Shirui Lily Festival 2026

Every year in mid-to-late May (**celebrated across four thrilling days and nights of mountain trekking, cultural folk arts, and roaring rock concerts**), the misty hill district of Ukhrul in eastern Manipur hosts its supreme annual eco-tourism gala: the Shirui Lily Festival.

The centerpiece of the festival is Manipur's sacred state flower: the **Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae)**, known in the indigenous Tangkhul Naga dialect as **Kashong Won** (The Flower of the Peak). Growing at an altitude between 2,500 and 2,835 meters atop the windswept ridges of **Shirui Kashong Peak**, this botanical marvel is strictly endemic—it thrives exclusively on this specific micro-climatic peak in Manipur and cannot grow, bloom, or be transplanted anywhere else on the planet. Discovered for international botanical science in 1946 by renowned English explorer Frank Kingdon-Ward (who named it after his wife Jean Macklin), the lily captured global admiration and won the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Award of Merit in London in 1948. Under Tangkhul Naga mythology, the lily is revered as the spiritual daughter of the mountain guardian spirit, *Philis*, watching over the emerald valleys below.

The festival unites two extraordinary facets of contemporary hill culture: mindful ecological trekking to witness the delicate, bell-shaped pale pink and lilac blossoms along the upper mountain meadows, paired with the explosive energy of **ShiRock**—Northeast India's premier international rock music championship held at Bakshi Ground in Ukhrul town, drawing thousands of music fans to watch legendary Indian and international rock bands perform under starry mountain skies.

The structured sequence of high-altitude mountain trails, indigenous exhibitions, and rock concerts:

The botanical ecology of Shirui Peak, tribal textile symbolism, and Ice Age archaeological caves in Ukhrul:

• Botanical Wonder of Lilium mackliniae: The bell-shaped flower bears 1 to 7 blooms per stem, opening with pale pink outer petals and subtle pale-blue and violet inner tints; picking the endangered flower is strictly prohibited by tribal law.
• Tangkhul Traditional Attire (Haora & Luirim): Handwoven heavy cotton shawls adorned with bold geometric bands of crimson, black, and white, traditionally draped over warrior tunics during celebratory gatherings.
• Kachai Lemon (GI Tag): Indigenous to Kachai village in Ukhrul, this extraordinary lemon contains up to 51% ascorbic acid—the highest recorded vitamin C concentration of any natural citrus cultivar in India.
• Khangkhui Mangsor Prehistoric Caves (16 km): A massive limestone cave network with calcified stalactite chambers where stone artifacts dating to the late Pleistocene Ice Age (over 30,000 years old) were excavated.

Savor authentic indigenous Tangkhul Naga mountain cuisine cooked over wood embers in black Longpi pots:

Ukhrul is nestled in the eastern mountains of Manipur near the Myanmar border:

• By Air: Bir Tikendrajit International Airport in Imphal (Station Code: IMF - 85 km / 3.5 hours drive via NH 202) connects frequent non-stop flights from Kolkata, Guwahati, Delhi, and Bengaluru.
• By Road: Shared Tata Sumos and private rental taxis operate daily from the North AOC Sumo Stand in Imphal directly to Ukhrul town (3.5 hours on scenic mountain winding roads).
• By Rail: Dimapur Railway Station in Nagaland (Station Code: DMU - 220 km / 7.5 hours via Kohima and Imphal) is the nearest major railway trunk hub.

Plan your trip for mid-to-late May to coincide with peak blooming and festival activities:

• Blooming Window: The Shirui Lily blooms exclusively from **mid-May to early June**; festival dates are announced by Manipur Tourism each spring based on mountain temperature and bud development.
• Mountain Trekking Gear: The ascent from Shirui village base camp to the peak takes approximately **2 hours of uphill hiking on stone steps and dirt trails**. Wear sturdy ankle-support trekking boots, carry a waterproof rain jacket or poncho (pre-monsoon showers are common), a walking pole, and at least 2 liters of drinking water.
• Accommodation: Ukhrul has cozy traditional Naga homestays and community eco-camps set up around Shirui village and Bakshi Ground; book homestays **at least 6 to 8 weeks in advance**.

Protect the delicate high-altitude mountain ecosystem of Shirui Kashong:

• Strict No-Plucking Law: Plucking, uprooting, or trampling the Shirui Lily is a serious criminal offense enforced by the local Shirui Village Youth Council and Forest Department with heavy monetary penalties.
• Zero Plastic Policy: Single-use plastic bottles, plastic food packaging, and wrappers are strictly banned on the mountain; carry reusable stainless steel or silicone water bottles.
• Stay on Marked Trails: Never stray off established stone walking paths onto the grassy meadows, as walking compresses fragile soil and damages dormant lily bulbs beneath the turf.

Explore these fascinating geological formations, ancestral artisan hamlets, and historic sites in Ukhrul district:

• Khangkhui Mangsor Cave (16 km): A natural prehistoric limestone cave system containing calcified rock formations where local villagers sheltered during fierce battles of World War II.
• Longpi Pottery Village (35 km North): The historic artisan village where generational Tangkhul craftsmen mold black serpentinite clay pots using ancient stone-crushing techniques.
• Phungcham Heritage Village (28 km): An ancient Tangkhul hilltop village famous for traditional wooden homes, stone megaliths, and the legend of the star-crossed lovers Shimreishang and Maitonphi.
• Nilai Tea Estate & Hundung Cliffs (15 km): Organic hill tea plantations cultivating wild aromatic green tea surrounded by dramatic limestone cliff faces.