Imphal- The Capital Of Manipur.

Manipur is the ancestral territory of the Manipuri people. Manipur is presently under Indian colonial rule. It is situated in the north-east corner of India and bounded in the east by Myanmar (Burma). The present territorial area is 22,327 sq.km. It lies within 23.83 degree N to 25.68 degree E latitude and 93.03 degree E to 94.48 degree E longitude. A fertile alluvial valley extends north-south in the middle and it is surrounded on all sides by hill ranges forming a part of the eastern Himalayas. Though constituting only about 12 p.c. of the total geographical area, the valley is settled by more than 75 p.c. of the total population of 1.8 million (1991 Census).

Among the Manipuris, the Meiteis form the predominant ethnic group and they traditionally inhabit the valley. The surrounding hill ranges are settled by many tribes. They are broadly grouped together and known as the NAGA and the KUKI tribes. While the Meiteis thrive on wet cultivation, the tribal population subsist largely on the slash-and-burn technique of cultivation and depend heavily on the valley for their needs. In recent decades, however, the steady influx of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent into the hill areas and into parts of the valley and also the internal migration of tribes from the valley, have disturbed the traditional settlement patterns and demographic balance both in the hills and the valley of Manipur. .

The royal chronicle Cheitharol Kumbaaba maintains an uninterrupted historical record of the land and its people since 33 A.D. Throughout the history, the valley was, and continues to be, the core region where the distinctive Manipuri culture and way of life took shape and where political developments having repercussions throughout the Indo-Burma region often originated.

The tribal ethnic groups have their mutually distinct cultural heritage. The members of a tribe communicate among themselves in their own dialect, but the Manipuri language is the lingua franca used for inter-tribal communication and by all Manipuris settled inside and outside Manipur. The tribal dialects are in varying stage of development; they are all written in the Roman script. The Manipuri language had evolved from Meiteilon, the native language of the Meiteis which is written in its own script. All the tribal dialects as well as the Manipuri language belong to the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, just as all the indigenous ethnic groups in Manipur are of the southern Mongoloid stock racially.

Overlooked by a circle of distant hills, the capital of Manipur, Imphal, lies in an almost completely flat basin at an altitude of around 785m. Though devoid of dramatic monuments, it is at least given a sense of openness by its large avenues; but even the rivers and canals that run through the town are unable to give it any visual appeal. Instead, the real interest in Imphal is supplied by its people, whose handsome Meithei faces are adorned with the long and distinctive tikki (forehead mark) of Vishnu. Although the valley is predominantly Hindu, Imphal feels more like Southeast Asia than India, and visitors tend to be confronted by a language barrier: most people understand neither English nor Hindi.

Of the 18th national languages constitutionally recognized in India, the only language from the Tibeto-Burman family so recognized, though done so under political compulsions of the ongoing liberation struggle, is the Manipuri language. Anybody whose mother tongue is Manipuri language or who identifies himself/herself as a Manipuri, whether living inside or outside Manipur, belongs to the Manipuri people. There are about three million Manipuris in the world today. The Manipuris as a people are thus bound by a common language and culture and by inheritance of a common ancestral territory now called Manipur. Imphal .

Imphalcity Picture

Imphal's airport, 6km south of town, is connected by Indian Airlines to Calcutta (5 weekly; 1hr 5min), Silchar (3 weekly; 35min), and Delhi (2 weekly; 3hr 10min). NEPC fly daily to Guwahati (1hr 5min). The Indian Airlines office is on MG Rd (220999). However, schedules for flights are occasionally disrupted, so do check either in Calcutta, or once you're in Imphal

Imphal's small and congested centre is sandwiched between the stately avenue of Kanglapat on the east and the somewhat stagnant River Nambu on the west. The town's Polo Ground dominates the area; according to popular legend, the Manipuri game of Sagol Kangjei is the original form of the modern game of polo. In one corner, the Shaheed Minar commemorates the Meithei revolt in 1891 against British occupation, while just southeast, the Manipur State Museum focusses on tribal costumes, jewellery and weapons along with geological, archeological and natural history displays (Mon-Fri 9.30am-4.30pm; Rs0.50). .

Next to the ruins of the Old Palace, 2km east, is Shri Govindjee, Manipur's pre-eminent Vaishnavite temple. Otherwise a disappointing mix of twentieth-century buildings, Shri Govindjee is crowned by two gold domes and has an impressive large prayer hall preceding the courtyard and main temple. Covering around 200 acres with more than a hundred species of orchids, the Khonghampat Orchidarium, the orchid centre of the Forest Department, lies 12km from Imphal on NH39 and is best visited in April and May when the orchids are in bloom.

At the heart of Imphal, the fascinating market of Khwairamband - also known as Nupi Keithel and Ima Bazaar or "Mothers' Market" - is run solely by Meithei women, making it one of India's largest women's markets. One of its two sections is devoted to textiles, selling shawls and fabrics including the moirangphee, the traditional Meithei dress. This distinctive striped skirt comes in two pieces; for a small fee, women with sewing machines will stitch them together with amazing speed. Across the road, the other half of the market sells local fish and vegetables, along with basic provisions, while smaller markets nearby include one dedicated to cane and wicker. If you prefer not to bargain, fixed-price shops include Sangai Handloom and Handicrafts, at GM Hall, near the clock tower, and the Handloom House in Paona Bazaar

Physical Map(Manipur)

Pakhangba