Dancing lilies of Ngelea
- Part 2 -

GS Laitonjam & Dr H Nandiram Sharma *

A hill in Ukhrul district :: Pix - Pintu Oinam

It was dawn of Saturday, the 9th of June. A climb for 20 mins. from the Base Camp led us to a spot at 2700m. There we saw the long awaited Ngelea-Lily in full bloom. The sight of the lilies is the token of success of the journey. The shade of the flower is a bit lighter than that of other lilies at Dzuko and Siroi. There bloomed not less than 2 flowers per square meter.

As reported by the second guide and confirmed by personal observation, the bloom was found to be very much destroyed by visitors, at intervals, from distant villages mainly coming for hiking and hunting. On close look at, it was known that there were buds on numerous standing plants (cf. sparse plants at Siroi). At another spot at a distance for half an hour, on the west, from the Base Camp there were abundant lilies in bloom. The height of the Lily-plants of the two spots ranges from 15-30 cm. whereas at steep slopes the plants are higher.

The second spot is higher than the first by about 70m. Both the spots possess abundant Rhododendron plants. In the month of April and May, the spots might have been all the more beautified with varied shades of flowers. In the nearby areas of the heath and down its region, there are tree components of prevailing primary forests clad with mosses, lichens and varieties of colourful orchids in different shades and varied denizens making a beautiful garden of nature, nourished through numerous years without interference by man.

It is one of the rare spots where primary forest of the present Manipur can be seen by an enthusiast at the moment. Its primary status is further confirmed by the absence of invasion with secondary components like Arundinaria, Arundinella etc. etc. in the very spots of Lilies unlike that of Siroi. —to be contd

For information, traces of primary forest on Koubru, Nongmaiching and Langol hills were upto the sixties whereas those of Siroi and Dzuko were upto the early seventies. It is afraid our children will know nothing about the primary forest of the region as presently, nothing is known about primary forest of Yellow river valley of China, Gangetic plain of India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, etc. etc. The chirping sounds of birds and fluttering of high altitude butterflies make ones, very much, romantic with heavy heart and close to the nature.

How long man, one of the children of the mother earth, who accustomed to destroying his natural home with an erroneous concept of unlimitedness of nature, will be able to keep the spot protected? Destruction has already been started before being himself conscious of what he is in the nature. The rich biomass content (decayed organic matter) of the soil at the three spots (Ngelea, Dzuko and Siroi) ensure very rich nutrients (mineral contents). Lilies are adapted to such black loose soils (well aerated soil) of rich water content, hold by humus.

Such spots are associated with strong wind, high humidity, low temperature and favourable sunshine (characteristic feature of an alpine meadow). In Manipur, influenced with physiographic factors, such spots of flowers are found at lower altitudes between 2400-2800 msl. (of alpine meadows of the Western Himalayas are at higher altitudes). The spot of such lilies on Siroi range is at 2765 msl. and on Ngelea mountain is at 2700 to 2780 msl.

Seen from Ngelea peak, Siroi mountain is on the west, at the 5th range. Like Siroi, Ngelea mountain is in North-Southward extension. Next to Siroi, the mountain on which Ukhrul town situates in seen. Meyao, one of our guides told us that, during winter where there were no cloud and fog, the Ningthee, other rivers of Kabaw Valley and Ango hill (presently in Myanmar) on the west of the Ningthee could be clearly seen from the range extending on the east of Ngelea.

Unluckily, the presence of the cloud abandoned the attempt. At a distance for about 20 mins from the Base Camp to the second spot there is a wide crack measuring 3 x 300 sq.ft. Meyao told us that there was ejection of gas with rumbling sound some years back but nobody knew when the ejection was stopped. On the way back from Lily spot Meyao and Chipem left us for hunting. I did not want them to do so. At dusk, they came back without any trophy. I was really delighted. There was a skull of monkey, hung on a tree at the Base Camp.

On enquiry, Meyao told us that he did that some days back when he came there for hunting. At dawn of the following day we bade good bye to Ngelea Lilies. The rhythmical movement of the lilies at the gust of the wind was seen as if they were dancing in joy in anticipation of reporting the mass about them. They, perhaps, do not anticipate the destruction to be carried on by man. In the evening of the same day of the return from Ngelea, we reached the house of Ngachek, at 6:10 p.m., where we halted.

While taking rest, Precila, the daughter of Ngachek proposed us to have a visit, the next day, to their farm. The proposal was declined as we planned to reach Imphal the following day. In response, Precila retorted, "You people may go but you will not get the vehicle". We thought, she was cutting a joke before it was realised that all the tickets of the only vehicle were already booked. By circumstances, it was compelled to comply with the proposal of Precila.

The following day, it was informed that, to accommodate the unexpected Ukhrul passengers, a bigger vehicle had been arranged. In haste we packed-up our belongings and bade good bye to Precila and her mother, Apam. The hospitality of Sihai brothers and sisters will remain afresh in our mind till our last sleep. At the moment of departure the girl told us that "your desire for reaching home will be realised soon, this time you win the race".

We value the last utter of the girl as the initiation of the second trip in near future. Ngelea is one of the numerous gifts of nature in Manipur, which can be exploited for adventure tourism with committed necessary measures for conservation as being done in other states of the country, where green tourism exploitation is successfully executed.

Let Ngelea Lily dance on its natural stage (home) forever.

Concluded ....