Kakching garden as a model

Free Thinker *

Kakching garden

Without any discernible intention I finally got a chance to go to Kakching Garden. We were 3 families in two cars. After a nice siesta we started late and we were not sure whether the garden would be open or not when we reached the place. I wanted to ascertain the position.

Luckily I could confirm from the local MLA that the garden will remain open till late in the evening. We reached the garden at around 4 in the evening.

The idea of setting up such a lovely garden in consonance with nature or in the backdrop of nature is a welcome step. I believe many visitors must be coming to this garden to see and enjoy the beautiful blending of nature and human art.

A fruit orchard is perhaps coming up on the other side of the same hill-lock. Again it will be another attraction of the site. Those who have made efforts to make the garden a success must be acknowledged and appreciated. The patrons, the workers, the contributors must continue their good work.

Having been inspired by the success venture of Kakching Garden I would like to spread the idea of a horticulture movement in the State. Honestly I am neither an expert nor a student of horticulture but I want to make my homeland a hub for horticulture pursuits. Our climatic and geographical condition is no doubt very conducive for varieties of fruits, flowers and vegetables.

A few months back I had an extensive travel by road in Himachal Pradesh; there I came across a number of orchards, gardens, farms on the foot- hills and hill- slopes. I strongly feel that the climate, topography and soil of Himachal are very similar to ours. You will be surprised to know that cawing sound of crows of Himachal and Manipur is the same.

Actually I wanted to take my family to Tamu via Moreh and we were planning to stay one night at Moreh. Suddenly there was an announcement on local cable news that from the next day there would be 48 ours Manipur general strike (bandh).

Then immediately we had to change the program and urgently decided to go to Kakching before the bandh. We heard of Kakching Garden for quite some time but we never had the opportunity to visit the garden. People who visited the garden often said, ‘it is worth seeing’.

Within the garden complex all of a sudden I saw a tiny temple of crow, written as “Kwak Pitambor”, the birth place of crow. I have started ignoring almost everything for the moment because I am a diehard crow lover and also a great fan of crows. I started enquiring about the crow temple; unfortunately the locals working there could not tell me the story or the legend of the crow. They simply told me that the place was the original birth place of crow. Some where I too read that crows originated from Asia.

Kakching people are intelligent people, they may do some research and may make a claim that the crows are originally from the same place (at least for the home crows). You know, “Umorok” is now Bhut Jolokia of Nagaland and perhaps they are trying to get it patented.

There are about 45 species of crows in the world. Ravens, rooks, corvus, crows, jackdaws etc., they are all the varieties of crow. And crows are as old as human civilization. In almost all the folk tells and mythologies of the world the crows were mentioned. The Hindus, the Buddhists, the Greeks and Romans, the Chinese and Egyptians, all the ancient world talked about crows. Crows are so intelligent that they use bread crumbs as bait for catching fish.

There is a restaurant within the premises but I could not enter as we were in a hurry to go to Khongjom War Memorial on the way back. If the restaurant is run by the Classic people then it must be classic. Because they are really professional and they know how to do business in the State. Again hats off to Thangjams.

A sense of secularism is also instilled in the garden, on the hill-lock. You can find a Pakhangba pagoda, a Shiv temple, Sumpubi fairy; an addition of a statue of Jesus, a Buddha and a small mosque may make the place more universal. I think space is not a problem. Last but not the least, toilets are well maintained there, very neat and clean; If you can charge Rs 5 for both solid and liquid waste, it would be nice.

Our foot-hills, hill-slopes and hill-locks may be converted into orchards, kitchen gardens, orchid farms etc., in the line of Kakching Garden. That will certainly attract tourists and at the same time the products can also bring fortune to the people who grow the trees and plants.

Fruits, vegetables and flowers from such gardens will make people economically independent. If we can do all these organically that will become more lucrative. Remember the Central government has started investing money in organic farming in a huge way. Why can’t Manipur be the next organic State after Sikkim? Let Kakching Garden be the role model for developing orchards and gardens (for flowers and vegetable).

Local leaders, Panchayats, local bodies and local clubs must start taking initiative for such ventures. It should not be seen as a land grabbing ploy.