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The green state of Manipur, and Imphal its
capital, has all the fine, merged, tints of
a water colour. Faiths and traditions and
life styles seem to flow into each other
with a softedged grace so that it is
impossible to know where one ends and the
other begins. The Manipur valley is watered
by rivers threading out of the dark,
mist-topped, ranges. |
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Bright green fields stretch all the way to
the distant mountains. Like the Nair women
of Kerala the
women of Manipur are trained in the fierce
local Martial art known as Thang-ta. Both
the men and women are dressed in black and
they wield their swords like slicing,
flashing, propellers, and when their swords
clash, sparks fly. In marked contrast, is
the
delicate, marionette-like, Manipuri dance.
The dances suggest the relationship between
the dancers and their Divine Master, Lord
Krishna. The principal deity here is carved
out of a jackfruit tree in response to a
dream which Rajarshi Bhagyachandra had in
the 18th century. Older forms of worship,
however, continue to exist in the veneration
of forest deities known as Umang Lais.
Imphal gives a fascinating insight into an
archetypal Indian trend. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport is Dimapur.
By Rail: Nearest railhead is Dimapur–
215 kms.
By Road: Dimapur. |
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Imphal |
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Imphal, the capital of the easternmost state
of Manipur, is the centre of all cultural,
commercial and political activities.
Manipur, popularly known as the "land of
jewels" splits up naturally into two parts -
the hills and the plains. |
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The inhabitants of these two divisions have
their own distinctive dialects, customs and
tribal costumes. Shri Govindjee Temple is a
historic centre for Vaishnavites. the
Manipur State Museum has a fairly good
display of Manipur's tribal heritage and a
collection of portraits of Manipur's former
rulers. In the heart of the town, and in
grounds now
occupied by the para-military forces for
their training, there are interesting ruins
of an old fortress wall and a palace.
Though small in area, Manipur is rich in its
culture, traditions, festivals, dances,
handlooms and handicrafts. |
| Area: 29.57 Sq.Km.
Altitude: 790 metres above at MSL.
Rainfall: 1980.8 mm (May to
October). Climate: 32.0
Deg. C. (Mean Max.), 0.0 Deg. C. (Mean
Min.). Best Season: October
to February. Languages Spoken:
Manipuri, Hindi and English. |
Places Of Interest:
Shri Govindjee Temple, Khwairamband Bazaar,
Manipur State Museum, The Old Palace, War
Cemeteries, Manipur Zoological Garden,
Khonghampat Orchidarium, Saheed Minar,
Langthaband. |
Excursions:
Bishnupur- 27 kms, Phubala- 40 kms, Moirang-
45 kms, Loktak lake- 45 kms, Sendra- 48 kms,
Keibul lamjao national park- 53 kms, Kangchup-
16 kms, Koubru hill- 50 kms, Ukhrul- 83 kms,
Kaina- 29 kms, aithou lake- 16 kms,
Khongjom- 36 kms, Tengnoupal- 69 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Connected with Delhi via
Guwahati and with Calcutta via Agartala and
Silchar.
By Rail: The nearest railhead is
Dimapur-215 km.
By Road: Agartala- 465 kms, Aizwal-
374 kms, Dimapur- 216 kms, Guwahati- 579 kms,
Itanagar- 413 kms, Kaziranga- 346 kms,
Kohima- 123 kms, Shillong- 643 kms. |
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