Celebrating 75 years of Kashong Timrawon, the State Flower of Manipur.

Shirui Lily in full bloom ahead of the 75th year anniversary of the Lily. Photo by Kahorpam Horam

2025 marks 75 years since the Shirui Lily was displayed at the Chelsea Flower Show in England by botanist and horticulturist Frederick Claude Stern. The bulbs of the lily had been sent to England by Francis Kingdon Ward from Shirui in 1946. Frederick, who was regarded at that time as the greatest living expert on lilies, grew the bulbs in glass for over 18 months before it finally blossomed. The discovery of this unique lily which exhibits seven colours when observed under a microscope was awarded with the Prestigious Merit Prize by the Royal Horticultural Society in May 1950.

Prior to the seed bulbs undertaking the voyage across the Indian Ocean and gaining its popularity, it was an ordinary flower that the locals barely batted an eye on. Earlier, the locals referred to the flower as Kashongwon translating literally as ‘Flower of Kashong’. Since the flower only bloomed in the upper reaches of Shirui Kashong, local hunters who frequented the dense Kashong range were the first ones who became familiar with the flower.

Earlier, the locals referred to the flower as Kashongwon translating literally as ‘Flower of Kashong’ Photo by Chuimaran Shangh

At that time, a greater significance was placed on Shirui Kashong, the peak where the flower grows. Considered by the locals as the abode of the Kashong Philava, a goddess who is believed to be its deity, the peak was highly revered by the locals. The reverence of the peak and its deity are seen in many works of Tangkhul literature that regards Kashong as more than just a physical location. Every year, the bounty of the year’s harvest was also predicted based on the thickness of snowfall/hailstorm at Kashong peak and how long it took to melt/thaw.

Hailstorms at Shirui are a regular occurrence during the start of the year.

Standing at 2590 meters, the peak also stands out as an important vantage point offering a view of both Myanmar and the Imphal valley on clear days. It was precisely because of the advantage the peak offered that led Fransis Kingdon Ward to scale the peak in 1946 while on a mission to locate the remnants of three US aircrafts that had crashed in between Manipur and Myanmar during the Second World War. The chance ascent to the peak made him come across bulbs of the lily and the bulbs he collected went on to be grown by Fred Stern introducing it to the world.

The peak's high vantage point was one of the reasons why Kingdon Ward climbed Kashong, ultimately leading to him finding bulbs of Shirui Lily. Photo by Chuimaran Shangh

Once the flower was officially name Shirui Lily by the botanists, the locals also started calling the flower Kashong Timrawon rather than Kashongwon. The term Timrawon being a local translation of the word ‘Lily’. The flower was declared the State Flower of Manipur in 1989 by the Government of Manipur and has been a source of inspiration and reverence to the locals as well as tourists ever since. In early summer each year, thousands of tourists undertake the three-hour trek to the top of Kashong peak to catch a glimpse of the humble pink lily which is known to symbolise kindness and prosperity.

Every year, thousands of tourists throng to trek Shirui Kashong to see the state flower Shirui Lily which is regarded as a symbol of kindness and prosperity. (Photo by Chuimaran Shangh)

However, high tourist influx coupled with poor environmental etiquettes from tourists threatened to put the survival of the endangered lily on the brink at the turn of the new century.

It is thanks to the selfless efforts and dedication of the locals and the Shirui Youth Club which led to the revival and regeneration of the state flower in recent years. Today, endangered lily also continues to be taken care of by the Shirui Youth Club who have undertaken various activities to protect and repopulate the lily again.

The village youths have taken up various initiatives to repopulate the State Flower again in the past decade.

In cognisant of the conservation efforts made by the locals and the endangered nature of the flower, the State Government declared the first Shirui Lily Festival in 2017 to celebrate the endangered flower and to initiate more activities focused towards its protection.

The 75th Anniversary Celebration of the State Shirui Lily Festival will be celebrated under the theme "Celebrating for Peace and Harmony in Diversity"

This year’s Shirui Lily Festival marks 75 years since the humble lily growing in the Northeastern corner of India was recognised among botanists and horticulturists for its uniqueness. The theme of this year’s festival “Celebrating for Peace and Harmony in Diversity” reflects the nature of the flower which exudes humility and peace as the State heads towards a crucial juncture in the quest for peace and harmony among the many vibrant communities that inhabit the state.