SHILLONG: There is an effort to document ‘Law Lieng’ Sacred Forest at Sohra Rim village under Hima Nongkhlaw Syiemship.
John Kharshiing, Co-Chairman, Meghalaya State Planning Board, who recently visited the area, said the elders had passed on stories from generation to generation about the Sacred Forest at Sohra Rim village.
The purpose of the visit was part of the efforts of the Grand Council of Chiefs and SPIKAP to pursue with the Clans, the Dorbar Kur, the Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima to document all the historical and biodiversity knowledge available with the elders about the Sacred Forest in Meghalaya.
As per the legend known to the elders of Sohra Rim village, two large boats had landed and stopped at the Law Lieng (Lieng means boat) wherein the Sacred Forest has been standing.
Kharshiing said this narration and finding is significant to historians and scientists as this information would be interesting globally as there would be many theories as to how two boats stopped and landed at Sohra Rim which is presently about 5800 feet above sea level. The elders also narrated that probably the entire area was under water and must have risen up due to other natural occurrences which must have happened millions of years ago.
Deputy Syiem K.M. Syiemlieh of Hima Nongkhlaw Syiemship agreed to extend their cooperation to the Society for Promotion of Indigenous Knowledge and Practice (SPIKAP) which would assist and help the documentation of the Sacred Forest.
