# Molai forest

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Forest in Assam, India

Molai Forest Molai kathoni Geography Location Assam, India Coordinates 26°51′0″N 94°9′8″E / 26.85000°N 94.15222°E / 26.85000; 94.15222

**Molai forest** is a forest on [Majuli](/source/Majuli) district in the [Brahmaputra](/source/Brahmaputra) River near Kokilamukh, [Assam](/source/Assam), [India](/source/India). It is named after [Jadav Payeng](/source/Jadav_Payeng), an Indian environmental activist and forestry worker.

## History

Jadav Molai Payeng, the man who planted the Molai Forest

Molai forest is named after [environmental](/source/Environmental_movement) activist and forestry worker [Jadav 'Molai' Payeng](/source/Jadav_Payeng). After an initial [200 hectare (500 acre) planting](/source/Jadav_Payeng#Career) by the social forestry division of [Golaghat district](/source/Golaghat_district) was abandoned in 1983,[1] the forest was single-handedly attended to by Payeng for 30 years and now encompasses an area of about 1,360 acres / 550 [hectares](/source/Hectares).[2] Payeng planted and tended trees on a [sandbar](/source/Sandbar) of [Majuli](/source/Majuli) island in the [Brahmaputra](/source/Brahmaputra) River, eventually becoming a forest reserve.

Molai forest now houses [Bengal tigers](/source/Bengal_tiger), [Indian rhinoceros](/source/Indian_rhinoceros), over 100 [deer](/source/Deer) and [rabbits](/source/Rabbit) besides [monkeys](/source/Monkey) and several varieties of birds, including a large number of [vultures](/source/Vulture).[2] There are several thousand trees, including valcol, arjun (*[Terminalia arjuna](/source/Terminalia_arjuna)*), Pride of India (*[Lagerstroemia speciosa](/source/Lagerstroemia_speciosa)*), royal poinciana (*[Delonix regia](/source/Delonix_regia)*), silk trees (*[Albizia](/source/Albizia) procera*), moj (*[Archidendron bigeminum](/source/Archidendron_bigeminum)*) and cotton trees (*[Bombax ceiba](/source/Bombax_ceiba)*). Bamboo covers an area of over 300 hectares (700 acres).[3]

A herd of around 100 [elephants](/source/Elephant) regularly visits the forest every year and generally stays for around six months. They have given birth to 10 calves in the forest.[3]

## Media

Molai forest and Payeng have been the subject of a number of documentaries. A locally made film documentary, produced by Jitu Kalita in 2012 *The Molai Forest*,[4] was screened at the [Jawaharlal Nehru University](/source/Jawaharlal_Nehru_University). Jitu Kalita, who lives near Payeng's house, has also featured and given recognition on his reporting of the life of Payeng through his documentary. Molai forest was also featured in a 2013 documentary *Foresting life*,[5] directed by the Indian documentary filmmaker [Aarti Shrivastava](/source/Aarti_Shrivastava),[6] and in William Douglas McMaster's 2013 film documentary *Forest Man*.[7] People have pledged 8,327 USD on the [Kickstarter](/source/Kickstarter) campaign[8] for the [post-production](/source/Post-production) of this documentary in early 2013, which was shown at [2014 Cannes Film Festival](/source/2014_Cannes_Film_Festival).[9][10]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Joshi, Apoorva (13 November 2014). ["One man plants forest larger than Central Park"](https://news.mongabay.com/2014/11/one-man-plants-forest-larger-than-central-park/). *Mongabay News*. Retrieved 20 August 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-huffingtonpost2012_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-huffingtonpost2012_2-1) ["Indian Man, Jadav "Molai" Payeng, Single-Handedly Plants A 1,360 Acre Forest In Assam"](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/indian-man-jadav-molai-pa_n_1399930.html?src=sp&comm_ref=false). [The Huffington Post](/source/The_Huffington_Post). 4 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-asianagearchive_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-asianagearchive_3-1) ["Man creates forest single-handedly on Brahmaputra sand bar"](http://archive.asianage.com/india/man-creates-forest-single-handedly-brahmaputra-sand-bar-972). [The Asian Age](/source/The_Asian_Age). 25 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [*The Molai forest* 2012](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2678376/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Foresting life"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130823002040/http://www.humanitywatchdog.org/films/foresting-life-2013/). Humanity Watchdog. Archived from [the original](http://www.humanitywatchdog.org/films/foresting-life-2013/) on 23 August 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [*Foresting life* 2013](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3101404/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [*Forest Man* 2013](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2939244/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Forest Man post production"](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/59012691/forest-man-post-production). [Kickstarter](/source/Kickstarter). 14 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Payeng film gets Cannes award"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140726111126/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140527/jsp/northeast/story_18384889.jsp#.U8fZSvmSySq). *[The Telegraph, Calcutta, India](/source/The_Telegraph_(Calcutta))*. 26 May 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140527/jsp/northeast/story_18384889.jsp#.U8fZSvmSySq) on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["The American Pavilion 2014 Finalists Emerging Filmmaker Showcase:"](http://www.ampav.com/index.php/student-programs/cannes-emerging-filmmaker-showcase/2014-finalists-emerging-filmmaker-showcase-presented-by-american-express/). The American Pavilion. Retrieved 17 July 2014.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Molai forest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molai_forest) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molai_forest?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.