Sihai (pronounced as "SI-HAI") is a general reference to a group of villages (settlements: Sihai Khullen, Sihai Khunou and Sihai Kahaophung) in the north of
Ukhrul District headquarters in
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
. Sihai Khullen, the nearest from
Ukhrul
Ukhrul/Hunphun ( Meitei pronunciation:/ˈuːkˌɹəl or ˈuːkˌɹʊl/) is a town in the state of Manipur, India. Ukhrul is the home of the Tangkhul Nagas. It is the administrative headquarter of the Ukhrul district. There are also four sub-div ...
is about 37 kilometers from
Ukhrul
Ukhrul/Hunphun ( Meitei pronunciation:/ˈuːkˌɹəl or ˈuːkˌɹʊl/) is a town in the state of Manipur, India. Ukhrul is the home of the Tangkhul Nagas. It is the administrative headquarter of the Ukhrul district. There are also four sub-div ...
, connected partially by
National Highway 150 (Imphal-Kohima via Ukhrul and Jessami Highway).
![Sihai Phangrei](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Sihai_Phangrei.jpg)
Sihai Khullen is about 7 miles from Zero Point, a small hamlet at the foothill of Sihai Phangrei. Sihai phangrei is a long flat hill range, one of the favorite picnic spots in Ukhrul district. The hill range joins with the
Shirui Peak/Shirui Kashong, home of the famous flower
Shirui Lily
''Lilium mackliniae'', the Shirui lily or Shirui Kashung Timrawon, is a rare Indian species of plant found only in the upper reaches of the Shirui hill ranges in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, India, at an elevation of above sea level. It is l ...
(Lilium mackliniae)
Neighboring villages of the settlements are
Khamasom,
Longpi
Longpi (pronounced "long-pee") is a general reference to two villages (Longpi Kajui and Longpi Khullen) in the Ukhrul District of the Indian state of Manipur. Longpi is about north of Ukhrul, connected by National Highway 150 (Imphal-Kohima via ...
,
Lunghar
Lunghar village is located north of Ukhrul in Ukhrul district, Manipur state, India. Lunghar villagers call Lunghar as Lunghir, Lunghar village is very fertile and rich in vegetation and fruits. People all around the Manipur are enchanted by the ...
,
Shirui
Shirui, initially called Shiroy/Shiroi, is a village located north of Ukhrul in Ukhrul district, Manipur state, India. The village is 15 kilometers from Ukhrul. National Highway 150 Imphal-Kohima via Jessami passes through the village. The villag ...
,
Mapum
Mapum is a village located east of Ukhrul in Ukhrul district, Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizora ...
and
Zingsui.
Population
According to 2011 census, Sihai Khullen has 188 households with the total of 867 people of which 448 are male and 419 are female. Of the total population, 145 were in the age group of 0–6 years. The average sex ratio of the village is 938 female to 1000 male which is lower than the state average 985. The literacy rate of the village stands at 72.58% which is lower than the state average 76.94%. Male literacy rate stands at 77.42% while female literacy rate was 67.43%.
According to 2011 census, Sihai Khunou has 80 households with the total of 372 people of which 194 are male and 178 are female. Of the total population, 73 were in the age group of 0–6 years. The average sex ratio of the village is 918 female to 1000 male which is lower than the state average 985. The literacy rate of the village stands at 51.51% which is lower than the state average 76.94%. Male literacy rate stands at 58.13% while female literacy rate was 43.88%.
History
The original name of the settlement is 'Saanhee' meaning 'cow's gem' in the local dialect and 'Sei-hai' in Tangkhul dialect, the common vernacular of the
Tangkhul Naga tribe.'The settlement became better known as Sihai as outsiders find it hard to call the settlement by the local name. However, the neighboring villages refer to the settlements as Cow's Jewel in their respective dialects.
![Sihai Waterfall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Sihai_Waterfall.png)
The origin of the name is traced back to the time of migration and settlement based on a legend believed by the settlers. According to the legend, a cow was slaughtered as sacrifice to commemorate the occasion of the settlement and that a jewel was found in the cow's bowel.
The jewel found inside the cow as said by the settlers was given away to the daughter of the village chief as a marriage gift who married the son of Phungcham Chief.
Phungcham
Phungcham is a village located north of Ukhrul in Ukhrul district, Manipur state, India. The village is approximately 28 kilometers from Ukhrul and is connected by inter village road constructed under PMGSY. Phungcham is flanked by Longpi and Lun ...
is a village approximately 35 kilometers north of
Ukhrul
Ukhrul/Hunphun ( Meitei pronunciation:/ˈuːkˌɹəl or ˈuːkˌɹʊl/) is a town in the state of Manipur, India. Ukhrul is the home of the Tangkhul Nagas. It is the administrative headquarter of the Ukhrul district. There are also four sub-div ...
. The jewel till then was in the custody of the village chief and his predecessors for several generations.
After staying together in a single location for several centuries, the original settlement got bifurcated into two, with almost half of the settlers moving further east in the 19th century. The main reason for the relocation was to occupy and cultivate more of the inherited fertile arable land that lies beyond the river. The old settlement was named Sihai Khullen/Phungcham (old settlement) and the new settlement was named Sihai Khunou/Phungdhar (new settlement).
Sihai Khunou later got bifurcated into Sihai Khunou and Sihai Kahaophung. Until recently the three settlements were under one chief.
People and Occupation
Agriculture is the main occupation of the settlers. The main crops grown in these settlements are rice, corn, and pulses of many varieties. Sihai Khullen is well known in Ukhrul district for cabbage cultivation and its large scale export. Sihai in general is also famous for it traditional bamboo handicrafts. Bamboo products from the village include various types of baskets locally called sopkai, pengkai, luk, ngala shung, kashai, shung, etc. Sihai is also famous in the district for uniqueness of the folk songs and folk dance.
99.9% of the population are Christians. Literacy rate of the settlements is 64%.
Vegetation
The settlements as a whole has a rich reserve of both rare and common
flora and fauna
In biology, an organism () is any living system that functions as an individual entity. All organisms are composed of cells (cell theory). Organisms are classified by taxonomy into groups such as multicellular animals, plants, and fungi; ...
. The place is famous for the rich variety of
rhododendrons
''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...
that bloom in the spring season. During April and May one can see the whole spring beds covered with white and red
rhododendrons
''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...
, locally called as Anyii-van/Ngayawon and Koktaa-van/Kokluiwon. Sihai also is home to various varieties of
orchids
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
that blooms round the year. Fruits grown in Sihai are peach, plum, grapes, passion fruit, pear, and apple.
References
{{Ukhrul district
Villages in Ukhrul district