Shillong, May 10: The Ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, on his maiden visit to Meghalaya, visited sacred groves, monoliths and the heritage village at Mawphlang today.
The Ambassador trekked for more than 3km and visited Mawphlang Sacred Grove in its entirety where he was guided by the head of Lyngdoh clan of Hima Mawphlang, Tambor Lyngdoh Mawphlang.
Mathou was very enthusiastic about learning the ethnographic (flora) composition of the sacred grove. During the visit, the Ambassador, who was accompanied by his spouse, said, “I had the pleasure to visit the sacred forests. We have to learn from you, on how to protect the environment and biodiversity. This first visit is to better understand the state and see your needs and how we are going to interact.
Also on the trip was the Consul General of France in Kolkata, Didier Talpain. The party also visited the Mawphlang Dam, accompanied by Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department officials.
A book on the collection of knowledge on Khasi herbal plants, stories and poems, published by Lyngdoh Mawphlang, was presented to the Ambassador. A book co-authored by Prof Bodhi S Ranee and John F Kharshiing, The Khasi States – A Brief Historical Timeline – 1771 to 2017, was presented to both Mathou and Talpain.
In Shillong, the French officials paid a courtesy call on Meghalaya Governor Phagu Chauhan at the Raj Bhavan. During the meeting, the two sides engaged in a wide-ranging discussion, exploring avenues to further strengthen the relationship between France and India.
The Ambassador also held a meeting with Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang and Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar D on a wide range of subjects.
