Ukhrul: The Shirui Lily and the Tangkhul Naga Hills
About 85 kilometres northeast of Imphal, Ukhrul is the kind of place that makes you wonder why it never made the standard itinerary. The district is home to the Shirui Lily, Lilium mackliniae, a pale pink flower that grows nowhere else on earth and blooms only between May and June on the slopes of Shirui Hill. The Tangkhul Naga people have lived in these hills for centuries, and their weaving traditions, stone-paved village paths, and community festivals are not staged for visitors. The Shirui Lily Festival, held annually around the bloom season, is a genuine community event rather than a tourism production. Accommodation is basic, homestays in Ukhrul town are your best option, but the food is worth the simplicity. Smoked pork with bamboo shoot, prepared the Tangkhul way, is reason enough to make the drive.
