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Manipur () is a
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
in
northeastern India Northeast India, officially the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political administrative division of the country. It comprises eight states—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, M ...
with
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
as its capital. It borders the Indian states of
Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
to the west,
Mizoram Mizoram is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its Capital city, capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometres (449 miles) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar t ...
to the south, and
Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...
to the north and shares the
international border Borders are generally defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders ...
with
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
, specifically the
Sagaing Region Sagaing Region (, ; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative divisions of Myanmar, administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east. It is border ...
to the east and
Chin State Chin State (, ) is a state in western Myanmar. Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, the Chattogram Division of Bangladesh to the west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to th ...
to the southeast. Covering an area of 22,330 square kilometers (8,621 mi²), the state consists mostly of hilly terrain with the 1813-square-kilometre (700 mi²)
Imphal Valley Imphal Valley ( /ˈɪmpɑːl/; ) or Manipur Valley () is located in the Indian state of Manipur and is an irregular almost oval shaped canyon that was formed as a result of the multiple small rivers that originate from neighbouring hill regions ...
inhabited by the Meitei (Manipuri) community, historically a kingdom. Surrounding hills are home to Naga and Kuki-Zo communities, who speak
Tibeto-Burman languages The Tibeto-Burman languages are the non- Sinitic members of the Sino-Tibetan language family, over 400 of which are spoken throughout the Southeast Asian Massif ("Zomia") as well as parts of East Asia and South Asia. Around 60 million people spe ...
. The official language and
lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, link language or language of wider communication (LWC), is a Natural language, language systematically used to make co ...
, Meitei (Manipuri), also belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family. During the days of the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
, Manipur was one of the princely states. Prior to the British departure in 1947, Manipur acceded to the
Dominion of India The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India, * * was an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth of Nations existing between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950. Until its Indian independence movement, independence, India had be ...
, along with roughly 550 other princely states. In September 1949, the ruler of Manipur signed a merger agreement with India, giving up his kingdom and obtaining a privy purse in return. Many Meitei people feel that their self-determination was violated by the agreement since the legislature elected under the
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...
was not consulted. Followed by contestation of the merger by groups in Manipur, resulting in a 50-year insurgency in the state for independence from India. From 2009 through 2018, the conflict was responsible for the violent deaths of over 1000 people. The Meitei people represent around 53% of the population of Manipur state, followed by various Naga tribes at 20% and Kuki-Zo tribes at 16%. Manipur's ethnic groups practice a variety of religions. According to 2011 census,
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
and
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
are the major religions of the state. Manipur has primarily an agrarian economy, with significant hydroelectric power generation potential. It is connected to other areas by daily flights through
Imphal Airport Bir Tikendrajit International Airport (IATA: IMF, ICAO: VEIM), also known as Imphal Airport, and formerly known as Tulihal International Airport, is an international airport serving Imphal, the capital of Manipur, India, located 7 km sout ...
, the second largest in northeastern India. Manipur is home to many sports and the origin of
Manipuri dance Manipuri dance, sometimes also referred to as the Manipuri Raas Leela (), is a jagoi and is one of the major Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance forms, originating from the state of Manipur. It is one of the Meitei intangible cult ...
, and is credited with introducing
polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...
to Europeans.


Name

The name Manipur () was chosen by Gharib Nawaz in the eighteenth century. It is named after a kingdom of the same name mentioned in the Hindu epic. Previously, it had been known as Kangleipak or Meiteileipak (). Later, the work ''Dharani Samhita'' (1825–34) popularised the Sanskrit legends of the origin of Manipur's name. Other names include Sanaleibak , not given because Manipur has a lot of the gold mines, but because of its happiness and prosperity. This name was mentioned in the 11th-12th century constitution, the
Loiyumba Shinyen The Loiyumpa Silyel (Modern Meitei: "Loiyumba Sinyen"), also termed as the Loyumpa Silyel (Modern Meitei: "Loyumba Sinyen") or the Loiyumpa Shilyel (Modern Meitei: "Loiyumba Shinyen") or the Loyumpa Shilyel (Modern Meitei: "Loyumba Shinyen") or ...
. and is still heard in the official song of Manipur, "
Sana Leibak Manipur "Sanā Leibāk Manipur" (, ; "Manipur, Land of Gold") is the official state song of Manipur, in Northeast India. History The lyrics were written in 1965 by B. Jayantakumar Sharma and the music was composed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It had be ...
".


History


Antiquity

The history of Manipur Meiteis is chronicled in Puyas or Puwaris (stories about the forefathers), namely, the Ninghthou Kangbalon, Cheitharol Kumbaba, Ningthourol Lambuba, Poireiton Khunthokpa, Panthoibi Khongkul, and so forth in the
Meitei script The Meitei script (), also known as the Kanglei script () or the Kok Sam Lai script (), after its first three letters is an abugida in the Brahmic scripts family used to write the Meitei language, the official language of Manipur, Assam an ...
, which is comparable to the
Thai script The Thai script (, , ) is the abugida used to write Thai language, Thai, Southern Thai language, Southern Thai and many other languages spoken in Thailand. The Thai script itself (as used to write Thai) has 44 consonant symbols (, ), 16 vowel s ...
. The historical accounts presented here were recordings from the eyes and the judgment of Meitei kings and (Meitei scholars).


The Kingdoms of Möng Kawng and Möng Mao

According to the Tai chronicles, Manipur (Kahse) is one of the territories conquered by Sam Lông Hpa (1150–1201), the first
Chao Pha Saopha (), also spelled Sawbwa, was the title used by hereditary rulers of Shan states in Upper Myanmar. Chaopha and Chao Fa were similar titles used by the hereditary Tai peoples, Tai rulers in mainland Southeast Asia and the Ahom kingdom in I ...
of
Möng Kawng Möng Kawng (; zh, 孟拱) or Mogaung () was a Shan state in what is present-day Myanmar. It was an outlying territory, located away from the main Shan State area in present-day Kachin State. The state existed until 1796. The main town was Mog ...
. A 14th-century inscription from
Pagan Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...
,
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
, mentions Kasan (Manipur) as one of the 21 states under the
Mong Mao Mong may refer to: People *A proposed original name for the Hmong people, based on the main group, the Mong community *Bob Mong (), American journalist and academic administrator *Henry Mong (), American surgeon and Presbyterian missionary *Mong M ...
ruler Thonganbwa (1413–1445/6); he later was captured by the Governor of
Taungdwingyi Taungdwingyi ( ) is a town located in Magway Region, Myanmar. Town scape The town is divided into ten main quarters. They are Ohndaw Quarter 1, Ohndaw Quarter 2, Taungbyin Quarter 1, Taungbyin Quarter 2, Shwe-oh Quarter 1, Shwe-oh Quarter 2, M ...
.


Medieval


Vassal State of the Toungoo empire

Bayinnaung , title = King of Toungoo , image = Bayinnaung.JPG , caption = Statue of Bayinnaung in front of the National Museum of Myanmar , reign = 30 April 1550 – 10 October 1581 , coronation = 11 January 1551 at Taungoo, ...
, the ruler of
Toungoo dynasty ''taungnguumainn saat'' , conventional_long_name = Toungoo dynasty , common_name = Taungoo dynasty , status = Empire/Monarchy, Kingdom , event_start = Independence from Kingdom of Ava, Ava Kingdom , yea ...
ordered the invasion of Manipur in 1559. He had recalled
Binnya Dala Binnya Dala ( ; also spelled Banya Dala; died December 1774) was the last king of Restored Kingdom of Hanthawaddy, who reigned from 1747 to 1757. He was a key leader in the revival of the Mon-speaking kingdom in 1740, which successfully revolte ...
from
Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the List of municipalities in Thailand#Largest cities by urban population, second largest city in Thailan ...
to lead the invasion. The three armies mostly made up of army from
Kale Kale (), also called leaf cabbage, belongs to a group of cabbage (''Brassica oleracea'') cultivars primarily grown for their Leaf vegetable, edible leaves; it has also been used as an ornamental plant. Its multiple different cultivars vary quite ...
,
Mohnyin Mohnyin (, ; ) is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is the administrative center for both Mohnyin Township and Mohnyin District Mohnyin District () is a Districts of Burma, district of the Kachin State in northern Myanmar. The administrative c ...
,
Mogaung Mogaung ( ; ) is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line. History Mogaung or Möng Kawng was the name and capital (royal seat) of a relatively major one of the petty Shan (ethnic Tai) princ ...
,
Momeik Momeik (), also known as Möng Mit (), is a town situated on the Shweli River in northern Shan State. It is the capital of Mongmit District and the principal town of Mongmit Township, Myanmar. Transport It is connected by road to Mogok and its r ...
and Sanda led the invasion, the King of Manipur surrendered without any resistance and Manipur became a
vassal state A vassal state is any state that has a mutual obligation to a superior state or empire, in a status similar to that of a vassal in the feudal system in medieval Europe. Vassal states were common among the empires of the Near East, dating back to ...
of the
Toungoo empire The First Toungoo Empire (, , lit. "Toungoo Period"; also known as the Second Burmese Empire in traditional historiography, or simply the Taungoo dynasty) was the dominant power in mainland Southeast Asia in the second half of the 16th century ...
.Lieberman 2003: 154–155


Vassal state of Konbaung dynasty

In the 18th century,
Bodawpaya Bodawpaya (, ; ; 11 March 1745 – 5 June 1819) was the sixth king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma. Born Maung Shwe Waing and later Badon Min, he was the fourth son of Alaungpaya, founder of the dynasty and the Third Burmese Empire. He was procl ...
, the king of Burma acquired the Manipur (1814) along with the western kingdoms of
Arakan Arakan ( or ; , ), formerly anglicised as Aracan, is the historical geographical name for the northeastern coastal region of the Bay of Bengal, covering present-day Bangladesh and Myanmar. The region was called "Arakan" for centuries. It is ...
(1784),
Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
(1817). By the medieval period, marriage alliances between the royal families of Manipur, Ahom kingdom and
Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...
had become common. Medieval era manuscripts discovered in the 20th century, particularly the ''Puya'', provide evidence that Hindus from the Indian subcontinent had married Manipur royalty by at least the 14th century. In centuries thereafter, royal spouses came also from what is now Assam,
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
, and
Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...
and from other
South Indian South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...
kingdoms as well. Another manuscript suggests that Muslims arrived in Manipur in the 17th century, from what is now
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
, during the reign of Meidingu Khagemba. The socio-political turmoil and wars, particularly the persistent and devastating
Anglo-Burmese wars The Anglo-Burmese people, also known as the Anglo-Burmans, are a community of Eurasians of Burmese and European descent; they emerged as a distinct community through mixed relationships (sometimes permanent, sometimes temporary) between the B ...
, affected the cultural and religious demography of Manipur.


British colonial period

In 1824, the ruler of Manipur entered into a
subsidiary alliance A subsidiary alliance, in South Asian history, was a tributary alliance between an Indian state and a European East India Company. Under this system, an Indian ruler who formed an agreement with the company in question would be provided wit ...
with the British Empire in the Indian subcontinent, which became responsible for Manipur's external defence. The British recognised that the state remained internally self-governing, as a princely state. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Manipur was the scene of many fierce battles between Japanese invaders and British Indian forces. The
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
were beaten back before they could enter
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
, which was one of the turning points of the overall war in South Asia. The
Battle of Imphal The Battle of Imphal () took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in Northeast India from March until July 1944. Empire of Japan, Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and ...
, known to the Manipuris as ''Japan Laan'', are among the lesser-known battles of the Second World War. Yet the Allied Victory in this battle was a turning point against the Japanese in East Asia.


Post-colonial history

After the war, the Maharaja took the advice of the British Cabinet Mission and the
Chamber of Princes The Chamber of Princes (''Narendra Mandal'') was an institution established in 1920 by a royal proclamation of King-Emperor George V to provide a forum in which the rulers of the princely states of India could voice their needs and aspiration ...
to introduce democratic reforms in the state. The Manipur State Constitution Act of 1947 was promulgated in July 1947 to give the state an elected legislative assembly and an appointed prime minister. Elections to the assembly were held only in the following year. Following the decision to partition
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
, all the princely states were advised to "accede" to one of the new dominions. The Maharaja acceded to India on 11 August 1947 and signed a standstill agreement to continue all the pre-existing arrangements it had with British India. Some Meitei people argue that the king was in no legal position to sign the instrument of accession at the time. Over the next two years, the multitude of princely states of India were extensively reorganised as India moved towards becoming a
constitutional republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a state in which political power rests with the public (people), typically through their representatives—in contrast to a monarchy. Although a ...
. Proposals for reorganisation were also made for Manipur but discarded as being unsuitable. Eventually Manipur was turned into a centrally administered province (called a 'Part C' state, later renamed
union territory Among the states and union territories of India, a Union Territory (UT) is a region that is directly governed by the Government of India, central government of India, as opposed to the states, which have their own State governments of India, s ...
) by asking the Maharaja to sign a merger agreement. He is believed to have signed it under duress. Later, on 21 September 1949, he signed a Merger Agreement, disputed as having been done without consultation of the popular ministry under Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 and denial of the king's request to return to Manipur to discuss the same with his people. Under 'duress' and 'coercion' Bodhachandra Singh signed the merger agreement merging the kingdom into India, which led to its becoming a Part C State. The legislative assembly was dissolved and a centrally appointed Chief Commissioner handled the state's administration, as per the Constitution of India. An advisory council with nominated members was provided to advise the Chief Commissioner. In 1956, the advisory council was replaced by a territorial council with mostly elected members. In 1963, Manipur was provided a legislative assembly, with a council of ministers headed by a chief minister. It was made a fully-fledged state in 1972 by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971. Manipur has a long record of insurgency and inter-ethnic violence. Its first armed opposition group, the
United National Liberation Front The United National Liberation Front (UNLF), also known as the United National Liberation Front of Manipur, is a separatist Meitei insurgent group active in the state of Manipur in Northeast India which aims at establishing a sovereign and so ...
(UNLF), was founded in 1964 aiming to achieve independence from India and establish Manipur as a new country. Over time, many more groups formed, each with different goals, and deriving support from diverse ethnic groups in Manipur. The People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) was formed in 1977, and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1978, suspected by
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
of receiving arms and training from China. In 1980, the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) was formed. These groups began a spree of bank robberies and attacks on police officers and government buildings. The state government appealed to the central government in
New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
for support in combating this violence.


"Disturbed area" designation

From 1980 to 2004, the Indian government referred to Manipur as a ''disturbed area.'' This term (designated by the
Ministry of Home Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...
or a
state governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
) refers to a territory where extraordinary laws under the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958 is an act of the Parliament of India that grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces to maintain public order in "disturbed areas". According to the Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 19 ...
can be used. The laws allow the military to treat private and public spaces in the same manner, detain individuals for up to 24 hours with unlimited renewals, perform warrantless searches, and to shoot and kill individuals who break laws, carry weapons, or gather in groups larger than four. Legal immunity applies to the military. Since 1980, the application of the AFSPA has been at the heart of concerns about
human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
violations in the region, such as arbitrary killings, torture, cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CIDT) is treatment of persons which is contrary to human rights or dignity, but is not classified as torture. It is forbidden by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Hu ...
, and
forced disappearance An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person with the support or acquiescence of a State (polity), state followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate or whereabouts with the i ...
s. Its continued application has led to numerous protests, notably the longstanding hunger strike by Irom Sharmila Chanu. In 2004, the government lifted the ''disturbed'' status after a violent attack on a local woman. The rape of a Manipuri woman, Thangjam Manorama Devi, by members of the
Assam Rifles The Assam Rifles (AR) is a paramilitary force of India responsible for border security, counter-insurgency, and maintaining law and order in Northeast India and in Jammu & Kashmir in lines of Rashtriya Rifles. Its primary duty involves guard ...
paramilitary had led to wide protests including a nude protest by the
Meira Paibi Meira Paibi (Women torch bearers) is a Meitei people, Meitei women's social movement in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Manipur. Referred to as the "guardians of civil society", Meira Paibi dates to 1977 in present Kak ...
women's association.


2023 ethnic violence

In May 2023, an ethnic clash between
Meitei people The Meitei people, also known as Meetei people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." are a Ti ...
and
Kuki people The Kuki people, or Kuki-Zo people,Rakhi BoseIn Tense Manipur, Sub-Categorisation And 'Creamy Layer' Could Open A Pandora's Box Outlook, 11 September 2024. uoting general secretary of the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), Kangpokpi''At pr ...
led to extensive violence and arson, resulting in 60,000 people displaced from their homes and hundreds more dead and hospitalized. According to data released by Manipur Police, as on September 15, 2023; 175 people have been killed; 1,118 people were injured, and 33 people were missing. 96 bodies remained unclaimed. 5,172 cases of arson including destruction of 4,786 houses and 386 religious places, out of which there were 254 churches and 132 temples, were reported since May. Out of 5,668 arms lost; 1,329 arms, 15,050 ammunition and 400 bombs were recovered.
Indian army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
troops were deployed to control the situation. International outrage resulted from a report that two Kuki women had been paraded naked and allegedly gang-raped by a mob of Meitei men.


Geography

The state lies at a latitude of 23°83'N – 25°68'N and a longitude of 93°03'E – 94°78'E. The total area covered by the state is . The capital lies in an oval-shaped valley of approximately , surrounded by blue mountains, at an elevation of above sea level. The slope of the valley is from north to south. The mountain ranges create a moderate climate, preventing the cold winds from the north from reaching the valley and barring cyclonic storms. The state is bordered by the Indian states of
Nagaland Nagaland () is a States and union territories of India, state in the northeast India, north-eastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south, and the Naga Sel ...
to its north,
Mizoram Mizoram is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its Capital city, capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometres (449 miles) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar t ...
to its south, Assam to its west, and shares an international border with
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
to its east. The state has four major river basins: the Barak River Basin ( Barak Valley) to the west, the Manipur River Basin in central Manipur, the Yu River Basin in the east, and a portion of the Lanye River Basin in the north. The water resources of Barak and Manipur river basins are about 1.8487 Mham (million hectare metres). The overall water balance of the state amounts to 0.7236 Mham in the annual water budget. (By comparison, India receives 400 Mham of rain annually.) The Barak River, the largest of Manipur, originates in the Manipur Hills and is joined by tributaries, such as the Irang, Maku, and
Tuivai The Tuivai River (or Tipai River, Tuyai River) is a river that originates in Myanmar and flows through the states of Manipur, Mizoram and Assam in India. It is the longest tributary of the Barak River, into which it flows at Tipaimukh near the ...
. After its junction with the Tuivai, the Barak River turns north, forms the border with Assam State, and then enters the Cachar Assam just above Lakhipur. The Manipur river basin has eight major rivers: the Manipur River, Manipur, Imphal River, Imphal, Iril River, Iril, Nambul, Sekmai, Chakpi, Thoubal and Khuga. All these rivers originate from the surrounding hills. Almost all the rivers in the valley area are in the mature stage and therefore deposit their sediment load in the Loktak Lake. The rivers draining the Manipur Hills are comparatively young, due to the hilly terrain through which they flow. These rivers are corrosive and become turbulent in the rainy season. Important rivers draining the western area include the Maku, Barak River, Barak, Jiri, Irang, and Leimatak. Rivers draining the eastern part of the state, the Yu River Basin, include the Chamu, Khunou and other short streams. Manipur may be characterised as two distinct physical regions: an outlying area of rugged hills and narrow valleys, and the inner area of flat plain, with all associated landforms. These two areas are distinct in physical features and are conspicuous in flora and fauna. The valley region has hills and mounds rising above the flat surface. The Loktak Lake is an important feature of the central plain. The total area occupied by all the lakes is about 600 km2. The altitude ranges from 40 m at Jiribam to 2,994 m at Mount Tempü peak along the border with Nagaland. The soil cover can be divided into two broad types, viz. the red Iron oxide, ferruginous soil in the hill area and the alluvium in the valley. The valley soils generally contain loam, small rock fragments, sand, and sandy clay, and are varied. On the plains, especially flood plains and deltas, the soil is quite thick. The topsoil on the steep slopes is very thin. Soil on the steep hill slopes is subject to high erosion, resulting in gullies and barren rock slopes. The normal pH value ranges from 5.4 to 6.8.


Flora

Natural vegetation occupies an area of about , or 77.2% of the total geographical area of the state, and consists of short and tall grasses, reeds and bamboos, and trees. About a third of Manipur's forests are protected: 8.42% of the forested land is categorized under Reserved Forests, and 23.95% under Protected Forests. There are six major types of forests in Manipur, and 10 subtypes. The six major forest types, according to the state's Forest Department, include Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest, Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, Sub-Tropical Pine Forest, Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest, Montane Wet Temperate Forest and Sub-alpine Forest. There are forests of teak, pine, oak, Phoebe hainesiana, uningthou, leihao, bamboo, and Arundo, cane. Rubber tree, Rubber, tea, coffee, Orange tree, orange, and cardamom are grown in hill areas. Rice is a staple food for Manipuris.


Climate

Manipur's climate is largely influenced by the topography of the region. Lying 790 metres above sea level, Manipur is wedged among hills on all sides. This northeastern corner of India enjoys a generally amiable climate, though the winters can be chilly. The maximum temperature in the summer months is . The coldest month is January, and the warmest July. The state receives an average annual rainfall of between April and mid-October. Precipitation ranges from light drizzle to heavy downpour. The capital city
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
receives an annual average of . Rainfall in this region is caused by The South Westerly Monsoon picking up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and heading towards the Eastern Himalaya ranges. This normal rainfall pattern of Manipur enriches the soil and much of the agrarian activities are dependent on it as well. Manipur is already Climate change in India, experiencing climate change, especially Impacts of climate change, changes in weather, with both increased Extreme weather, variability in rain as well as increasingly severe changes in temperature.


Demographics


Population

Manipur had a population of 2,855,794 at the 2011 census. Of this total, 57.2% lived in the valley districts and the remaining 42.8% in the hill districts. The valley (plain) is mainly inhabited by the Meitei people, Meitei speaking population (native Manipuri language, Manipuri speakers). The hills are inhabited mainly by several ethno-linguistically diverse tribes belonging to the Nagas, the Kuki people, Kukis and smaller tribal groupings. Naga and Kuki settlements are also found in the valley region, though less in numbers. There are also sizable population of Nepalis, Bengalis, Tamils and Marwaris living in Manipur. The distribution of area, population and density, and literacy rate as per the 2001 Census provisional figures are as below:


People

The Meitei people, MeiteisKhomdan Singh Lisam, ''Encyclopaedia Of Manipur'', , pp. 322–347 (synonymous to the Manipuris) constitute the majority of the state's population. They inhabit the
Imphal Valley Imphal Valley ( /ˈɪmpɑːl/; ) or Manipur Valley () is located in the Indian state of Manipur and is an irregular almost oval shaped canyon that was formed as a result of the multiple small rivers that originate from neighbouring hill regions ...
. Nagas and Kuki-Zo are the major tribe conglomerates of tribes inhabiting the surrounding hills. The Kuki-Zos consist of several tribes including Gangte people, Gangte, Hmar people, Hmar, Paite people, Paite, Simte people, Simte, Sukte people, Sukte, Thadou people, Thadou, Vaiphei people, Vaiphei, Zou people, Zou, and some smaller tribes. They speak Kuki-Chin languages and predominate the southern hill districts of Manipur. The prominent Naga tribes are Angami Naga, Angami, Kabui people, Kabui, Kacha Naga, Mao people (India), Mao, Maram people, Maram, Poumai people, Poumai, Sümi Naga, Sema and Tangkhul people, Tangkhul, each speaking its own language. They predominate the northern hill districts of Manipur. In addition, several smaller tribes that were classified as "Old Kuki" by the British administrators populate Chandel district, Chandel and neighbouring districts. Some of them now classify themselves as Nagas while others retain the Kuki classification.


Languages

The official language of the state is Meitei (also known as ''Manipuri''). It is a Scheduled languages of India, scheduled language in the Republic of India, and serves as the
lingua franca A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, link language or language of wider communication (LWC), is a Natural language, language systematically used to make co ...
in Manipur. Other than Meitei language, in Manipur, there is a huge amount of linguistic diversity, as is the case in most of the Northeast India. Almost all of the languages are Sino-Tibetan, with many different subgroups represented. There are multiple Kuki-Chin languages, the largest being Thadou language, Thadou and is spoken in all the hill districts. Another major language family is the Naga languages, like Tangkhulic languages, Tangkhul, Poula language, Poula, Rongmei language, Rongmei and Mao language (India), Mao. Less than 5% speak Indo-European languages, mostly Nepali language, Nepali and Bengali language, Bengali, which is the major language of Jiribam district. The Directorate of Language Planning and Implementation (AKA Department of Language Planning and Implementation) of the Government of Manipur works for the development and the promotion of Meitei language and other local vernaculars of Manipur.


Linguistic events

* Meitei language day (Manipuri language day) * Meitei poetry day (Manipuri poetry day) * Meitei language movements ** Meitei classical language movement (ongoing) ** Meitei linguistic purism movement (ongoing) ** Meitei scheduled language movement (successful)


Administrative divisions

Districts Subdivisions


Religion

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
and
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
are the major religions practiced in Manipur. Between the 1961 and 2011 censuses of India, the share of Hindus in the state declined from 62% to 41%, while the share of Christians rose from 19% to 41%. The religious groups of the Meitei-speaking people include Hindus, Sanamahism, Sanamahists, Meitei Christians and Meitei Pangals. Besides these, the non Meitei-speaking communities (tribals) are mostly Christians.


Hinduism

The Meitei people, Meitei ethnicity (aka Manipuri people) is the majority group following Hinduism in Manipur, beside other minor immigrants following the same faith in the state. Among the indigenous communities of Manipur, Meiteis are the only Hindus as no other indigenous ethnic groups follow this faith. According to the 2011 Census of India, about 41.39% of the Manipuri people practice
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
. The Hindu population is heavily concentrated in the Meitei dominant areas of the Manipur Valley (
Imphal Valley Imphal Valley ( /ˈɪmpɑːl/; ) or Manipur Valley () is located in the Indian state of Manipur and is an irregular almost oval shaped canyon that was formed as a result of the multiple small rivers that originate from neighbouring hill regions ...
), among the Meitei people. The districts of Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal East, and Imphal West all have Hindu majorities, averaging 67.62% (range 62.27–74.81%) according to the 2011 census data. Vaishnavite Hinduism was the state religion of the Manipur Kingdom, Kingdom of Manipur. In 1704, Meitei King Charairongba accepted Vaishnavism and changed his traditional Meitei name into Hindu name, Pitambar Singh. However, the first Hindu temples were constructed much earlier. A copper plate excavated from Phayeng dating back to 763 CE (believed to be of the reign of Meitei King Khongtekcha) was found to contain inscriptions about the Hindu deities in Sanskrit words. During the 13th century, Meitei King Khumomba constructed a Lord Hanuman temple. The Vishnu temple at Lamangdong was constructed during 1474 CE (during the reign of Meitei King Senbi Kiyamba, Kiyamba), by Brahmins immigrating from the neighborhood Shan State. As per the legends, the temple was constructed to house the Vishnu emblem given to King Kiyamba by King Khekhomba of Shan. Phurailatpam Shubhi Narayan was the first Brahmin priest of this temple.


Christianity

Christianity is the religion of 41% of the people in the state, but is the majority in rural areas with 53%, and is predominant in the hills. It was brought by Protestant missionaries to Manipur in the 19th century. In the 20th century, a few Christian schools were established, which introduced Western-type education. Christianity is the predominant religion among tribals of Manipur and tribal Christians make up the vast majority (over 96%) of the Christian population in Manipur.


Islam

The Meitei Pangals (), also known as Meitei Muslims or Manipuri Muslims, are the third largest religious majority group in the state, comprising about 8.3% of the state population. They belong to the Sunni group of the Hanafi school of Islamic thought and descendant of foreign amry migrants.(See Meitei Pangals#History, History of Manipuri Muslims)


Sanamahism

Sanamahism is the indigenous, polytheistic and animistic ethnic religion of the Meitei people. Sanamahist worship concentrates on the household deity Lainingthou Sanamahi. The ancient Meiteis worshiped a Supreme deity, Salailen, and followed their ancestors. Their ancestor worship and animism was based on Umang Lai – ethnic governing deities worshiped in the sacred groves. Some of the traditional Meitei deities, or Lais are Atiya Sidaba, Pakhangba, Lainingthou Sanamahi, Sanamahi, and Panthoibi. Out of the 233,767 people who opted for the "Other religion" option, 222,315 were Sanamahists.


Other religions

The various other religions were mostly followers of tribal folk religions, 6,444 were Haipou_Jadonang#Heraka_movement, Heraka, 2,032 were Jewish and 1,180 were from other tribal religions such as Tingkao Ragwang Chapriak.


Government

The government of Manipur is a collective assembly of 60 elected members, of which 19 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 1 for Scheduled Castes. The state sends two representatives to the Lok Sabha of the Parliament of India. The state sends one representative to the Rajya Sabha. The legislature of the state is Unicameral. Representatives are elected for a five-year term to the state assembly and the Indian parliament through voting, a process overseen by the offices of the Election Commission of India. The state has Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, one autonomous council.


Civil unrest


Social movements

There were many public movements in Manipur against the government: * Meitei classical language movement * Meitei language movement#Scheduled language movement, Meitei scheduled language movement * Meitei language movement#Linguistic purism movement, Meitei linguistic purism movement


Security and insurgency

The violence in Manipur extends beyond the conflict between Indian security forces and insurgent armed groups. There is violence between the Meitei ethnicity, various Naga tribes, various Kuki tribes, and other tribal groups. Splinter groups have arisen within some of the armed groups, and disagreement between them is rife. Other than the UNLF, PLA, and PREPAK, Manipuri insurgent groups include the Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF), Manipur Liberation Front Army (MLFA), Kanglei Yawol Kanba Lup (KYKL), Revolutionary Joint Committee (RJC), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Peoples United Liberation Front (PULF), Manipur Naga People Front (MNPF), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-I/M), United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF), Kuki National Front (KNF), Kuki National Army (KNA), Kuki Defence Force (KDF), Kuki Democratic Movement (KDM), Kuki National Organisation (KNO), Kuki Security Force (KSF), Chin Kuki Revolutionary Front (CKRF), Kom Rem Peoples Convention (KRPC), Zomi Revolutionary Volunteers (ZRV), Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), Zomi Reunification Organisation (ZRO), and Hmar Peoples Convention (HPC). The Meitei insurgent groups seek independence from India. The Kuki insurgent groups want a separate state for the Kukis to be carved out from the present state of Manipur. The Kuki insurgent groups are under two umbrella organisations: the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United Peoples Forum. The Nagas wish to annex part of Manipur and merge with a greater Nagaland or Nagalim, which is in conflict with Meitei insurgent demands for the integrity of their vision of an independent state. There have been many tensions between the tribes and numerous clashes between Naga and Kukis, Meiteis and Muslims. According to SATP in 2014, there had been a dramatic decline in fatalities in Manipur since 2009. In 2009, 77 civilians died (about 3 per 100,000 people).State wise Indian fatalities, 1994-2013
Militancy and Terrorism Database, SATP, New Delhi
From 2010 onward, about 25 civilians have died in militant-related violence (about 1 per 100,000 people), dropping further to 21 civilian deaths in 2013 (or 0.8 per 100,000 people). However, there were 76 explosions in 2013 compared to 107 in 2012. Different groups have claimed responsibility for the explosions, some claiming they were targeting competing militant groups, others claiming their targets were state and central government officials.
SATP, New Delhi
As a point of comparison, the average annual global rate of violent death between 2004 and 2009 was 7.9 per 100,000 people.Global Burden of Armed Violence
Chapter 2, Geneva Declaration, Switzerland (2011)


Economy

The 2012–2013 gross state domestic product of Manipur at market prices was about . Its economy is primarily agriculture, forestry, cottage and trade driven.G. Hiamguanglung Gonmei, "Hills Economy of Manipur: A Structural Change", ''Journal of North East India Studies'', Vol. 3, No. 1, January–June 2013, pp. 61–73 Manipur acts as India's "Gateway to the East" through Moreh, India, Moreh and Tamu, Burma, Tamu towns, the land route for trade between India and Burma and other countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia. Manipur has the highest number of handicraft units and the highest number of craftspersons in the northeastern region of India."Manipur Economy - Snapshot"
IBEF


Electricity

Manipur produced about of electricity in 2010 with its infrastructure. The state has hydroelectric power generation potential, estimated to be over . As of 2010, if half of this potential is realised, it is estimated that this would supply 24/7 service, 24/7 electricity to all residents, with a surplus for sale, as well as supplying the Burma power grid.


Agriculture

Manipur's climate and soil conditions make it ideally suited for horticultural crops. Growing there are rare and exotic Medicinal plants, medicinal and aromatic plants. Some cash crops suited for Manipur include Lychee, Cashew, Walnut, Orange (fruit), Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Papaya, Passiflora edulis, Passion Fruit, Peach, Pear and Plum. The state is covered with over of bamboo forests, making it one of India's largest contributor to its bamboo industry. Agriculture in Manipur includes a number of smallholding farms, many of whom are owned by women. Climate change, especially changes in temperature and weather are hurting small farmers in the state. Like Women in climate change, rural women in other parts of the world, women in agriculture in Manipur are harmed more by the changes in weather, because of less access to support from local governments.


Transportation infrastructure

Tulihal Airport, Changangei, Imphal, the only airport of Manipur, connects directly with Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, and Agartala. It has been upgraded to an international airport. As India's second largest airport in the northeast, it serves as a key logistical centre for northeastern states. The Tulihal Airport has been renamed Bir Tikendrajit Airport. National Highway 39 (India), National Highway NH-39 links Manipur with the rest of the country through the railway stations at Dimapur in Nagaland at a distance of from Imphal. National Highway 53 (India) connects Manipur with another railway station at Silchar in Assam, which is away from Imphal. The road network of Manipur, with a length of connects all the important towns and distant villages. However, the road condition throughout the state is often deplorable. In 2010, Indian government announced that it is considering an Asian infrastructure network from Manipur to Vietnam. The proposed Trans-Asian Railway (TAR), if constructed, will pass through Manipur, connecting India to Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.


Tourism

The tourist season is from October to February when it is often sunny without being hot and humid. The culture features martial arts, dance, theatre and sculpture. Greenery accompanies a moderate climate. The seasonal Shirui Lily plant at Ukhrul (district), Dzüko Valley at Senapati, Sangai (Brow antlered deer) and the floating islands at Loktak Lake are among the rarities of the area. Polo, which can be called a royal game, originated in Manipur.


UNESCO list

The Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), which is the world's only floating national park, located in the Loktak lake, is under the tentative lists of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, under the title ''"Keibul Lamjao Conservation Area (KLCA)"'', additionally covering the buffer of Loktak Lake (140 sq km) and Pumlenpat, Pumlen Pat (43 sq. km), besides the 40 sq km of the KLNP. The Kangla (officially called the Kangla Fort), which was the historic seat of administration of the List of Meitei kings, Meitei rulers of Manipur Kingdom, is also moved in the Indian Parliament, to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.


Imphal (capital)

The city is inhabited by the
Meitei people The Meitei people, also known as Meetei people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." are a Ti ...
and other communities. The city contains the Imphal Airport, Tulihal Airport. The district is divided into East and West. Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, The Khuman Lampak Sports Complex was built for the 1997 National Games. The stadium is used for a sports venue. It also contains a cyclists' velodrome. Most of the imported goods are sold at Paona Bazaar, Gambhir Singh Shopping Complex and Leima Plaza. Kangla Fort, Marjing Polo Statue, Sanamahi Kiyong, Ima Market, Samban-Lei Sekpil, Shree Govindajee Temple, Andro, Imphal East, Andro village, and Manipur State Museum are in the city.


Lakes and islands

from
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
, lies the largest fresh water lake in northeast India, the Loktak Lake, a miniature inland sea. There is a tourist bungalow atop Sendra Island. Life on the lake includes small islands that are floating weed on which live the lake people, the blue waters of the lake, and colourful water plants. There is a Sendra tourist home with an attached cafeteria in the middle of the lake. Floating islands are made out of the tangle of watery weeds and other plants. The wetland is swampy and is favourable for a number of species. It is in the district of Bishnupur district, Bishnupur. The etymology of Loktak is "lok = stream / tak = the end" (End of the Streams). Sendra park and resort is opening on the top of Sendra hills and attracting the tourist.


Hills and valleys

Kaina is a hillock about above sea level. It is a sacred place for Manipuri Hindus. The legend is that, Shri Govindajee appeared in the dream of his devotee, Shri Jai Singh Maharaja, and asked the saintly king to install in a temple, an image of Lord Krishna, Shri Govindajee. It was to be carved out of a jack fruit tree, which was then growing at Kaina (Manipur), Kaina. It is from Imphal. The Dzüko Valley is in Senapati district bordering with Kohima. There are seasonal flowers and number of flora and fauna. It is at an altitude of above sea level, behind Mount Japfü in Nagaland. The rare Dzüko lily is found only in this valley.


Eco tourism

Keibul Lamjao National Park, away from Imphal is an abode of the rare and endangered species of Eld's deer, brow antlered deer. This ecosystem contains 17 rare species of mammals. It is the only floating national park of the world. to the west of
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
, at the foot of the pine growing hillocks at Iroisemba on the Imphal-Kangchup Road are the Zoological Gardens. Some brow antlered deer (Sangai) are housed there.


Waterfalls

Sadu Chiru waterfall is near Ichum Keirap village from Imphal, in the Sadar hill area, Senapati district. This consists of three falls with the first fall about high. Agape Park is in the vicinity.


Natural caves

Thalon Cave (around above sea level) is one of the historical sites of Manipur under Tamenglong district. It is around from the state capital and around from Tamenglong district headquarters in north side. From Thalon village, this cave is . Khangkhui Cave is a natural limestone cave in Ukhrul district. The big hall in the cave is the darbar hall of the Devil King living deep inside while the northern hall is the royal bedroom, according to local folklore. During World War II, villagers sought shelter here. This cave is an hour's trek from Khangkui village.


Education

Manipur schools are run by the state and central government or by private organisation. Instruction is mainly in English. Under the 10+2+3 plan, students may enroll in general or professional degree programs after passing the Higher Secondary Examination (the grade 12 examination). The main universities are Manipur University, Central Agricultural University, National Institute of Technology, Manipur, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Manipur, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Indira Gandhi National Tribal University. Manipur is home to India's first floating elementary school: Loktak Elementary Floating School in Loktak Lake.


Transportation


Air

Bir Tikendrajit International Airport is situated in the capital
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
which connects direct flights from
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
to Kolkata, Guwahati,
New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
, Bangalore and Agartala.


Roadways

Manipur is connected to all its neighbouring states with National Highway (India), National Highways.


Rail

Manipur has one operational railway station, Jiribam railway station, Jiribam. Imphal railway station, is an under-construction railway station in
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
, the capital of Manipur.


Art and culture

Secular theatre is mostly confined to themes that are not religious; it is performed in the secular or profane spheres. In these are ''Shumang lila'' and ''Phampak lila'' (stage drama). ''Shumang lila'' is very popular. Etymologically Shumang lila is the combination of "Shumang" (courtyard) and "Lila (given name), Lila" (play or performance). It is performed in an area of 13×13 ft in the centre of any open space, in a very simple style without a raised stage, set design, or heavy props such as curtains, background scenery, and visual effects. It uses one table and two chairs, kept on one side of the performance space. Its claim as the "theatre of the masses" is underlined by the way it is performed in the middle of an audience that surrounds it, leaving one passage as entrance and exit. The world of ''Phampak lila'' (stage drama) performed in the proscenium theatre is similar, in form, to the Western theatrical model and Indian Natyasastra model though its contents are indigenous. The so-called modern theatre descended on Manipur theatre culture with the performance of Pravas Milan (1902) under the enthusiastic patronage of Maharaja Churchand Singh, Sir Churchand Maharaj (1891–1941). The pace of theatrical movement was geared up with the institution of groups such as Manipur Dramatic Union (MDU) (1930), Arian Theatre (1935), Chitrangada Natya Mandir (1936), Society Theatre (1937), Rupmahal (1942), Cosmopolitan Dramatic Union (1968), and the Chorus Repertory Theatre of Ratan Thiyam (1976). These groups started experimenting with types of plays apart from historical and Puranas, Puranic ones. Today Manipur theatre is well respected because of excellent productions shown in India and abroad. Manipur plays, both ''Shumang lila'' and ''stage lila'', have been a regular feature in the annual festival of the National School of Drama, New Delhi. International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Iskcon led by Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami, Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami started a network of schools in Northeastern India, where more than 4,000 students receive education centred on Vaishnava spiritual values. In 1989 he founded "Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe", which has approximately 600 performances at over 300 venues in over 15 countries. Ranganiketan (literally "House of Colorful Arts") is a group of more than 20 dancers, musicians, singers, martial artists, choreographers, and craft artisans. Some of them have received international acclaim. File:A Manipuri Dancer in traditional Krishna attire.jpg,
Manipuri dance Manipuri dance, sometimes also referred to as the Manipuri Raas Leela (), is a jagoi and is one of the major Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance forms, originating from the state of Manipur. It is one of the Meitei intangible cult ...
, one of eight the classical dances of India File:Thang-Ta.jpg, Thang Ta, the martial art form of Manipur File:"PENA" a musical instrument.jpg, ''Pena (musical instrument), Pena'' is an ancient Manipur musical instrument, particularly popular among the
Meitei people The Meitei people, also known as Meetei people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." are a Ti ...
. File:Chorus Repertory Theater.jpg, The Chorus Repertory Theatre,
Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...
, founded by Ratan Thiyam


Manipur dance (Ras Lila)

Manipur dance, Manipuri dance also known as Jagoi, is one of the major Classical Indian dance, Indian classical dance forms, named after the state of Manipur. It is particularly known for its Hindu Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called Raslila. However, the dance is also performed to themes related to Shaivism, Shaktism and regional deities such as Umang Lai during Lai Haraoba. The roots of Manipur dance, as with all classical Indian dances, is the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text ''Natya Shastra'', but with influences from the culture fusion between India and Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, Micronesia and Polynesia.


Chorus Repertory Theatre

The auditorium of the theatre is on the outskirts of Imphal and the campus stretches for about . It has housing and working quarters to accommodate self-sufficiency of life. The theatre association has churned out internationally acclaimed plays like ''Chakravyuha'' and ''Uttarpriyadashi''. Its 25 years of existence in theatre had disciplined its performers to a world of excellence. ''Chakravyuha'' taken from the Mahabharat epic had won Fringe Firsts Award, 1987 at the Edinburgh International Theater Festival. ''Chakravyuha'' deals with the story of Abhimanyu (son of Arjun) of his last battle and approaching death, whereas ''Uttarpriyadashi'' is an 80-minute exposition of Emperor Ashoka's redemption.


Sports

Mukna is a popular form of wrestling. Mukna Kangjei, or ''Khong Kangjei'', is a game which combines the arts of mukna (wrestling hockey) and Khong kangjei, Kangjei (Cane Stick) to play the ball made of seasoned bamboo roots.Khomdan Singh Lisam, Encyclopaedia Of Manipur, , pp 824-830 Yubi lakpi is a traditional full contact game played in Manipur, India, using a coconut, which has some notable similarities to rugby football, rugby. ''Yubi lakpi'' literally means "coconut snatching". The coconut is greased to make it slippery. There are rules of the game, as with all Manipur sports. The coconut serves the purpose of a ball and is offered to the king, the chief guest or the judges before the game begins. The aim is to run while carrying the greased coconut and physically cross over the goal line, while the other team tackles and blocks any such attempt as well as tries to grab the coconut and score on its own. In Manipur's long history, Yubi lakpi was the annual official game, attended by the king, over the Hindu festival of Shree Govindajee. It is like the game of Rugby sevens, rugby, or American football.Khomdan Singh Lisam, Encyclopaedia Of Manipur, , pp 825-830 Oolaobi (Woo-Laobi) is an outdoor game mainly played by females. Meitei mythology believes that UmangLai Heloi-Taret (seven deities–seven fairies) played this game on the Courtyard of the temple of Umang Lai Lairembi. The number of participants is not fixed but are divided into two groups (size as per agreement). Players are divided as into Raiders (Attackers) or Defenders (Avoiders). ''Hiyang Tannaba'', also called ''Hi Yangba Tanaba'', is a traditional boat rowing race and festivity of the Panas.


Polo

The origin of modern polo can be traced to Manipur where the world's oldest polo ground lies, Imphal Polo Ground. Captain Robert Stewart and Lieutenant Joseph Sherer of the British colonial era first watched locals play a rules-based ''pulu'' or ''sagolkangjei'' (literally, horse and stick) game in 1859. They adopted its rules, calling the game polo, and playing it on their horses. The game spread among the British in Calcutta and then to England.Lieutenant (later Major General) Joseph Ford Sherer, Assistant to the Superintendent of Cachar, with his bearers, Manipur, 1861
National Army Museum, United Kingdom; ''Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'', Volume 82, Issues 337–340, page 238
Chris Asto
"Manipur, Cradle of the Modern Game"
, Polo Consult
Apart from these games, some outdoor children's games are fading in popularity. Some games such as Khutlokpi, Phibul Thomba, and Chaphu Thugaibi remain very popular elsewhere, such as in Cambodia. They are played especially during the Khmer New Year. First of its kind in India, National Sports University will be constructed in Manipur.


Festivals

The festivals of Manipur are Lui-ngai-ni Ningol Chakouba, Shirui Lily festival, Yaoshang, Gan-ngai, Chumpha, Sajibu Nongma Panba, Cheiraoba, Kang and Heikru Hidongba, as well as the broader religious festivals Eid al-Fitr, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Eid-Ul-Adha and Christmas. Most of these festivals are celebrated on the basis of the lunar calendar. Almost every festival celebrated in other states of India is observed. On 21 November 2017, the Sangai Festival 2017 was inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind in Manipur. Held for 10 days, the festival is named after Manipur's state animal, the brow-antlered Sangai deer. The Sangai Festival showcases the tourism potential of Manipur in the field of arts and culture, handloom, handicrafts, indigenous sports, cuisine, music and adventure sports.


Sangai festival


Ningol Chakouba

Held on 9 November, this is a social festival of the
Meitei people The Meitei people, also known as Meetei people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." are a Ti ...
of Manipur where married women (Ningol) are invited (Chakouba, literally calling to a meal; for dinner or lunch) to a feast at their parental house accompanied by their children. Besides the feast, gifts are given to the women/invitees and to their children. It is the festival that binds and revives the family relations between the women married away and the parental family. Nowadays, other communities have started celebrating this kind of a family-bonding festival.


Kut

Held after the Harvest festival in November, this festival predominantly celebrated by Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes in Manipur has become one of the leading festivals of the state. Kut is not restricted to a community or tribe — the whole state populace participates in merriment. On 1 November of every year, the state declared holiday for Kut celebration.


Yaosang

Held in February or March, Yaosang is considered to be one of the biggest festivals of Manipur. It is the Holi festival (festival of colour) but Yaosang is the regional name given by the people of Manipur.


Khuado Pawi

Khuado Pawi is the harvest festival of the Tedim people who were recognised as Sukte people, Sukte and Zomi in India and
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
respectively. The word Pawi means festival in Tedim Zomi language. It is celebrated every year in the month of September–October after harvesting.


Cheiraoba

Also known as Sajibugi Nongma Panba and held in March or April, ''Cheiraoba'' is the new year of Manipur. It is observed on the first lunar day of the lunar month ''Sajibu'' (March/April) and so it is also popularly known as ''Sajibu Cheiraoba''. People of Manipur immaculate and decorate their houses and make a sumptuous variety of dishes to feast upon after offering food to the deity on this day. After the feast, as a part of the ritual, people climb hilltops; in the belief that it would excel them to greater heights in their worldly life.


Notable people

* Mary Kom


Geographical indication


Chak-Hao (Black rice)

Chak-Hao (Black rice), Chak-Hao was awarded the List of geographical indications in India, Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indication Registry (India), Geographical Indications Registry, under the Government of India, Union Government of India, on 20 April 2020 and is valid until 25 December 2027. Consortium of Producers of Chak-Hao (Black Rice) from Imphal, proposed the GI registration of Chak-Hao. After filing the application in December 2017, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2020 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Chak-Hao" exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus became the first rice variety from Manipur and Nagaland. It also is the 5th type of goods from Manipur and 4th from Nagaland to earn the GI tag respectively. The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.


See also

* Human rights abuses in Manipur * Outline of Manipur * Tourist Attractions in Manipur


Footnotes


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

Government *
Official Tourism Site of Manipur
General information * {{Authority control Manipur, States and union territories of India Northeast India States and territories established in 1972 Tourism in Northeast India