THE STORY is derived from Hijan Hirao, a sacred song sung at the end of Lai Haraoba. It is the lament of the tree parents for their dearest tree son and probably has been incorporated in Lai Haraoba to exploit the idea of nature as a vital force attributing to the traditional feelings of Manipuri society towards animals, plants, and nature. It reveals age-old tradition of protecting the biodiversity. Obviously, worshipping and protection of nature are two different things. But the basic fact is that our forefathers regarded the preservation of nature as a ritual. One may say that it is paganism or tribal custom, but they understood the umbilical cord attaching the human to the non-human forms of nature. It is an act of communicating with the tree with respect and admiration. They have always tried to live in harmony with nature.
The Ancient Manipuri society had a deep and revered sense of understanding the very language of nature, the seasons, time, and their intense relationship with human activities. It was fondly believed that all natures’ products were all God – created designs, that trees, bamboos were all organic elements which grew from parts of the body of the Almighty, the Creator.
Minstrels and cultural elites of the community produced excellent poetic imageries, songs and praise poetries evoking the qualities nature that even the trees had life and language of their own, which were laid down in ancient manuscripts like “Urol” (Lore of trees).
Our greed in the name of development alienated us from the root of nature, the cradle of our existence and disconnects us from ecological realities. This is legendary folklore of our state tree “Uningthou”, Bonsum (Phoebe bootanica) an Endangered (EN) tree species as per IUCN Redlist and before it was taxonomically known as Phoebe hainesiana and the reason why Bonsum had been declared as the state tree of Manipur in the year 1989.
In the serene springs and beautiful brooks, at the lofty heights of Kaoba Ingel hill, there met Irok Ningthou, the king of rain and clouds with Irok Laija Leima, the mistress of hill range, gorges and mother of trees. The sacred and unique union of the heavenly shower of Irok Ningthou and earthly soil of Irok Laija Leima conceived and gave birth to a majestic sapling of a tree.
The divine parents guarded the seedling from the cold icy gales from the north of mighty Koubru hill, from the ravaging rainstorms and from the furious wild forest flames, nurtured him and quenched his thirst.
The parents pleaded the sapling to grow as an ordinary tree like Fragrant Padri (Misi thangyan), Midnight Horror (Samba), Whitewashed Stone Fruit (Sahi), and Wendlandia (Feija) with a benevolent advice of the laws of nature that straight and beautiful trees and honest persons are cut and screwed first.
Not listening to the good advice of the parents, the sapling chose to become “Uningthou”, the king of trees, big and tall with the densest foliage where even the haughty monkeys and great squirrels fail to reach the treetop.
Luwang Ningthou Punshiba, the king of Luwang Principality was the son of Pombi Luwaoba and Kaobaron Namoinu. Kaobaron Namoinu, the mother of Punshiba was the daughter of Koubru. King Punshiba reigned during the 5th and 7th century in the land of Luwang.
The torrential rain keeps pouring in the land of Luwang amidst thunder and lightning in the dark sky. Flood breached the bank of rivers, every lane and meadow of the land. The Singtha River also brimmed over and gushes down carrying hiding locusts, crickets, frogs and snakes.
While having a leisurely walk at a small tributary of the Singtha River during the heavy rain, king Punshiba saw a strange and unusual sight of a locust crossing the stream in spate with the help of a dry twig.
The amazing scene aroused the enthusiasm of the king, and out of it, he conceived the idea of developing the design of a dugout canoe. By the time, the valley of Manipur was crisscrossed by the rivers and lakes and the only means for transportation was “Ungam or Pong”, meaning a raft. However, the difficulties of maneuvering raft necessitated the idea of making a canoe or a small boat.
King Punshiba entrusted the two great artisans of the land of Luwang, Nungban Wangmitkhu Khutheiba and Luwang Wangmanao Sinheiba to find a tree next to none, in height, length and width from the Koubru hill range and to make his prototype canoe. A strong and healthy Luwang ensemble went towards the Koubru hill range led by the two artisans with sharp axes and broadswords and enough food for the journey in search of a majestic tree as desired by the king.
On the way, suddenly while heading for the mighty Koubru, the Luwangs lustily eyed on an enchanting regal tree growing in isolated splendor at the lofty slopes of Kaoba Ingel hill. Wangmitkhu Khutheiba, the leader of the Luwang stopped the team from further proceeding, telling them that they would not be able to find such a majestic tree anywhere in the land of Luwang or even at the mighty Koubru hill.
The bushes surrounding the tree and earth bearing the majestic tree were cleaned and swept by the Luwangs. Wangmitkhu Sinheiba, the co-leader of the team requested the accompanying priest to conduct ritual consecration, offerings and prayers to be made in order to bring an agreement with the majestic tree before it was fallen down.
Offering of pieces of silver and gold were made with chosen flowers, fruits, rice, and eggs over a plantain leaf and sacrificing a fowl for the regal tree with ritual chanting by the priest. Singing the glory of the tree the priest told Wangmitkhu to make their mark on the princely tree with the sharp axe as the tree now belongs to the Luwangs now. Luwangs make their mark by chanting,
“Oh! Majestic Tree so today is the day.
The day you call yours,
For when tomorrow comes, your wishes and desires,
Will no longer be heard or fulfilled”?
As the sun prepared for his sleep, the tired Luwangs decided to take rest and pass the night near the foothill as they could not cut the tree when it has gone to sleep, according to the sacred traditional rituals. The Luwangs lay asleep to continue to cut the tree the next morning.
In the eerie silence of the night, Irok Laija Leima, the mother of the regal tree took the handsome tree in her bosom in utter pain and agony and lamented,
Oh! My gracious son,
So grand and beautiful!
Ignoring my advice and beseech to grow as an ordinary tree,
You chose to become, “U-ningthou”, the king of all trees.
The Luwangs have made axe marks on your trunk,
Offering shiny silver that personifies your father.
Red gold from the earth that embodies your mother.
Chosen flowers, fruits, eggs, and whitest rice.
They have recompensed for your life ritually.
When the sun wakes up to a new morning.
You will be hacked at your trunk and your body dismembered,
And you will lie prostrate on the ground.
Oh! My son, my rarest gem,
Who can crush this void of despair within me?
Who shall replace you, the world of my eyes?
But all my hopes have fallen apart,
Like wasted fruits and emaciated flowers.
Unable to bear the pain of separation and heartbreak, she screamed into the silence of the night.
Irok Ningthou, the king of rain and cloud, father of the giant Bonsum tree, joined the lamenting choir of Irok Laija Leima, birds, animals, and plants of Ingel hill.
The wails of Irok Ningthou, the father tree resounds through heaven and earth like thunder rolling down with anger in every gorge and creek of the hill and bequeathed his parting words.
“O My magnificent son, pride of your father,
How do I endure this pain of separation?
I am undone.”
“Oh! My beloved and dearest son,
When you reach the land of Luwangs
Make sure that your trunk is placed as head.
And your upper part as the toe of deity.
Your bare breast be encased with metals.
And your inside be waxed thoroughly.
Let you become a race boat of the Luwangs
Which must be offered prayers and rowed every Hiyangei6
To herald new hopes and aspiration in the land,
The boat which brings good health
And prosperity to the land and people.”
The divine parents had their last look with benevolence to the dearest son and returned as the sun dawns upon earth. The Luwangs felled down the gigantic tree with heavy axe blows and his branches are trimmed off. The Luwangs hollowed the trunk out after offering gold and silver at both ends of the trunk. They tied vines and ropes on the trunk to drag down from the hill slopes, but the tree refuses to move.
Wangmitkhu Khutheiba, holding an announcement stick “Urao Chei” raised his voice.
“Oh, Mighty tree! Do not hear the wail of your divine parents.
Don’t desire the worldly longing as you are fallen now”.
He prayed saying that Luwang King Punshiba simply does not wish to reduce you to a boat. He did not cut you down to break into pieces or to make a bridge, but to make the royal boat of the king.
The tree acquiesced and was brought down the hill through many slopes and gorges to the land of Luwangs. The tree trunk was fashioned and thoroughly waxed and painted by the great artisans of Luwang led by Luwang king Punshiba himself into a majestic boat.
Thus, was born the first Hiyang Hirel. On the auspicious day of the inauguration of the boat, the king placed the dry skull of the Sangai on the bow (Hiru) as a mark of dedication to his dearest brother Pudangkoi who had changed himself to Sangai (Brow Antlered Deer) through his divinity.
The Author is Principal, Mangolnganbi College, Ningthoukhong | Member, Manipur Biodiversity Board (MBB) | State Coordinator, Wetland International South Asia (WISA), Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), Manipur Chapter | Life Member, India National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)
(The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ukhrul Times. Ukhrul Times values and encourages diverse perspectives. The author can be reached at bsningthemcha@gmail.com)