Kangvai River

Kangvai is a village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, India, near its contested border with Bishnupur district. It is on the bank of the Kangvai stream that flows down from the eastern slopes of the Thangjing Hill into the Imphal Valley, stretching from the foothills to the Tedim Road. Kangvai is also the headquarters of the Kangvai Subdivision in the Churachandpur district. In the 2011 census, it had a population of 939, most of them Kuki-Zo people.

Next to Kangvai along Tedim Road is a Meitei village called Phougakchao Ikhai, which is considered part of Bishnupur district.

According to many sources, the 2023–2025 Manipur violence began at Kangvai, causing most residents to abandon the lower portion of the village near Tedim Road known as "Kangvai Bazar". Phougakchai Ikhai was also evacuated in the initial days of the conflict, by the residents started returning in October 2023.

Geography

Kangvai is to the east of Thangjing Hill, one of the tallest peaks of the state, in Churachandpur district. The village stretches east-west from the foothills to the Tedim Road. The area near Tedim Road is referred to as "Kangvai Bazar". The central portion of the village is called "Khawpi", which is the main settlement area, and the western portion at the foothills is called "Uzuak". Adjacent to the Uzuak area of Kangvai, to its south, is a smaller village called K. Kotlian (or K. Kawtlian), whose access to the outside world is through Kangvai.

Kangvai Bazar is about 1 km north of Torbung.

Torbung is considered to be partly in the Bishnupur district, even though it is to the south of Kangvai.
This results in a complex boundary between two districts, which is difficult to depict on maps.
Adjacent to Kangvai, to its northeast, is a Meitei village called Phougakchao Ikhai, which is considered to be part of Torbung.

Kangvai as well as Phougakchao Ikhai are on the bank of the Kangvai stream, which flows down from the Thangjing Hill and nominally drains into the Loktak Lake, but most of the water is used up for cultivation.

Demographics

Kangvai is populated by a majority of Kuki-Zo tribal population (91 percent according to the 2011 census),

predominantly Vaiphei people.
The overall population is 939 living in 171 households. The K. Kotlian village has a population of 145 people living in 26 households.

Phougakchao Ikhai, which is not a census village, is believed to have 2000 residents living in 300 households. They live in several subvillages named Phoughakchao Ikhai Mamant Leikai, Maning Leikai, Mayai Leikai, Awang Leikai, Makha Leikai and Phougakchao Ikhai Bazar.IDPs return to native villages after 5 months
The Sangai Express, 3 October 2023.

The entire Phougakchao Ikhai village is under the Torbung ''gram panchayat''.

History

Kangvai is first seen mentioned during the Kuki Rebellion of 1917–1919 (also called Anglo-Kuki War). During the Kuki war preparations in December 1917, the chief of Ukha (on the western slopes of the Thangjing Hill) sent 12 Kukis to collect his mithuns from Kangvai. These Kukis were fired upon by British troops, an action that enraged the Kangvai Kukis, leading them to join the Ukha Kukis in their rebellion. On 19 December, the combined Kukis of Ukha and Kangvai raided the Manipur State forest toll station at Ithai, presumably for arms and for neutralising the state forces.
On 25 December, the British Political Agent J. C. Higgins went with a force to the foothills of Thangjing Hill to punish the Ukha Kukis. The force was beaten back by sniper attacks and home-made leather cannons (''pumpi''). Subsequently, the British gathered larger forces to attack Ukha and burnt down that village.

According to Kuki sources, in 1941–1942, the Manipur State Darbar delineated the borders of the area known as "Haokip Reserved" (the northern part of the present-day Churachandpur district), originally established by the British-appointed president of the Darbar, William Alexander Cosgrave, in 1907. The northern border of the reserve passed through Kangvai.

Christianity had an early start at Kangvai, with the Welsh missionary Watkin Roberts having established a Bible School there. When Roberts decided to shift the school to Sielmat, near Lamka, as well as to establish his headquarters there, the Vaipheis of Kangvai were peeved and disowned him. Nevertheless, the early adoption of Christianity helped the Vaipheis to get ahead in education. In 1968, Kaikhogin Vaiphei from Kangvai became the first Kuki to enter the Indian Foreign Service.
The Vaiphei Students Association, called ''Zillai'', is based in Kangvai, and celebrated its 75th anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) in 2014.

During World War II, the Tedim Road was laid by the British administration as part of its defence against Japanese invasion. The road-widening project in the Torbung area (between Oksonbung and Leisang) was contracted to Thawngzagin of Kangvai. The labourers were paid one and a half rupee as daily wages, which appears to have been exploitative. When the British withdrew from Tedim to Imphal, seven decisive battles were fought along Tedim Road. All the villages within seven kilometre distance of the road were asked to be evacuated within two days. The villagers of Kangvai mostly went to southwest Manipur to stay with relatives or acquaintances. They originally planned to stay at Ukha Loikhai

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