A flower resembling snake may sound like an idea taken from fantasy fiction, especially given that it exists merely in local folklore these days.
But for the people of Manipur’s Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar, sight of the flower blooming once again is a reassurance that it is not extinct after all and no bad luck would befall as a consequence.
The flower called Khamasom Van has been sighted blooming in remote Khamasom Khayuipam , Khamasom village near the porous Indo-Myanmar border, thrilling local people. A seasonal flower, Khamasom Van –which means Khamasom village flower- was once the common feature on the Indo-Myanmar border and finds a mention in the oral folklore of the locality.
Local people lived in fear of bad luck as they thought the flower had gone extinct. Few days ago, however, the flower was seen blooming in densely forested and swampy area along the border in the Khamason Khayuipam peak.
Appearing more like a deadly snake than a blooming flower, Khamasom Van consists of a single petal stretching up to two feet. Khamasom Van used to bloom during monsoon and was considered auspicious by local people from both sides of the border, who used to look out for the flower during the season and never plucked it fearing heavenly curse. Strangely, the flower, which many local think may have medicinal qualities, is yet to be included in the botanical families.
The Botany department of Manipur University and state horticultural department did not do any extensive study on the flower, contributing to its mystery and enigma. So, when locals trek up the peak to watch Khamasom Van, it would look as if they were out there to watch a curly snake.