Indigenous beliefs help protect untouched forest in Manipur’s Phunal Maring

At a time when governments, organisations and communities are increasingly adopting measures to protect forests from the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, an indigenous belief system in Phunal Maring village of Manipur has been quietly preserving a forested area for generations.

 

Phunal Maring, a Naga village located around 20 km from Imphal near Waithou Hill, is home to a sacred forest surrounding the Phunal Ningthou Telheiba Temple. Unlike conventional conservation efforts that involve plantation drives or other interventions, the forest here has remained largely untouched because of deeply rooted traditional beliefs.

 

Manipur is known for its rich biodiversity and extensive forest cover. However, deforestation caused by activities such as jhum cultivation, poppy cultivation, commercial logging and infrastructure development has contributed to environmental degradation. The article notes that Manipur lost around 16 per cent of its tree cover between 2001 and 2025.

 

The effects of climate change are also increasingly being felt across the state, with rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions contributing to concerns such as flash floods and droughts. Against this backdrop, the traditional conservation practice at Phunal Maring offers an example of how indigenous belief systems can contribute to protecting natural ecosystems.

 

The forest surrounding the sacred site of Phunal Ningthou Telheiba remains largely unharmed because villagers believe that cutting or damaging trees could invite the wrath of the deity. Trekking through the area reveals large and old trees, naturally fallen trunks, insects, birds and diverse flora and fauna.

 

Ansong Menai, the caretaker of the Phunal Ningthou Telheiba Temple, said he has been looking after the hilltop temple for more than two decades. According to him, the prohibition against cutting trees has been followed for generations.

 

He said villagers believe that anyone who damages trees around the sacred site could face supernatural consequences, including illness, death or misfortune in the family. Even naturally fallen old trees are not used. According to the belief system, anyone wishing to cut a tree must first offer prayers to the deity.

 

Although most residents of Phunal Maring have now embraced Christianity, the traditional belief associated with the sacred site continues to be respected. Ansong, who is in his 80s, said only a small number of people in the village continue to follow Sanamahism, while the wider community continues to honour the traditional practices surrounding the temple.

 

The sacred site also attracts visitors from different parts of Manipur. A grand annual feast is organised at the temple, during which Meitei devotees also visit to offer prayers.

 

P Meba, Chairman of Phunal Maring, said his family converted to Christianity around 36 years ago but continues to respect the traditional practices associated with the sacred forest.

 

“We never cut a single tree from the sacred site,” he said, adding that villagers have witnessed people allegedly facing the consequences of cutting trees in the protected area. He also pointed out that rare species can be found in the region because the forest has remained largely untouched.

 

The conservation of the forest has therefore taken place without formal plantation drives or extensive human intervention. Instead, faith, tradition and community respect have acted as an unwritten protection mechanism.

 

With temperatures rising across Manipur in recent years, the preservation of such forest patches could assume greater significance. The experience of Phunal Maring demonstrates how indigenous belief systems and community practices can play a role in protecting biodiversity and maintaining local ecological balance.

 

However, Ansong expressed concern that the indigenous faith and its associated traditions could gradually disappear. He appealed for efforts to preserve the age-old belief system, which has indirectly helped protect the sacred forest for generations.

 

Phunal Maring's story highlights a simple but powerful lesson: conservation does not always begin with laws or campaigns—it can also emerge from a community's deep cultural relationship with nature.