Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 01 2022: A programme was held today at Kumbi to remember the Sambal Lei Sekpil which was inducted in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest topiary plant in the world at 61 feet.

The plant which attracted the attention of the world was nurtured by one Moirangthem Okendro from Kumbi since 1981 but the flower plant died in 2016 after scaling a height of 61 feet.

Okendro named the plant as Thoibi fondly.

Seeing his keen interest in the art of topiary, mother of Okendro , Moirangthem Angoubi funded all resources wholeheartedly in the establishment of Sambal Lei Sekpil School.

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Moirangthem Okendro stated that the Sambal Lei Sekpil he planted at his residence was brought from Tera by his sister in 1981 .

Saying that he started nurturing the many plants which were planted by his sister after completing BSc in Agri from Meerut University, Okendro continued that he decided to decorate one particular plant in a certain way and it turned into the Sambal Lei Sekpil which many are aware of.

Okendra continued that he dedicatedly nurtured the plant despite not getting any support from his parents in the first place.

After a decade of dedication, the plant scaled a height of 15 feet and started drawing the attention of local populace, he said and added that he displayed his creation to a mela at Imphal on the suggestion of friends and experts from Horticulture Society Manipur.

After displaying at the mela, the plant was shifted to Sayang Kuraomakhong, Okendra informed and added the Sambal Lei Sekpil entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest flower plant in the world in 2003 .

Continuing that the Sambal Lei Sekpil died in November 2016 after constant withering, Okendro maintained that he opted to preserve the remains of the plant for future study as per the suggestion of experts and are being displayed at Sambal Lei Sekpil School till today.

He further stated the Sambal Lei Sekpil withered due to global warming and lack of care.

Maintaining that many people from around the world expressed desire to buy the Sambal Lei Sekpil but ne denied the proposal due to his commitment to enter in the Guinness Book of World Record, Okendra maintained that the topiary plant which has won the heart of many has left behind a memento in the form of a school.