Manipur’s silk cotton trees fill skies with “whispers” of white fiber

Manipur: In the valleys of Manipur, there is a seasonal moment when the air itself seems to come alive. Streets, fields and riverbanks are gently filled with drifting white fibers that float like whispers through the sky. People stop to look up, watching the motion pass overhead, wondering where it comes from and where it goes.

This is the work of the silk cotton tree, known as Bombax ceiba, which grows across many parts of the region. It is a tall tree with bright red flowers that appear in the warmer months. When the flowers fade, they leave behind long pods that remain on the branches for weeks, slowly drying under the sun.

Nothing looks unusual at first, until the pods begin to split open. The white, silky fibers inside are then released into the air, carried by the wind across towns and farmland in a seasonal display unique to the region.