Piulong village meadow

Piulong village which is also known as "Bunning" is a small village under Tamei Sub-Division of Tamenglong District, Manipur. It is located about 8km from Tamei. The village is flanked by Kabonram on the east, Langpran on the west, Tharon on the south and Dinkuiram on the north. The Picturesque valley has enchanting meadow where blooms the wild lily (locally named Ngairipin) and Terrestrial orchid (locally namedBellitwin) during the month of March to May. The particular village is climatically cool and blessed with snow in the winter starting from November to February. In addition villagers informed that there are numerous medicinal plants including Gingsen, Pitcher Plant and Paris Polyphylla Smith (Singpan) abundantly found in the valley. They further claim that botanist identified plant "TrichopusZeylanicus" is also found growing in the dense forest.

In the valley, there are around 30 tiny mounts/hills. Witnessing the nature's beauty from the watch tower build up on one of the top of these tiny mounts is an immense life time experience for the visitors. The valley has main 7 streams as tributaries of Agaki River, which is the perennial source of water especially for Tamei and surrounding villages. Agaki River has formed a waterfall that can be seen from the approaching road to Piulong village on Imphal-Tamenglong Road.

The waterfall is just about few km from the village but the way connecting to the waterfall is not properly develop, therefore it may miss out by the travellers. Agaki River is well maintained by Piulong villagers and some part of the river which has a depth of about 10meter is utilising as fish farm. The river has abandoned of many rare indigenous fish including "Nungnga" and "Ngapun" . Other fish varieties weighing 3 to 5 kg was also found in this clean river.

The valley has also a cave "Chelenki Cave" in western part of the valley where many bats are available.  On the way towards the cave there is a foot print marked on the big flat stone which is presumed to be of the then unknown "Meitei King" of Manipur. Apart from the scenic beauty of Piulong Valley, the Piulong Village that houses about 50 number having the total population of about 500 from three different communities residing in the Piulong Village are Chawang, Pamei and Newmai maintain harmony and a peaceful live. The warm and friendly behaviour of the villagers added the beauty of the valley.

The main source of income for livelihood is agriculture. They practice Jhum cultivation, piggery, dairy, domestic poultry, sell lychen and wood logs. The villagers gutted fired the meadow every year in winter days as a mechanism to counter forest wild fire. Burning of dried herbs and bush may lead to extinction of rare wild lily and terrestrial orchid which are not widely known to many adventure tourists. The connecting road to village from Kabonram which is about only 3 km is in pathetic condition. It results to take more than an hour by foot. The particular road could be claim as motorable but the driver and passenger have to take risk of live, if opted vehicular ride. Therefore, the necessity to promote tourism is the need of the hour to cope up the exploitation of nature's beauty of Piulong Valley.

It would be more interesting to the tourist or visitor to experience the house build up on the flat rock, thatched huts, sandy nature road, wooden bridges, wooden fence houses and boundaries, the church bell, nomenclatures of the valley and village, the tree buds used as spoon and household decorative items, favourable weather to fruit apple, mosquito free home, pond on the hill and lots more after having a visit to this unexplored nature' gifted beauty valley.

Author : Maisnam Nongpokngamba