Phumdi

Phumdi (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm.dí/), also known as Phumthi (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm.tʰí/) or simply Phum (Meitei pronunciation: /pʰúm/), are a series of floating islands, exclusive to the Loktak Lake in Manipur state, in northeastern India. They cover a substantial part of the lake area and are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter, in different stages of decay. The largest single mass of phumdi is in the southeastern part of the lake, covering an area of 40 km2 (15.4 sq mi). This mass constitutes the world’s largest floating park, named Keibul Lamjao National Park. The park was formed to preserve the endangered Eld's deer subspecies, called sangai in the Meitei language, indigenous to this area.

Phumdi
phum
phum‑thi
Phumdis
Loktak Lake
Phumdi
Location in Manipur, India
Phumdi
Phumdi (India)
Coordinates: 24°30′00″N 93°46′00″E
Country India
StateManipur
DistrictBishnupur District
Area
  Total40 km2 (20 sq mi)
Elevation
768.5 m (2,521.3 ft)
Languages
  OfficialMeitei (Manipuri)
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationMN
Nearest cityMoirang, Imphal
Precipitation1,220 millimetres (48 in)
Avg. summer temperature32 °C (90 °F)
Avg. winter temperature4 °C (39 °F)

Phumdis are used by the local people for constructing their huts for fishing and other livelihood uses, and are inhabited by about 4000 people. Athapums are artificial circular phumdis, built by the villagers as enclosures for fish farming; aquaculture has caused proliferation of the phumdis in the lake.

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