This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7457894.stm
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| On the trail of the 'Indian yeti' | On the trail of the 'Indian yeti' |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Alastair Lawson BBC News, Meghalaya In pictures: 'Yeti' hunt | By Alastair Lawson BBC News, Meghalaya In pictures: 'Yeti' hunt |
| In the US it's known as bigfoot, in Canada as sasquatch, in Brazil as mapinguary, in Australia as a yowie, in Indonesia as sajarang gigi and, most famously of all, in Nepal as a yeti. | In the US it's known as bigfoot, in Canada as sasquatch, in Brazil as mapinguary, in Australia as a yowie, in Indonesia as sajarang gigi and, most famously of all, in Nepal as a yeti. |
| The little known Indian version of this legendary ape-like creature is called mande barung - or forest man - and is reputed to live in the remote West Garo hills of the north-eastern state of Meghalaya. | The little known Indian version of this legendary ape-like creature is called mande barung - or forest man - and is reputed to live in the remote West Garo hills of the north-eastern state of Meghalaya. |
| I was invited by passionate yeti believer Dipu Marak to travel throughout the area to hear for myself what he says is compelling evidence of the existence of a black and grey ape-like animal which stands about 3m (nearly 10ft) tall. | I was invited by passionate yeti believer Dipu Marak to travel throughout the area to hear for myself what he says is compelling evidence of the existence of a black and grey ape-like animal which stands about 3m (nearly 10ft) tall. |
| There have been repeated reports of sightings over many years by different witnesses in the West, South and East Garo hills. | There have been repeated reports of sightings over many years by different witnesses in the West, South and East Garo hills. |
| Mr Marak estimates the creature weighs about 300kg (660lb) and is herbivorous, surviving on fruit, roots and tree bark. | Mr Marak estimates the creature weighs about 300kg (660lb) and is herbivorous, surviving on fruit, roots and tree bark. |
| Intense heat | Intense heat |
| The Garo hills comprise more than 8,000sq.km of some of the thickest jungle in India. | The Garo hills comprise more than 8,000sq.km of some of the thickest jungle in India. |
| And as I soon discovered, there is no shortage of people who say they have seen the creature at first hand. | And as I soon discovered, there is no shortage of people who say they have seen the creature at first hand. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| 'Yeti witness' James Marak | 'Yeti witness' James Marak |
| Take woodcutter Nelbison Sangma, for example, who works on the fringes of the Nokrek national park in the Garo hills. | Take woodcutter Nelbison Sangma, for example, who works on the fringes of the Nokrek national park in the Garo hills. |
| In November 2003, he says that he saw a yeti three days in a row. | In November 2003, he says that he saw a yeti three days in a row. |
| He took me from his village to the spot where he says he made the sighting, a five-hour walk in intense tropical heat from his house. | He took me from his village to the spot where he says he made the sighting, a five-hour walk in intense tropical heat from his house. |
| "I saw the creature quite clearly on the other side of the river. It was breaking branches off trees and eating the sap. Its strength was amazing. | "I saw the creature quite clearly on the other side of the river. It was breaking branches off trees and eating the sap. Its strength was amazing. |
| "Obviously I wanted to photograph it, but I knew that if I left the area, it would take at least 10 hours or more to get a camera as I do not own one. By that time the creature would have disappeared." | "Obviously I wanted to photograph it, but I knew that if I left the area, it would take at least 10 hours or more to get a camera as I do not own one. By that time the creature would have disappeared." |
| Mr Sangma says that he told the state forestry department of his sighting, but they did not believe him. | Mr Sangma says that he told the state forestry department of his sighting, but they did not believe him. |
| He took me to the spot where he says the yeti destroyed a tree - an exhausting uphill walk through thick jungle infested with blood-sucking leeches. | He took me to the spot where he says the yeti destroyed a tree - an exhausting uphill walk through thick jungle infested with blood-sucking leeches. |
| Mr Sangma showed me where the creature broke the tree's branches and clearly visible scratch marks on its bark. | Mr Sangma showed me where the creature broke the tree's branches and clearly visible scratch marks on its bark. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Are these hairs from Mande Barung? | Are these hairs from Mande Barung? |
| A 10-hour drive away from Nokrek is the other national park of the Garo hills, Balpakram, which lies amid thick jungle on the border with Bangladesh. | A 10-hour drive away from Nokrek is the other national park of the Garo hills, Balpakram, which lies amid thick jungle on the border with Bangladesh. |
| It is an extremely remote area, where the hum of insects clicking in the undergrowth sounds like a series of disconnected power cables. | It is an extremely remote area, where the hum of insects clicking in the undergrowth sounds like a series of disconnected power cables. |
| Balpakram is famous for its vast jungle-filled canyon which spans several miles and is surrounded by spectacular cliffs. Any descent is a treacherous exercise. | Balpakram is famous for its vast jungle-filled canyon which spans several miles and is surrounded by spectacular cliffs. Any descent is a treacherous exercise. |
| If ever there was terrain where a peace-loving yeti could live its life undisturbed by human interference, then this has surely got to be it. | If ever there was terrain where a peace-loving yeti could live its life undisturbed by human interference, then this has surely got to be it. |
| Perhaps the most famous reported sighting was in April 2002, when forestry officer James Marak was among a team of 14 officials carrying out a census of tigers in Balpakram when they saw what they thought was a yeti. | Perhaps the most famous reported sighting was in April 2002, when forestry officer James Marak was among a team of 14 officials carrying out a census of tigers in Balpakram when they saw what they thought was a yeti. |
| According to the author and environmentalist Llewellyn Marak, such stories cannot be dismissed out hand. | According to the author and environmentalist Llewellyn Marak, such stories cannot be dismissed out hand. |
| "I saw the footprints for myself last year," he said, and they cannot easily be explained away. | "I saw the footprints for myself last year," he said, and they cannot easily be explained away. |
| "The prints were different from other animals - and were almost human in appearance - apart from the fact that they were about 18 inches [46cm] long. | "The prints were different from other animals - and were almost human in appearance - apart from the fact that they were about 18 inches [46cm] long. |
| "Both my father and grandfather also saw the creature at different times. Each said that it resembled a large gorilla." | "Both my father and grandfather also saw the creature at different times. Each said that it resembled a large gorilla." |
| Mr Marak argues that the Meghalayan forestry department has not seriously investigated the sightings because they are "uninterested and too lazy". | Mr Marak argues that the Meghalayan forestry department has not seriously investigated the sightings because they are "uninterested and too lazy". |
| The western side of the state of the Meghalaya is predominantly made up of Garo tribespeople. They are traditionally a matrilineal community, where property is inherited through the female line. | The western side of the state of the Meghalaya is predominantly made up of Garo tribespeople. They are traditionally a matrilineal community, where property is inherited through the female line. |
| They are also a community where stories and fables are deeply ingrained culturally, which is why senior politicians and officials are reluctant to discount openly tales of a yeti roaming about. | They are also a community where stories and fables are deeply ingrained culturally, which is why senior politicians and officials are reluctant to discount openly tales of a yeti roaming about. |
| Meghalaya's Divisional Forestry Officer Shri PR Marak denies suggestions that his officers have not properly investigated alleged yeti sightings - which he argues is an expensive exercise in thick jungle only accessible by foot. | Meghalaya's Divisional Forestry Officer Shri PR Marak denies suggestions that his officers have not properly investigated alleged yeti sightings - which he argues is an expensive exercise in thick jungle only accessible by foot. |
| He uses diplomatic language when discussing whether yetis exist in the state. | He uses diplomatic language when discussing whether yetis exist in the state. |
| "I have gone to see the evidence for myself and have even taken a plaster cast of one of the footprints," he says. | "I have gone to see the evidence for myself and have even taken a plaster cast of one of the footprints," he says. |
| "As you know the presence of such a creature is an important part of our culture - passed down to us by our parents and grandparents. | "As you know the presence of such a creature is an important part of our culture - passed down to us by our parents and grandparents. |
| "But we have no concrete evidence it exists, and there may even be a possibility that some of the evidence has been manipulated to create a stir. | "But we have no concrete evidence it exists, and there may even be a possibility that some of the evidence has been manipulated to create a stir. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Measuring 'yeti' footprints | Measuring 'yeti' footprints |
| "Because the area where it is believed to live is thick jungle, it will be very difficult to know the truth." | "Because the area where it is believed to live is thick jungle, it will be very difficult to know the truth." |
| But Dipu Marak has voluminous correspondence from various eyewitnesses to support his contention that there is something out there. | But Dipu Marak has voluminous correspondence from various eyewitnesses to support his contention that there is something out there. |
| To critics who say he has no photographs of this mysterious creature, he insists that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". | To critics who say he has no photographs of this mysterious creature, he insists that "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". |
| "We have so many reports of sightings that I sincerely believe there is some sort of huge creature in the Garo hills," he said. | "We have so many reports of sightings that I sincerely believe there is some sort of huge creature in the Garo hills," he said. |
| "This is not just a fairy tale, nor is it an effort to woo tourists. It's deeply embedded in our folklore and scientifically it is possible too. | "This is not just a fairy tale, nor is it an effort to woo tourists. It's deeply embedded in our folklore and scientifically it is possible too. |
| "While I cannot prove conclusively that this creature definitely exists, nobody can say conclusively that it does not exist either." | "While I cannot prove conclusively that this creature definitely exists, nobody can say conclusively that it does not exist either." |
| Such is the impenetrability and extent of jungle in the Garo hills that the legend of mande barung looks likely to live on in the foreseeable future. | Such is the impenetrability and extent of jungle in the Garo hills that the legend of mande barung looks likely to live on in the foreseeable future. |
| "The truth is out there somewhere," says Dipu Marak sincerely. | "The truth is out there somewhere," says Dipu Marak sincerely. |
| "But like the Loch Ness monster this creature is obviously not fond of giving too many photo opportunities." | "But like the Loch Ness monster this creature is obviously not fond of giving too many photo opportunities." |