Title of film : The Jungle Man... Loiya
Cast & crew :
Producer : Films Division
Editor : Farha Khatun
Cast :
Synopsis : The film tells the story of Loiya Ngamba, a nature lover who chanced upon an area in Punshilok in Langol hill range in Manipur and created a green space for the local communities. When Loiya came upon Punshilok it was straggly, rock-strewn patch of land with nothing growing on it except for some wild weeds. He started by clearing the area of weeds and was eventually able to de-silt the stream, making it a good source of drinking water for the people of the valley. For six years Loiya stayed alone on the hill, building this forest, almost from scratch, but slowly it expanded and extended to many young people who joined him in this endeavour bringing in their own dreams and aspirations, and making this place a refuge for the tired souls. Amidst the backdrop of conflict ridden Manipur, surviving its everyday drudgery and turmoil of bullets and oppression, this little piece of land became a bubble where one could reflect on oneself, practice one’s art or just spend some time in peace. The film explores the rewarding journey of Loiya, of the forest and the people who have come to associate themselves with this place. The soundscape of the film too tells the story of this journey through the murmuring of leaves, chirping of birds, through music created in harmony with nature. At a time when trees are cut down rampantly in the name of ‘development’, when ‘civilization’, ‘urbanization’ has come to mean building blocks of concrete, when forests are being cleared and sold off to corporate houses to usher in ‘mordernity’, this film asks pertinent questions as it tells the story of reorienting man’s relationship with nature and building a culture of peaceful coexistence.
