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As you step into the forest, the gentle interplay of light and shadow dances across the forest floor, creating an enchanting mosaic beneath your feet. The serenity of this place, enhanced by the harmonious symphony of chirping crickets, offers more than just a fleeting moment of beauty—it’s an experience that leaves a lasting impression, connecting you to the heart of nature.
For someone born in a hill tribe, the forest is a maternal figure, providing protection, sustenance, and nurturing. It is revered as a divine force that governs the tribe. Despite potential encounters with racism on the mainland, when within the hills, they feel secure, akin to a child feeling safe with their parents.
MAWPHLANG: The sacred grove
The scenic land of Sohra, situated in Meghalaya, is known for its striking landscapes and the numerous mysteries that invite exploration. Among these mysteries lies the captivating and enigmatic Mawphlang, the sacred forest. Situated approximately 27.3 km from Shillong, Mawphlang is not only celebrated for its serene atmosphere but also revered for its deep religious and spiritual significance.
Sacred groves are thriving forest areas protected by the local communities due to their deep religious significance. Commercial exploitation is strictly prohibited in these areas. Mawphlang, like the Semkhor village in Assam, is also considered a sacred grove.
At the entrance, there are few monoliths and one must pray to them before entering the forest. Monoliths (Mono=one and Lith=stone) are huge structures carved from single stone. They are erected to commemorate the valor of the heros in the battle. Erect verticals represent males while the horizontal flat ones represent females. Huge monoliths in the front yards of the houses are a common scene in the villages of Sohra, but these monoliths at the forest entrance are special as they are dedicated to the ancestors and deities.
The moment you enter into the forest you will experience a sharp drop in the temperature due to heavy forest cover. It's an enchanting experience which cannot be expressed but only felt. It feels like you have rewound to the stone age and are unfolding new mysteries with every step into the forest cover.
THE STORY BEHIND THE MAWPHLANG FOREST
The technical name of the forest is Law Lyngdoh named after the Lyngdoh clan.They created this forest and dedicated it to their spirit god "U Rybkw U Basa"
According to legends there is a story behind MAWPHLANG. Many years ago, the elders of Lyndoh came to Mawphlang and offered prayers to the Forest spirit. Pleased by their devotion, God appeared and asked them to find a woman named Khmah Nongsai who is destined to be their queen. The quest began and the elders traveled to almost every village but could not find any lady by that name. When the devotees ran out of their luck, they prayed to the spirit once again and requested for more information. The spirit said that Khmah Nongsai lives in the Laitsohma village of the Sohra jungles. Therefore, the people went to the village and requested Nongsai to be their queen. However, to everyone's surprise Khmah declined the proposal. After successive persuasion she agreed upon one condition. She planted two saplings (Diengsohma , Botanical name: Rhus chinensis and Diengsning Botanical name: Castanopsis indica) each in Mawphlang and Laitsohma and said that out of these two places wherever the two saplings grow, she will stay there.
After one year, only one sapling grew in Laitsohma but two of the saplings flourished in Mawphlang. Thus, Khmah Nongsai became the new queen of the clan. She then planted more and more trees around those two saplings and the area transformed into a sacred forest.
When Nongsai prayed in the forest the Spirit appeared again and said that her son shall be the new king of the clan and ordered his coronation ceremony to be held at a specified place in the forest. This place is still preserved in the forest. It comprises a few monoliths covered by moss. There is one large monolith before which animals are sacrificed. Till date all the royal coronation ceremonies are performed in this place according to all the rituals. It is said that if the Holy Spirit is pleased with the newly elected king there is bright sunshine and if not then it rains cats and dogs.
SOME INTERESTING RITUALS
There is one strict protocol for the worship to be offered in the sacred forest i.e. all the necessary items must be brought in one go and once someone enters the forest he is not allowed to return back until the worship is successfully complete. At the entrance itself there is a checkpoint made of few short heighted monoliths where one must cross check if all the items are brought or not.
The customs also demand for animal sacrifice and there are special norms for it.
- The bull must be raised in the village by the villagers themselves.
- No animal can be imported from elsewhere for sacrifice.
- The cattle must be free from any sort of deformities, cuts or wounds to be considered pure and hence eligible for sacrifice.
- The sacrifice ritual is performed near a large monolith in the heart of the jungle.
- The bull is given a bath in the nearby stream and given due respect
[Nowadays, chickens are sacrificed in the place of bulls]
Since the bull is raised by the villagers with love and care it is very difficult to sacrifice the cattle. But this symbolizes devotion to the holy spirit and the fact that everything is submissive to nature.
According to legends if the holy spirit BASA is pleased with the sacrifice he appears as a leopard in the forest and showers blessings and if he's not satisfied, he comes as a snake, symbolizing misfortune. In the second case some other rituals are prescribed by the elders.
YOU CAN NOT PLUCK A SINGLE LEAF
Nobody is allowed to take a single leaf or even a dead log outside the forest. This rule has been strictly followed by the locals and the tourists are also made to follow the same. This forest belongs to the deity and not a single leaf moves without his permission. Any activities such as discharge of bodily wastes or littering the area may enrage the holy spirits and this may lead to utter misfortune. It is said that one who intentionally harms the forest will be punished brutally by nature itself and this may even be death.
The locals claim that whoever tried to take something from here faced many problems such as a landslide while returning. In 1970 some army men took timber from this forest for their camp. Locals say that their car crashed in the middle of the highway and the driver fell sick.
IN SITU CONSERVATION
Because of such strong religious beliefs nobody is allowed to exploit the village, not even the locals. There are many rare and endangered flora and fauna which can be of high value in the modern world but none of them. Around 95% of the mushrooms are poisonous, there are many panchmukhi and trimukhi roodraksh found here which are really expensive.
Since the locals themselves do not use any of them for business, outsiders are also not allowed and it's very strict.
Even if a large tree dies and falls down, nobody is allowed to sit over it or make it a tourist spot. Just like a human dead body is treated with due respect; the community believes that the tree who has protected us all throughout its life also deserves respect after death because it's also a living entity.
Ultimately, this practice turns out to be a form of in situ conservation and the forest is preserved in its holy, pristine condition and it transitions as per the wishes of nature.
It's important to remember that at the dawn of human civilization, life began in the forests before transitioning to the concrete world. Every one of us has roots in the forests, which have always provided for our needs. However, today, it's clear that our needs have been overshadowed by greed, creating a rift between us and nature. Even in today's age, it's truly heartwarming to see how the Khasi tribe has beautifully preserved the sacred forest with utter devotion and respect, keeping it in its pristine condition. As they rightly say:
"There is no sacred forest without a kingdom. There is no kingdom without a sacred forest"