UKHRUL – Little Paradise On Earth

The Tangkhul Naga of Ukhrul

Ukhrul town in Manipur lies 83 km northeast of Imphal. The nerve centre of politically sensitive Tangkhul Naga, it is the highest hill station of the state. Kaleidoscopic landscapes and undulating terrains dotted with exotic orchids and rare birds are the characteristics of the area.

The district covers an area of 4,544 sq km with a population of 98,000. Besides the Tangkhul, the Kuki also inhabit many places. Rice is grown in the fertile river valleys of the Thoubal, Nungshangkhong and Iril. On the steep hill-sides, shifting cultivations are widely practised. Sweet lime (Heithum in Manipuri) and other citrus fruits are abundantly grown particularly in the Kachai village area.

The Siroi Kashong range is the natural habitat of rare birds like Hume’s Pheasant (Nongyin in Manipuri) and Blyth’s Tragopan. While the former is the state bird of Manipur, the latter is found only in Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

Different kinds of plants are found in this sub-tropical pine forests including Siroi Lily (Lilium mackliniae sealy) which is the state flower of Manipur. Exotic orchids are grown besides the well known blue and red Vandas amidst the sylvan surroundings. The range in fact is the favourite haunt of botanists and ornithologists. A tourist home has also been constructed in this place.

The Khangkhui limestone cave lies about 11 km southeast of Ukhrul town tucked away in a range of cretaceous origin. Artifacts of pre-historic man belonging to Palaeolithic culture were reportedly discovered inside the dark caverns. The waterfalls at Chamu Khayang bordering Myanmar and at Sirarakhong are picturesquely breathtaking. A guest house has recently been constructed at the latter. Hundung mini cement factory, Nungshangkhong micro-hydel project and pottery of Nungbi village are the other tourist spots of the district.

A typical Tangkhul Naga home of good old days

The bus fare from Imphal to Ukhrul is Rs 25/- only. There are several hotels and a couple of bungalows. In the market pork, beef, dog-meat are sold along with chilli and ginger. A tasty fish called nunga (psilorhynchus microphthalamus) found only in the hills is another delicacy. Hand-woven Naga shawls in strikingly beautiful colours and patterns are moderately priced. Ukhrul – the home of rare birds and plants is a little paradise worth visiting.

Konjengbam Kameshore

(Courtesy: North East Sun, New Delhi, Jan 29-Feb 4, 1994)

NB: The writer was district cooperative officer of Ukhrul from March 2009 to February 2010.

Yongchak -- A Popular Manipuri Dish

A Myanmarese girl selling yongchak

 at Indian border town Moreh, Manipur

Ask any Manipuri, who has been outside the Northeast for a good period of time, what he missed most in his daily menu; lo and behold, he will retort "yongchak iromba". Known by different names such as stink bean, bitter bean, twisted cluster bean etc., this tree bean, yongchak, has occupied a unique place in the culinary delights of every Manipuri in particular and every Northeastern tribal in general. The inclusion of this item, as a side dish, in the Ningol Chakouba festival of the Manipuris, held every year in the month of November, is considered privileged. Being a seasonable produce, the availability in the market just starts trickling in around this time and hence the scarcity galore. A couple of pods cost much more than what is in normal time.

An evergreen rain-forest tree, it is grown mostly in Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland. The height of the plant is about twenty five to thirty metres and leaves are evenly bipinnate, thirty to eighty cm long. Known as Manipur-urohi in Assamese, Manipuri-seem in Bengali, zawngtah in Mizo, with wide spreading crown having yellow white flowers, the pods are about thirty cm long, pendulous and greenish before ripe, black and shining afterwards. A plant of the genus Parkia in the family Fabaceae, both its flowers and pods are fondly eaten either raw or cooked by the Manipuris.

 Loklei (galangal) a ginger family

The demand for yongchak is so much that the farmers of Manipur cannot meet it and therefore have to purchase from outside the state. Namphalong, near Indo-Myanmar border town of Moreh, and Silchar in southern Assam via Jiribam, are the known routes of this vegetable for Imphal market. Due to soil and climatic variation of different topographical areas, the flavour reportedly varies from place to place. This could perhaps be one of the reasons why it values in taste in some areas. Known as Kampai, among the Rongmei tribe of Tamenglong district in Manipur, the pods of the plant at Dailong village generally mature ahead of others. Imphal bound passengers rush for it in their morning market.

For preparing the famed yongchak iromba, a host of local spices as ingredients are needed to enrich the aromatic and tangy flavour. Loklei (galangal), lomba (esholtzia blanda), maroi nakupi (Chinese chives), tokningkok (chameleon leaves), phakpai (Vietnamese coriander), koukha (arrowhead), along with ngari (fermented dry fish) and fresh indigenous fish like ngakra (clarias magur), and Meitei ngamu (channa orientalis) are just some of them besides coriander, spring onion, Manipuri red potato, chilli etc. In fact a fish or chicken preparation is less expensive in terms of money and time than a yongchak iromba dish. For vegetarians who do not eat fish, yongchak can be cooked in many ways. Cooking with fermented soya bean, locally known as hawaichar, is one good combination, while stir-fry with koukha (arrowhead) and shrimp is another tasty option.

Lomba (esholtzia blanda)

Another equally popular item is yongchak singju -- a Manipuri style raw salad. Peruk (centella), pheija (flower of a wild plant), tender pea leaves, etc., besides yongchak make the preparation not only rich in anti-oxidant but also wholesome. In fact, peruk and pheija are never planted generally but grow wild naturally in the nearby hills and valleys. This makes their nutritive food values organic. The flower of the yongchak plant is also used in singju. 

Known commonly as petai or pete in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, mai-karien in Myanmar, karieng or riang in Thailand, cupang in Philippines, the plant is native to Southeast Asian countries, including the Northeastern part of India and Bangladesh. It is said that no southern Thai meal would be complete without stir-fried stink beans. Indonesian nasi goreng kambing pete, fried rice with goat meat and stink beans, Thai mu phat sato, pork stir-fried with stink beans, are just some of the popular dishes.

Much had been said about Look East. And now it is about Act East. But what about Eat East? It is right time now to rediscover some of the traditional cuisines of the Northeast.

Konjengbam Kameshore

(Courtesy: Eastern Panorama, Shillong, March, 2015)

NB: The writer is not responsible for use or abuse of blog caption "Kameshore's articles" in any form, manner, site, whatsoever by anybody.

Konjengbam Kameshore

Imphal, Dt. 24.07.2015

Towards Co-operative Movement

Wahengbam Angou, Minister Co-operation, visiting

 bakery unit of a PACS at Malom

The co-operative movement in Manipur was started in the year 1935. Laikhuram Khagendrajit and his party started pressure for a consumer co-operative society with fair price shops to ameliorate the problems of the poor. The then Maharaja, Churachand Singh, put six people including Khagendrajit under judicial custody for six months. After their release, the Indian Co-operative Societies Act 1912 was introduced and extended in the state and in1938 a co-operative bank was registered.

An interim council with seven members in cabinet rank was constituted. Model byelaws drafted and societies like Merchants’ Co-operative Association, Manipur Drivers’ Union, Manipur Agrarian Co-operative Society were established. In 1950 the Assam Co-operative Societies Act 1949 was extended in the state. On May 29, 1951 a big conference was held and resultantly Manipur Co-operative Union was formed. In 1952 four advisers to the chief commissioner were appointed and Krishnamohan was included as development and co-operative in-charge. Afterwards the Manipur State Co-operative Bank, Manipur Apex Co-operative Marketing Society Ltd, Apex Handloom etc. were established.

Sanjenbam Nodiachand was the first registrar of co-operative societies. In 1976 Manipur Co-operative Societies Act was introduced. The registrar and the officers under him were empowered to exercise the provisions of the Act and Rules in organising, registering, supervising, inspecting and auditing the co-operatives. Voluntary organisations for charity, sports, science & technology, arts & culture, women & children and rural development were registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Agricultural credit, consumer, livestock, thrift & credit, pisciculture, labour etc were some of the areas for which co-operatives were being worked out.

Main emphasis was given on agricultural credits with financial assistance from NABARD and NCDC. Agro-custom hiring service centres have been opened by providing tractors, power tillers, pump- sets, fertilizers, HYV seeds to member farmers. Godowns with attached tractor garages were constructed for gram panchayat level primary agricultural credit co-operatives (PACS). Integrated Co-operative Development Projects (ICDP) was started and three districts have so far been covered by this. A co-operative training college under the national council for co-operative training (NCCT) New Delhi has been started at Lamphelpat for three states namely Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. Intermediate level officers of co-operative department are being trained here.

Wahengbam Angou, the minister for co-operation, was closely associated with Manipur State Co-operative Union as its president. The contributions of Thounaojam Chaoba, popularly known as Utlou Chaoba, towards the movement are wide and galore. Persons like RK Irabot, Nimaimacha Singh are popular figures in present day co-operative movement. The pace may be slow but it is steady.

Konjengbam Kameshore

(Courtesy: North East Sun, July 31 – Aug 6, 1993)

The Best Co-operator

RAJKUMAR IRABOT SINGH

 

 RK Irabot speaking at a function

The concept of co-operative is working together or helping each other for a common goal. This is the idea that got struck in the heart of Rajkumar Irabot Singh. He relentlessly fought for it and recognising his tireless efforts and contributions towards the movement, the state Co-operative Department with Manipur State Co-operative Union (MSCU) recently bestowed on him the prestigious ‘Best Co-operator Award’.

Born on December 13, 1912 at Ningthoukhong, eighty-three long years have since rolled on. The period has witnessed many ups and downs in his life. In 1938 he joined Nikhil Manipuri Hindu Mahasabha and thereafter joined the Congress party. The founder president of the Moirang Large Size Co-operative Society Ltd., Shri Irabot is related to other social works also like organization of schools/colleges etc. In 1963, he became a Member of Legislative Assembly.

In 1985 he became the vice-chairman of Planning and Development Authority (PDA). The year 1992 saw him as a council member of the prestigious National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI), New Delhi. In 1993 he was appointed the chairman of the Institute of Co-operative Management (ICM), Imphal. The ICM is one of the eighteen such institutions in the country under the tutelage of National Council for Co-operative Training (NCCT), New Delhi controlled by the NCUI of the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operation, Government of India.

He donated a piece of his own land for construction of a primary agricultural credit co-operative society (PACS). The Associated Progressive Gram Panchayat Level Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd., Ningthoukhong, is now thriving well on the said patta land. He has been closely connected with the PACS for the last several years in various capacities.

Bishnupur District Supply & Marketing Co-operative, Manipur State Co-operative Union, Manipur Apex Co-operative Marketing Society Ltd etc., are some prominent organizations with which this grand old man of co-operative movement is associated with. Besides them he became the chairman of C.I. College, Bishnupur and Mangolnganbi College, Ningthoukhong in 1971 and 1980 respectively.

In spite of his being an active social worker and   co-operator he has his share of critics also who do not miss a chance to pass scathing remarks on him. They used to label him sobriquets ranging from ‘co-operative baron’ to ‘drum major of a comic opera’ etc. But the simplicity and integrity of this man who literally begged to survive during a sojourn at Silchar in Assam is such that he swallowed the remarks without a pinch of salt. Clad in snow-white dhoti and kurta, this old man of the co-operative sea is not losing his sense of wits.

Konjengbam Kameshore

(Courtesy: North East Sun, New Delhi, February 15-29, 1996)

Chirus Celebrate the Cupid

LAMBAKA FESTIVAL

Lambaka festival at Waithou Chiru village

 photo by Angir Chiru

The state of Manipur is inhabited by many tribes who are broadly divided into two – the Naga and the Kuki. The Chiru tribal belong to the Naga fraternity and have a Mongolian type of countenance. Dolang, Waithou, Charoi Khulen, Bungte, Nungsai, Kangchup, Lamdangmei, Thangjing, Sadu and Ural are Chiru inhabited villages with a total population of about seven thousand only. It is believed that they are originally from Tamenglong district.

Like some of the Naga tribes, the Chirus have a recognized house called Sher where unmarried young men at night keep in ready weapons of attack and defence like licenced guns, spear, daos, and shields etc. Females are strictly prohibited to enter it. It is the hub of village polity and events ranging from festivals to group clashes are discussed and decided here first.

Lambaka – the festival of merry-making is held every year in the month of Wakching (December-January) in front of the Sher for three or four days consecutively. The village elders including the chief come to the Sher for morning obligation and discourse. Dance items and songs are frequently interrupted with liberal supplies of yu (rice beer) and pork cooked in ginger and chilli sauce.  Girls of marriageable age called Sangpi come to the Sher with head loads of yu brewed in their homes. Before the liquor is served it is customary on the part of the Sangpi to enact a dance by rounding the Sher three times. Boys of marriageable age, Reibak Derkai, dance opposite the Sangpi.

During the dance, a peculiar dholak made from hollowed tree trunk and skin of Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis) is used. Mouth organs consisting of gourds and small bamboo tubes and also horns of either a buffalo or a mithun (bos frontalis) are other musical instruments.

The Lambaka festival is an ideal occasion for the young boys and girls to meet. The elopement, Sungkung Moiloi, follows the festival. Mangkat (bride price) consisting of three bronze saucers, a strong and coarse cloth, Ponrobo, and rupees three hundred are inspected and agreed by the Tangba, the henchmen of the village chief, before the marriage is solemnized. After the formalities, the boy and girl are declared engaged.

The boy has first to stay for three years at the residence of the girl’s father helping him in his work. The system is called Leng lo and if anyone breaches it the punishment is either a big pig or a cow for community feast and the offender has to pay the bill. During this period of three years no physical intimacy is allowed.

Konjengbam Kameshore

(Courtesy: North East Sun, New Delhi, February 26-March 4, 1994)