Dancing lilies of Ngelea
- Part 1 -

GS Laitonjam & Dr H Nandiram Sharma *

The Famed Dzuko Lily in bloom at Dzuko valley

It is still not clear to us that if the Lily of Siroi (Lilium machlinae Sealy) is the State flower, why the Lily of Dzuko (Lilium Chitrangae Bikram) be not claimed to be the same status. The morphological characters of the lilies found in the two spots suggest, the plants belong to a specimen of the same type. Botanists of the State opine that the lilies of the three spots (Dzuko, Ngelea and Siroi) are ecotypes (variation at the impact of prevailing ecological condition) of the same species.

According to them, for confirmation it needs a detailed caryotypic study (cytological study) of the three specimens. Had F. Kingdom Ward come across Dzuko Lily too, the latter would have, perhaps, been given the same name by Sealy (the scientist who identified the Lily). The reasons lead to our opinion that it is an erroneous concept to designate the Lily of Siroi only to the status of the State flower irrespective of other similar ones in other spots of the very state.

Though the people of the hilly regions of the state know, very well, where the lilies of Manipur are thriving in the natural habitat it is still, perhaps, beyond the knowledge of the mass. The reason behind is that the people of the state are not adventurous and not in the habit of reporting something in writing. From the report of some European scholars we came to know that those people who were in constant warfares with other kingdoms in the times of kings were more adventurous than the people of present generation.

For us, we would like to keep ourselves in touch with whatever in the wilderness of the region and report them by getting ourselves involved in adventure trips conducted in the region. We may not be able to do the same outside Manipur. However, the dream cannot easily be realised.

As luck would have it, in a rare chance, we both of us (writers of the present article) could get the opportunity of joining the team of 'Manipur Parikrama', sponsored and organised by the Assam Rifles in the month of March, 1987, assigned to go around the boundary of Manipur in 40 days. In the said journey we could get an information that in the region between Myanmar and Ukhrul of Manipur, on the west of Khayang village there is a spot of a beautiful waterfall and mountainous slopes/peaks full of colourful lilies. The information aroused an anxiety in our mind and it had been haunting us for years. Time and chance did not favour to ease our eagerness.

After 25 years, as good luck favours us, we have seen the spot. But only half of our dream is realised as we have not seen the waterfall. A lot of information are essential for organising a trip of adventure in such an unseen and infrequent area. To get information about the approach to Ngelea, the abode of Ngelea lilies and the time of bloom in a season from the local people is not an easy thing. Some say, they know it and some other say they do not.

The former decline to give company to the enthusiasts because of their poor knowledge about it. It is fortunate to come across a Tangkhul brother called 'Ngachek' of Sihai Khullen. On getting the necessary information, a team of seven members of the Adventure Academy of Manipur (ADAM) excluding Dr. Nandiram Sharma, who actively involved with the formulation of the programme but missed the trip on health ground, left Imphal on the 7th of June, 2012 for Sihai Khullen.

Being preoccupied with certain unavoidable assignment Ngachek was also not in a position to accompany the team. However, he managed a fellow villager called Chipem, a student reading in Kerala (enjoying, then, a vacation at his village) to guide the team. It was decided to leave for Ngelea along with Chipem and his one or two fellow villagers in the morning of the following day.

Accompanied with Chipem and Precila (no her actual name), the daughter of Ngachek, we went in and around Sihai Khullen to have a look. Church, traditional houses decorated with skulls of monkeys, buffaloes, etc. plum plants on either side of the village road and carefully maintained gardens are the characteristic features of Sihai Khullen.

As planned, the following day, i.e. the 8th of June, 2012, Chipem reported along with a bag and a hunting gun. After having breakfast, we left for Kahaopung (a nearby village) at 5:30 A.M., to seek company of Meyao, a friend of Chipem. Rapid passing through tiresome up and down gradients, in apprehension of missing the fellow, we reached the village at 6:45 A.M.

Luckily we met Meyao in his village. At first he declined to give his company on the excuse of being, very much tired with a recent visit to the very spot. On being conceded, Meyao and Chipem, in anticipation of exhaustion in trekking, had together, a rice-meal while others had tea and roti. Then 9 of us left Kahaopung at 9:00 A.M. for Ngelea. The first way forward is down (downward gradient) only. Beyond the stream lying in between the terrace fields of eastern and western slopes the way is along the up-gradient only.

There is a saying in the hilly region, the up and down gradients are always alternating. At about 11:30 A.M., we came across a hill stream before climbing towards the peak of Ngelea. There, we took rest for about 40 minutes.

A rest while going on trekking in the hilly terrain is a paradise comfort. Avoiding it, we led to the forward journey. The ascent is quite different from that of the former. We were, very much, exhausted. The clothing were all soaked with sweat. Intermittent rest was numerous. There is no other water point on the way than the stream down. The members started suffering from dehydration because of excessive sweating and tendency of having naps. We could not reach the peak of Ngelea even at dusk.

Be the reach at the peak as it likes, G.S. Laitonjam and Bagendro, another member of the team proceeded slowly interrupted with rests and naps. Venturing through pitch-dark of night, the trekking was led with torches. At intervals, the tail enders (Bagendro and G.S. Laitonjam) were at distances.

In darkness, we got confused and followed the same trek we had already covered and so, by chance, we were brought closer again. Such confusion and misled took about one hour. Ultimately, we reached the Base Camp (a spot with water point) at 10:20 P.M. Just on arrival we drank lots of water to fulfil the long felt thirst.

To be continued.....