire village. The entire life of all the people living here is dependent on water, that is, there is water everywhere and people live in huts in the middle of it. The natural beauty here is also worth seeing.
How is the lifestyle of the people?
All things float on a floating island, so people depend on natural things for their genes also. Like fishing. The houses of the people here are made of bamboo which can float easily. Apart from this, solar panels are used for electricity and other needs. People use boats to travel. Talking about daily routine, only lake water is used for food, which is cleaned with alum and natural things. Along with farming fish, people eat it as the main food. Bio digester toilet is used here.
Why does the village float?
There are about 500 houses and 2 thousand people reside in the floating village. ‘Champu Khangpok village has also been classified as a wetland of international importance by the Ramsar Convention. Actually, the land here is a wetland, that is, an area where water covers the soil and flows near its surface. Talking about the floating islands of Loktak Lake, they are called phumdis which are formed by the accumulation of aquatic plants, soil and organic matter. Over time, all these substances combine with each other and form a dense mat-like layer. Which looks like the ground, but keeps shaking. Many special types of plants and vegetation grow here which are suitable to live in wet soil.
How to reach floating village?
You can reach Manipur from here via train, flight or road trip. To reach this village, you will have to come to Imphal and then from here you can take a taxi or bus to Moirang or Thanga near Loktak Lake. After this you can reach this floating village by boat.