Description

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Context

After a two-year hiatus due to ethnic strife between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur, the event returned in 2025.

The Shirui Lily celebration is a five-day cultural and ecological celebration held in Manipur's Ukhrul district, home to the Tangkhul Naga tribe.
The event honors the endemic Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), a unique, bluish-pink bell-shaped flower found exclusively in the Shirui Hills, approximately 18 kilometers from Ukhrul town.
Frank Kingdon-Ward, an English botanist, discovered the flower in 1946 and won a merit prize at the 1948 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show in London.
Shirui Lily was proclaimed the state flower of Manipur by the government in 1989, however it is now threatened due to tourism demands and the invasion of an exotic bamboo species.
The festival aims to raise awareness about the flower's ecological importance and encourage conservation initiatives.

Common Name	Shirui Lily
Botanical Name	Lilium mackliniae (Named by botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward after his wife Jean Macklin)
Local Name	Kashong Timrawon
Found In	Shirui Hills, Ukhrul District, Manipur, India
Elevation	2,673 meters above sea level
Discovery	Scientifically identified in 1946 (though known to local people for centuries)
Habitat	Endemic to a narrow altitudinal range in the Shirui Hill range
Conservation Status	Endangered – Threatened by habitat loss, climate change, and invasive species
Cultural Significance	Symbol of the Tangkhul community; believed to be protected by the mythical deity Philava
State Flower	Official state flower of Manipur
Scientific Efforts	Conservation through lab-to-land micropropagation by ICAR-NEH scientists, led by Dr. Manas Sahoo

The festival's theme and implementation are consistent with India's overall goals of sustainable tourism, local economic empowerment, and biodiversity conservation, particularly in fragile hill environments.
By highlighting the Shirui Lily, the festival promotes botanical understanding, community participation, and eco-cultural tourism, ensuring that this unique bloom continues to inspire future generations.

Source: Indian Express

Practice Question:

Q. With reference to the Shirui Lily Festival, consider the following statements:

It is celebrated annually in the state of Arunachal Pradesh to promote eco-tourism.
The festival is named after Lilium mackliniae, a rare lily species endemic to the Shirui Hills.
The festival showcases the cultural heritage of the Tangkhul Naga tribe of Manipur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B. 2 and 3 only

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Shirui Lily Festival is celebrated in Manipur, not Arunachal Pradesh.
Statement 2 is correct: The festival is named after Lilium mackliniae, commonly known as the Shirui Lily, which is endemic to Shirui Hills in Ukhrul District, Manipur.
Statement 3 is correct: The festival celebrates the cultural heritage of the Tangkhul Naga tribe, native to the region.