Hill view near Longmai village.
Photo: Manihar
The district covers an area of
4,391 sq km with a population of 86,276 (1991 census). The Rongmei, Liangmei,
Zemei and Kukis are the main tribes. In the river valleys of the Barak, Irang,
Maku, Leimatak and Iyei, rice is cultivated. On the steep hillsides, the slash
and burn method of cultivation called jhoom
is widely practised. Juicy oranges and other citrus fruits are grown in
abundance. Yongchak (parkia speciosa), banana, bamboo shoots are important
crops. Tea has been growing in the district since time immemorial and it is
being sipped preferably without sugar and milk seated around a fire.
The gharial is reportedly found
in the Maku River near Oinamlong in Tousem subdivision. The great Indian
hornbill, uchek langmeidong,
seasonally migrates from Tamenglong to Keilam hill range, down south in
Churachandpur district. The brown-back hornbill, rufous-neck hornbill, Indian
pied or lesser pied hornbill are here. The hoolock gibbon, yongmu, is also found.
Different species of orchids
thrive in this rain forest. Twisting bundle of tree roots that can’t grow down
spread out as much as fifty feet along the surface, like buttresses on Gothic
cathedral. Epiphytal orchids like Samjirei
(Rhynchostylis retusa) and Kwaklei
(Vanda coerulea) etc grow on them. On the damp forest floor terrestrial genera
like Lady’s slipper (Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum) grows. Rhododendrons, wild
azaleas of several kinds and tree ferns are abundant. Leihao (Michelia champaca), Uningthou
(Phoebe hainesenia) are some of the fine timber trees growing here.
Tharon cave (976 metres above
msl) locally known as Kalemki – the
house of bats – is located 4 km north of Tharon village near Tamenglong-Tamei
road in Reyanglong hills. There are fourteen passages inside the cave with
three openings, two of them leading to a stream. Protohandaxe, cleaver, scraper
etc of edge-ground pebble tools belonging to Hoabinhian culture were reportedly
found. The rock type of the area is said to be sandstone of Barail series.
Rarefied mountain air and fertile river valley.
Photo: Manihar
National highway no. 53 cuts
through the district connecting Imphal with Silchar in southern Assam. Noney,
also called Longmai, which lies on the highway, is 63 km from Imphal and second
biggest town of the district. Small fishes caught from the crystal clear
shallow water of meandering river Iyei, a tributary of Barak River, are fried
fresh for catering to bus passengers. Crabs seeking shelter under the stone
slabs of gushing streams end up as statistics in the ledgers of local hotel
managers.
The old Cachar road, also known
as Tongjei Maril, passes through the district via Khoupum valley. The route was
widened under the supervision of Captain Guthrie of Bengal Engineers between
1837 and 1844. A legendary hero of Manipur, Maibam Tamrasingh, ran all the way
from Silchar to Imphal, covering about 138 miles during the reign of King
Chandrakirti in August 1874.
The district in fact is a paradise for
naturalists. Its rain forests are not the fearsome, snake infested areas that
only an Indiana Jones could love, but ecological cornucopias that provided the
tribals a good living. And nature’s landmarks like Zeliad lake, Barak
waterfalls etc., provide a lifetime opportunity to experience and appreciate
nature’s gift to man.
Konjengbam Kameshore
(Courtesy: North East Sun, New Delhi, Sept. 24 -
30, 1994)