Forests of Manipur during Pre-British Period (1826-1891)
- Part 3 -

Akham Bonbirdhwaja Singh *

The plain area of the country and its neighboring hills were once covered with thick forests as we had in Jiri and Kubo valley, but they were all gone except in one spot. Mr. McKenzie mentioned that there are a number of local names of trees available but he cited only very few.

Important species which were in great demand in the Surma (Kachar) Valley as listed by B.C. Allen are as follow:

Nageshwar, Jarol, Gondroi (Cinnamomum glanduliferum), Rata (Dysoxylum binectiferum), Kurta (Isonandra polyantha), Poma (Toon), Joki (Bischoffia javanica), Tailo (Castanopsis indica), Sundi (Michelia montana), Karal (Dipterocarpus sp), Jam, Ping (Cynometra polyandra), Cham, tula, Bora, Ramdala (Duabanga grandiflora), Gamari, Jhalna (Terminalia bicolorata), Jinari (Podocarpus bracteata), Sutrong, Caddum (Anthocephalus cadamba), and moroi (Albizzia odoratissima).

Regarding bamboo, abundance of bamboo has been quoted everywhere, but the varieties either in local language or English name had been mentioned. It has been noticed that the Muli Bamboo (Melocana malaccensis) covered large tracts. These bamboos were found suited to the hill-man's cultivation; and this very useful plant is found of every variety".

A bamboo jungle of the species called "Maubee" is to be cut for jhum. It was easier compared with a dense tree jungle, easy, but still required quite a labour. Of the cane, too, there are many varieties, and some are of prodigious length. Without the cane, the passage of the hill streams during the rains would scarcely be possible. Palm trees (Borassus) were also found in the eastern hills.

Non Timber Forest Produces

Though the Manipuris used a wide range of non timber forests produces, either as food supplement or herbal medicine since time immemorial, no account has been done during this period. Tea seed was one important item of NTFP collected from wild. The existence of the tea-plant was long ago known, but it's being in the abundance that it was only lamely ascertained. The prospect of profit gave keenness to the search for the tea-plant; and doubtless the same cause will yet bring to light valuable products hitherto unknown.

The presence of gum and resin bearing trees have been cited. Mentions also have been made of natural varnish, Medicinal Plants, Plant dyes. Fish poison climber was commonly used.

Various types of plant dyes have been reported. According to a report by Mr. W.A.M Duncan (1896), the name of a few plants commonly used for dyeing are " Acanthaceae (Khujum Pere) used in conjuction with safflower (p.9); Bixa orellana (urei rom) red or orange, Carthamus tinctorius (kusum) pink or rose; Fagopyrum esculentum, yellow, Fibraurea trotter (napu), yellow, Garcinia pedunculata (heibung) a mordant, Perilla occinoides (thoiding) black, Quercus fenestrata (kuhi) Black, Quercus pachiphyla used for dyeing and tanning, Rubia cordifolia (moyum), red, Rubia sikkimensis (moyum) brilliant red, Strobilanthus flaccidifolius (Khuma, Khum, Kum) for dyeing silk; Symplocos racemosa (Kairang) mordant, Tectona grandis (Chingjagu), Black"

Extraction of Forest Produce

There is no concrete account of extraction of forest produce particularly the timber. Minor mention have been made of the King extracting teak timber for royal requirements, but not for commercial purpose. Other extraction from Kubbo Valley are not brought to Manipur, but transported to other places, and no record is available as the Kubbo Valley or Pemberton Enclave was with Myanmar and in lieu of compensation that British paid.

Extraction from nearby hills adjoining the plain areas also might have been done free of cost as there is no official record. The local and domestic extractions are not recorded. However, the royal extractions for housing and more specifically for the dugout boats have been very well documented.

The requirements were also supplied by the villagers in kind in lieu of their settlements in the forest area allowed by the King for supply of royal requirement such as pine torch, bamboo shoot etc.

Canes were used for suspension bridges on a large scale for the important hill roads. But perhaps those were considered as national requirement and no payment of revenue was considered. In fact, other than those transported to Cachar side, there is no mention of revenue realized on forest produces.

Utilisation

Utilisation of forest produces were mainly for house building and firewoods. The timbers were used for the posts and doors. There is mention of collection of timber from Khamellok for use in construction of barracks for royal sepoys. The doors and windows were very few in the traditional houses, but there are reports of making beautiful doors for the houses. Houses were all thatch roofed, but thatch roofing was done in a systematic manner, with the help of cane and bamboo splits.

The smoothness of the mud plaster with a particular kind of clay is also famous. However, there is no record that these produces were taxed by the government. The use of large quantity of thatch grasses and bamboo has not been accounted in any of the literatures except the Cheitharol Kumbaba. There were some licenses given to Cachar traders for collecting timber from Jiri forests is evident from fact that some revenue was collected on this account in early seventies. Other than that there was no mention of export of timber to outside the kingdom till 1892, when the negotiations for export of timber began with the British Government.

The Dug out boats (canoe type) are important again important uses of timber. The boats were made from forests of Koubru, Sugnu, and Khabam etc. Boats were used for communication in the rivers as it was fast and easy means. The Dugout boats were also used for boat races which was an important sport.

Another important use of forest produce were for brick burning. Manipur learned the art of brick making very early, probably from Chinese. So, wood for brick burning were collected from nearby forests of Tendongyan, Khamellok etc. and these are recorded in the Royal Chronicles.

Not much furniture were used and types of furniture was very scanty. The most important furniture was the cot in a house. Very well decorated cots were used. The bamboo baskets were used for various purposes.

Forest Consolidation

The Forest consolidation works were not as per any rules or orders of the Darbars in this period. The consolidation works can be cited as only giving away of forest or hill land for settlements. The Maharaja of Manipur used to grant certain portion of hill forest land to certain villages or individuals like Chothes as recorded in the Royal Chronicles. The King also used to go on expeditions for creation of villages like Kamu.

According to R. Brown, the King made a settlement at Thangjing (a large hill forests south west of Moirang) for the hillmen rescued in 1872 from Lushais, and later settled there and had lands allotted to them. The king used to give a portion of land also in lieu of certain allotted duties. Certain villages were established in the hills near the valley for royal supply of firewood.

Warok for Bamboo shoots, Yangenching for Pine Torches etc. The king used to visit Sugnu Pine Forests and Waikhong (1858). There are also accounts of the royal couple inspecting Natum Ching (1714 AD), Ngaprum Chingjin (1715 AD), and Lamka Konchin (1743 AD).

There were plenty of forests and too little population that it was difficult to create human settlements even in vintage points. Later, when the sovereignty had been transferred to the British, the British got many of these forests converted in to State Reserves (equivalent to Reserve Forests under Indian Forest Act). Formal extraction from the Jiri Barak drainage forests also was immediately started.

The King used to go to Nongmaiching Hills for prayers regularly.

To be continued...