Manipur

MANIPUR - " THE JEWELLED LAND "  

SWITZERLAND OF INDIA

One of the seven sister states of India, Manipur is impressively surrounded by hills on all sides. Although a tiny state, but it has gained international recognition through its rich culture and heritage. The folkore here have deep interest in art and culture which beautifully reflects in its celebrations. Music and dance seems to be integral part of their lives. The Manipuri classical dance is famous all over the world. Huge mountains, green and beautiful valleys attract tourists to spend their holidays here. The state was once the capital of King Pakhangba. Manipuri is the language spoken here, The capital city Imphal is also dotted with many attractions.  " A PRETTY PLACE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN MANY SHOW PLACES OF THE WORLD" was the phrase coined by St.Clair Grimwood in the praise of Manipur and PT. Jawaharlal Nehru called it the " JEWEL OF INDIA " 


" The sweet winds gently caress the vast extent of green fields. The smooth, soft rays of the early morning sun bathe the landscape and make the drops of dew on the grass-blades glisten like pearls . . . " 


MANIPURI DANCES : 


Manipur presents a mosaic of traditions and cultural patterns. Particularly, it is world famous for the Manipuri style of classical dance, very much distinct from other Indian dance forms. The Manipuri school of dancing whether folk, classical or modern, is devotional on nature. The rich culture and tradition of Manipur is also depicted in its handloom clothes and handicrafts. 


CUISINE : 


Manipuri cuisine has a lot to offer to its tourists. Do try out its traditional speciality called KABOK - a combination of fried rice and vegetables. Other culinary attractions are fishprepared in different ways, vegetables and bamboo shoots. Other specialities to dig on are RathJatra dishes, Shree Govindajee dishes and Chakkouba special.


The staple diet of Manipur consists of rice, leafy vegetables, and fish. Manipuris typically raise vegetables in a kitchen garden and rear fish in small ponds around their house. Since the vegetables are either grown at home or obtained from local markets, the cuisine is very seasonal, each season having its own speacial vegetables and preparations. The taste is very different from mainland Indian cuisines because of the various use of aromatic erbs and roots that are peculiar to the region. Many of the vegetable that are used in daily meals are found only in and around the region and not seen elsewhere. 


Some of thses include yendem ) a kind of taro ) , chawai, hawai mana, Koukha ( a herb root) , loklei , pulei , komprek etc. Various mushrooms also form an important part of the cuisine. These include uyen ( similar to shittake mushroom ), uchi-na ( black slimy mushroom), chengum, kanglayen ( lichen ). There are also ingredients in the cuisine that require an acquired taste, such as hawaijar ( fermented soya bean, somewhat similar to the Japanese Natto ) , soibum ( fermented bamboo shoot ) and ngari ( fermented fish ) 


SHOPPING : 

MANIPURI HANDICRAFT

Cane and bamboo are grown in abundance in Manipur, hence articles made from them are the major shopping attractions here. Cane and bamboo baskets are not only beautiful but durable too. Colourful pots shows the talent of the potters who are mainly woman. Manipur is a home to the largest handloom cottage industry in India. Its handlooms such as tribal shawls with beautiful designs and motifs are a big hit with tourists.


A wide array of artistic handicrafts from bamboo, papier mache, decorative ivory, dolls and jewellery make prized souvenirs.


Manipur's main shopping attractions are the traditional Manipuri handwoven textiles. The Manipuri dance doll with its graceful stances is a lovely memento to buy for family and friends. These exclusive handloom and handicraft items are sold at Khwairamband market, the largest exclusive women's market in the country, which is a must on every visitors travel itinerary.


Occupying a prized in the world of art and handicrafts, Manipur offers a wide rane of products. The people of Manipur are highly skilled in crafting amazing handicrafts. The markets are the best places to get the glimpses of the rich heritage of Manipur through its wonderful art and handicrafts. Kauna products, cane and bamboo articles, artistic weaving, woodcarving are the favourites of tourists. 


Some of the famous handicrafts of Manipur are :


* Hand woven and embroidered textiles
* Mats made of water reed
* Manipuri dance doll 
* Shawls and blankets
* Manipuri bed covers of Moirangfee
* Cane and bamboo work
* Wood carving  

POPULAR SHOPPING PLACES : 


Ideal places to buy such handicrafts are Paona Bazar, where fixed price shops will lessen your shopping worries, Manipur Handlooms Sales Emporium, Handloom House and Tribal Emporium and Sangai Handloom, near the Gandhi memorial.

ACCOMODATION :


As per the requirements of the tourists,hotels offers luxurious and sophisticated facilities. There are some hotels in Manipur providing superb services at reasonable costs.

HOTEL KRISHTINA : Here you can find rooms with ample space and modern amenities. Double bedroom with Television facility is available at Rs.350 room tariff per day and three bedrooms with Television facility can be availed at Rs.450 room tariff per day.


HOTEL PRINCE : Situated in Imphal, capital of Manipur, Hotel Prince provides single room at Rs.200 tariff per day and double bed room at Rs.300 tariff per day


HOTEL WHITE PALACE : This hotel provide different category of rooms like single deluxe, single VIP, double deluxe and double VIP at very low prices.


HOTEL DEESH DELUXE : Situated in Thangal Bazaar, Imphal city  , this offers premium class amenities and fast services. Rooms are divided into categories like deluxe rooms, double bed rooms and single bed rooms.


Fairs and festivals :

Manipuris celebrate fairs and festivals throughout the year. From celebrating the arrival of spring to celebrating the thank giving ceremony for a good harvest, Manipuri religion and culture provides endless opportunities to celebrate.

Following are just a few of these festivals of Manipur which are celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm:

Gang-Ngai:

Mainly celebrated by the Kabui Naga tribe of Manipur, Gang-Ngai festival is celebrated in the months of December/January. It is a five day long festival filled with fun.

Yaoshang Festival: 

It is one of the most important Hindu festivals of Manipur which stretches for five days. It is celebrated on a full moon day in the month of Phagun(February/March). A wonderful dance form known as Thabal Chongba is an interesting part of this festival.

Kut Festival:

Celebrating the good harvest, Kut festival belongs to the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribe of Manipur. During the festival the heavenly deity is thanked for showering its blessings in the form of bountiful harvest. It is an annual festival celebrated in the month of November.

Cheiraoba Festival:

It is the celebration of the Manipuri New Year. During the festival all the people of Manipur decorate their houses after cleaning them. It is a day of starting everything afresh. There is a ritual associated with this festival according to which the people celebrating the festival climb the nearest hill. It is believed that it would help them reach new heights in life.

STATE ATTRACTIONS :

ARCHERY MANIPUR : 


The wondeful sport of archery is intricately woven into the culture of Manipur. The history of this sport goes back to ancient times. Manipuri's are experts in this field. The people of the state encourage their children learn and master the sport of archery. It is a very popular sport in Manipur. Several low- lying areas of Manipur become the venue for this game everyday. Honing their skills, the players practice this sport for hours together and that too on daily basis. Well trained anchor can shoot as many as 500 arrows within few minutes. You will be amazed to see the speed at which they play this sport.

SHREE GOVINDAJEE TEMPLE : 

Shree Govindajee Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is one of the most important temples of Manipur. The shrine houses images of different forms of deities, and all of them are forms of Lord Vishnu. There is a beautiful attraction near Shree Govindajee Temple - the place of the former rulers of Manipur. Holding great historic importance, this palace looks stunning with its gold domes and a huge congregation hall perched on a platform. This temple was built during the rule of the Rajarishi Bhagyachandra in the 18th century. During the festivals the temple becomes he centre for several cultural activities. During holi, young boys and young girls give amazing dance performances at the temple.


MANIPUR STATE MUSEUM :


Established with the purpose of preservation and display of the rich culture of Manipur, Manipur State Museum was established in 1969. It is considered to be the best museum in the entire North East India. The artefacts showcased inside the museum oodles about the glorious history of the state. The museum is located near the polo ground and is a big hit with tourists. Different galleries inside the museum are dedicated to different aspects of the rich heritage of Manipur. Various cultures, archeology, ancient articles and art forms of Manipur can only been seen here. Colourful handicrafts are also on display in this museum. One of the galleries of the museum is especially designed  for the entertainment of children.
Hiyang Hiren ( the royal boat ) which is 78 feet long is one of the main attractions of the museum. It is placed in an open gallery.


The manipur state Museum is playing an important role in preserving and promoting the heritage of Manipur by conducting various awareness camps adn prgrammes, culture appreciation course, science fairs and thematic exhibition. The Museum is open from 10am to 4.30pm on all days except Sundays and Government holidays.


Some of the items displayed in the Manipur State Museum are :


* Manipuri costumes
* War implements
* Historical documents and relics
* Sculptures of the local forest deities
* The motif of the Phakangba ( the man who could turn himself into a dragon )
* Portraits of erstwhile rulers


Khwairamband Bazaar : 


Famous for the colouful handmade items of Manipur, Khwairamband Bazaar of the state is located in the capital city of Imphal. This bazaar is ruled by Manipuri women. The bazaar is also known as Nupi Keithal and Ima Bazaar deriving its name from the women who run it. The market area is spread on both sides of the Khwairamband Road. One side of the market is dedicated to the wonderful handloom items which are very popular among tourists. The other side of the market is full of vegetables, fruits and fishes. Other items are found in this market are cosmetics, household utensils and beautiful jewellery. Various types of handicrafts such as shawls, bedsheets and Manipuri dresses can be bought from this market. Plaited Osiers are one of the famous handicrafts of Manipur.


There is a street near the Khwairamband Bazaar where beautifully weaved cane baskets and furniture are on sale. This beauty shows the craftsmen of Manipur are highly skilled in the art of weaving. These products are durable and can be used for years together. TAKE UR PICK ! ! !



LOKTAK LAKE : 


Teeming with a wide variety of aquatic flora and fauna, the Loktak 


Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in East India located 50 


km from the capital city Imphal. Holding sheer socio - economic 


importance, the lake bagged the title " THE WETLAND OF


INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE " by the Ramsar Convention


in the year 1990. This lake is also known as " FLOATING LAKE "


as it dotted with floating Phundies. They are the floating islands 


which are actually heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and 


organic matters are various stages of decomposition. It is one of the 


lifelines of Manipur as it is a source of water for hydropower 


generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. The fisherman


inhabiting the surrounding area earn their living through this lake.


There is a National Park named Keibul Lamjao National Park 


located in the south eastern region of the Loktak Lake. The Park


is the natural home to the endangered Manipur brow - antlered 


deer and python. The park plays host to several other wildlife 


species such as hog deer, boar, wild cats, and panthers. With the 


arrival of winter the Park comes alive with the beautiful migratory 


birds.


The Loktak Lake is worth a visit . . .