Media Article # 559

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

In Search of an Illusive Creature

By Sidnacius  
Merinews

A group travels into the jungles of Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The group usually makes a visit on information received from local people on the sighting of this mammal, assumed to be an ape like termed as 'Yeti', sighted in Himalayan region of Nepal.

THE STORY of an apelike creature’s existence in remote villages of Garo Hills in Meghalaya continues as a local non profit organisation – Achik Tourism Society (ATS) – making an effort for the last decade to ascertain whether an ape popularly known as Mande Burung is found in the deep dark jungle of Garo Hills. Here’s a report by Saidul Khan on this interesting and amazing story. Is it a myth or a reality?

In search for an illusive creature, a group of young enthusiasts travel into the deep dark jungles of Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The group usually makes a visit on information received from local people on the sighting of this mammal – Mande Burung assumed to be an ape like termed as Yeti, sighted in Himalayan region of Nepal. Those who have seen this ape like mammal have interesting stories to reveal. It is reported by the villagers that on one occasion, a man who was passing through a forest was captured by this mammal and forcibly made him do breast feeding. This was reported on January 18, 1999. His account said, “The milk was sour with a mixture of bitterness.”

On July 2005, a lady, who was sleeping with her child, heard of peculiar scratching sounds outside her thatched hut sometime at night. Later, a big hairy creature entered her house. Terrified but remained calm, she saw the creature in the full light of the firewood, which was kept burning at her house. The creature after sometime just stamp out the fire and disappeared into darkness, the lady was not harmed in any way, she revealed.

The story of Mande Burung is a tale or a reality, fact yet to be ascertained. But then from where the scratch mark and footprints come, research continues. The government of Meghalaya after 1997 sightings ordered probe, report is yet to be made available. The Achik Tourism Society wonders whether government was serious to take this matter.

The recent sightings of this mammal were in April 2007 in Durabanda village of Garo Hills. Eye witness says that two adults with two young ones were seen. Another eyewitness said a female Mande Burung chased away a human in the same village. It was also sighted in Chokpot, who was in search for crabs in a nearby stream.

The Achik Tourism Society, which has been in search for this, came out with some evidences on the survival of this mammal, if it really exists at all. They have collected some samples of hair recently, which is the only biological evidence they have, other than some imprints, footprints and scratch marks on tree trunks. The hair has been sent for deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA) and forensic test. This will throw some light on if at all the hair is of that ’Unidentified Giant Creature’.

The ATS has also come up with very comprehensive report and descriptions of Mande Burung or the so-called Bigfoot. It is big, apelike creature with thick hair covering its entire body. The colour of the hair is reported to be black or blackish brown. It has some kind of foul odour/smell emanating from the body. It has a footprint/pug mark size from 13 inches to 15 inches in length. It may be around 7’5" to 9’ tall. It may weigh around 300 kgs. It is noted to be herbivorous creature, who eats banana, tubes, tree roots, fruits, berries, barks of some trees, sawe trees and is also reported to eat crabs. It walks on two legs (biped). (As reported in 2002 sighting). It sleeps in the nest built on the open ground (as reported in 2002 sighting). It is shy and is basically harmless (as reported in 2005 sighting). It is a creature with phenomenal strength.

There has been many incidents reported on this illusive creature. The 1997 sightings in Silkigre village, near Chokpot is of immense importance. It is said that some village women folk’s who went to the jungle to gather firewood’s have claimed to have seen a hairy giant near the stream.

This news then had spread like wildfire in the jungle, this time because the villagers refused to go to their field for cultivation due to fear psychosis, which gripped the entire village tightly. The forest officials from Baghmara visited the spot and investigated the claim, report yet to be made available.

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