26/05/2025
High up in the Shirui Kashong range of Ukhrul, at an altitude of 5,600 to 8,500 feet, blooms a flower that exists nowhere else on Earth, The Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae). This beautiful and rare flower grows only on the slopes of Shirui Peak, refusing to bloom anywhere else, no matter how carefully it’s been transplanted.
Discovered in 1946 by British botanist Frank Kingdon Ward, the lily was named after his wife, Jean Macklin. It earned global recognition when it won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Merit Prize in 1948. But for the people of Manipur, it’s more than a flower. Locals call it Kashong Timrawon and legends say the flower grew from the soul of a waiting princess or a tragic love story, still whispering through the misty hills.
This seasonal flower blossoms only once a year, usually from May 15 to June 5. It has pale pink petals with a bluish tint and a unique quality under a microscope, seven different colours can be seen. Some believe that each petal tells a story.
In earlier times, one plant could bloom up to 11 or 12 flowers. Now, you’re lucky to find even 4 or 5. Climate change, habitat disturbance, and rising tourism pressure have all taken a toll. And during this year’s Shirui Lily Festival, there were heartbreaking reports of people plucking and wasting the rare flowers all for photos, souvenirs, or out of ignorance.
This flower is not just a tourist attraction. It is a living heritage, a symbol of Manipur’s natural beauty, and a reminder that some things can only thrive when we respect and protect them.
The Shirui Lily stands tall yet fragile. Its survival depends on all of us.
Let’s not let this rare beauty fade away.
Let’s cherish it and protect it for generations to come.
