Edited By Sangeeta Das
Calamus Inermis, a cane species used by
Lepchas to construct bamboo houses, has been rediscovered from the Dzongu
valley along River Teesta in Sikkim’s Mangan District by the Science and
Technology department’s scientists after over a century.
Currently, only seven populations are
there at the Dzongu valley that is around 65 km away from Gangtok town. Taryang,
the meeting point of Mani Kyung and Rungyong rivers, have three populations.
After completing the study along with Sonam
T Lepcha, Science and Technology department’s Joint Director cum Senior Scientific
Officer Sonam R Lepcha mentioned “people were unaware” about the species’
presence for “more than 100 years”.
The scientists, expressing concerns over
the drastic dip in its population, asserted to conserve the “endemic species”
of the Northeast, particularly Sikkim.
T Anderson in 1869 and SK Basu in 1992
reported presence of Calamus Inermis in Sikkim. However, herbarium specimen of
the species couldn’t be traced in major herbaria of Northeast Bharat.
Use of Calamus Inermis
Bamboo traditional houses and cane
bridges are constructed from its mature stems.
Lepcha traditional hat Sumok Thyaktuk, household
utensils and all forms of furniture are made from these stems.
Diabetes can be cured from the fruits of
Calamus Inermis.
Sonam mentioned Calamus Inermis, as per Dzongu
locals, was one of the dominating rattan species. Thus, the scientists examined
many pistillate inflorescences and found minute fruits with seeds and fimbriate
scales every time.
He said the Sumok Thyaktuk is the oldest
craft form, exclusive and unique to the Lepcha tribe living in Sikkim’s Dzongu
Tribal Reserve Area or DTRA. People convey traditional meaning and significance
through each part and artistic design of the hat.
During the regime of Sikkim’s Chogyal
dynasty, the hat was the royal soldier’s headgear. Wearing it during ceremonies
related to the tribe’s marriages, worship and other festivals is mandatory, mentioned
Sonam.
Ravong, situated under Hee Gyathang GPU,
was once abundant with Calamus Inermis but were uprooted, destroyed and cleared
to facilitate farming of large cardamom during the 50s to 70s.
Moreover, Lepchas considered plantation
of the rattan during those periods as taboo, as stated by the study published
in Pleione journal.
“While executing the project on Cane
Conservation – about 1,500 saplings were raised from the seedlings and
transplanted at the sacred grooves of some important monasteries of Dzongu
tribal Reserve area,” stated the paper.
