Plants associated in forecasting and beliefs within the Meitei community of Manipur, Northeast India.
Singh H. B.
Author Affiliation: North-East Institute of Science & Technology (CSIR), Substation, Lamphelpat - 795 004, Imphal, India.
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 10 : 190-193
Abstract : This paper reports on a total of 10 plant species of different families which are used as indicators in forecasting weather, in predicting natural calamities, or as taboos or signals of bad omens, among the Meitei community of Manipur state in North eastern India. These plants belong to dicot (6 species), monocot (3 species) and pteridophyte (single species) and are both cultivated (5 species) and grown wildly (rest 5 species). The four species namely, Alocasia indica, Brassica campestris, Hibiscus cannabinus and Mangifera indica are cultivated purely for food purpose while Platycerium wallichi is cultivated as decorative pot plant. The species namely, Quercus serrata in not cultivated in private lands. This knowledge system is still prevalent among the local people, especially in rural areas.