Khuga River

Last updated

Khuga River
Tuitha River
Manipur relief.svg
Red pog.svg
India relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location
Country India
State Manipur
Districts Churachandpur, Bishnupur
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • coordinates 24°04′56″N93°38′52″E / 24.0821°N 93.6479°E / 24.0821; 93.6479
Mouth  
 • coordinates
 24°25′43″N93°50′16″E / 24.4285°N 93.8378°E / 24.4285; 93.8378
Basin features
Progression Manipur River
River system Chindwin
Waterbodies Khuga Reservoir

Khuga River, [lower-alpha 1] also known as the Tuitha River, is a river in Manipur, India. It originates in the Churachandpur district and flows through the district for much of its course. It enters the Imphal Valley near Torbung, and flows east, joining the Manipur River near Ithai. The Khuga River valley in the Churachandpur district is thickly populated, with the Churachandpur town and numerous villages.

Contents

Course

The Khuga River originates in the southern part of the Churachandpur district, close to the border with Chin State (Myanmar), and flows north into the Imphal Valley south of Moirang. The upper course of the river is traditionally called "Tuitha" in Kuki-Chin languages. [3] But the name is also applied to a south-flowing head stream of the river originating near Mount Mulam. [4] British maps have noted this headstream as "Hilpi River". Another headstream flowing north from the southern borders joins this stream near Hiangtam Khul ( 24°04′56″N93°38′52″E / 24.0821°N 93.6479°E / 24.0821; 93.6479 (Source of Khuga) ), forming the Khuga River. [4]

The combined river flows due north, breaking into a wide plain near the Mata village, which is referred to as the "Lamka plain" (Lamka zaang). [5] Near Mata, a multi-purpose dam called Mata Dam (or Khuga Dam) has been constructed in 2010. It forms a long reservoir, submerging much of the upper valley. [6] After the dam, the Khuga river flows for about 16 km through the Lamka plain/Khuga valley before entering the Imphal Valley near Torbung (in the Bishnupur district).

Near Torbung, streams from Thangjing hills to the west, prominently the Torbung stream, join the Khuga River, as does the outlet stream of the Loktak Lake. The combined river flows east and joins the Imphal River near Ithai to form the Manipur River. [4]

Valley

Khuga River flows through a wide valley, which appears as if it is an extension of the Imphal Valley. The second largest town of Manipur, Churachandpur, locally known as Lamka, lies in the valley. [7] Numerous other villages also dot the valley, housing a large portion of the Churachandpur district's population. The region has been referred to as the "Lamka plain". [5]

The Tedim Road, running between the Imphal City and the town of Tedim in the Chin State of Myanmar, partly runs through the Lamka plain / Khuga river valley. It leaves the valley near the village of S. Geltui, and follows a hill route to reach Singngat, after which, it enters the Tuivai River valley up to the town of Behiang on the southern border.

History

The Khuga River was relatively unknown to the history of Manipur. Its first mention is found in Cheitharol Kumbaba (Manipuri court chronicles) in the year 1712, noting a murder at "Torbung, near Khuka". [8] After the British began to exert their influence in Manipur, they regarded the southwestern part of the present-day Manipur state vaguely as part of "Lushai hills". The Manipur kingdom extended only to the southern periphery of the Imphal Valley. It was referred to as the "Moirang frontier" in an administrative report in 1876. [9] The Gazetteer of Manipur, published in 1886, makes no mention of the Khuga River and uses the name "Turbung stream" for its lower course running in the Imphal Valley. [10]

Scholar Pum Khan Pau believes that the Khuga River valley might have been traversed by Manipuris for the first time in 1857, when Maharaja Chandrakirti led an expedition to Tedim (in the present day Chin State of Myanmar), then the central base of the Kamhau-Sukte tribes. The Manipuri troops fled "in confusion" after facing the combined troops of Kamhau, Sukte and Sihzang tribes, and returned to the Imphal Valley via a previously "unknown route", which eventually formed the route of the present day Tedim Road along the Khuga River valley. [11]

In 1872, the Maharaja sent another expedition to the Chivu salt springs (near modern Behiang), ostensibly to support the British Lushai Expedition. The Manipuri troops camped there for two months, and, during their return journey, arrested the Kamhau chief of Mualpi by name Go Khaw Thang. Even though the British officials decried the expedition as "treachery", the Maharaja succeeded in marking his claimed territory. [12] In 1894, when the British delineated the border between Manipur and Chin Hills, they rant it close to the Chivu salt springs. [13]

During the Kuki Rebellion of 1917–1919, the British constructed a road to Hiangtam, south of Singngat along the Khuga River valley. Hiangtam was described as a stronghold of the Kuki rebels, and the British needed a way to send troops and supplies. The junction point of the Hiangtam road and the Tipaimukh road came to be known as Hiangtam Lamka, which formed the core of the modern Lamka or Churachandpur town. [14]

During World War II, the British improved the Hiangtam road and extended it to Tedim for the defence of eastern frontier of India. The resulting road came to be known as the Tedim Road, running between the Imphal City and the town of Tedim. Seven decisive battles were fought along this road between the 17 Division of British India and the 33 Division of Japan. The Japanese reached Churachandpur on 8 April 1944, and four additional battles were fought within Manipur, including one near Torbung. Eventually the Japanese were defeated at Imphal and withdrew with heavy losses. [15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Alternative spellings: Khuka [1] and Khooka. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Churachandpur district</span> District in Manipur, India

Churachandpur District, is one of the 16 districts of the Indian state of Manipur populated mainly by Kuki-Zo people. The name honours former Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh of Manipur. The district headquarters is located in the Churachandpur town, which is also locally known by the name Lamka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuki people</span> Ethnic group in India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar

The Kuki people are an ethnic group in the Northeastern Indian states of Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, as well as the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Kukis form one of the largest hill tribe communities in Northeast India, along with the adjoining regions of Bangladesh and Myanmar. In Northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh. The Chin people of Myanmar and the Mizo people of Mizoram are kindred tribes of the Kukis. Collectively, they are termed the Zo people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tedim</span> District in Chin State, Myanmar

Tedim (Burmese: တီးတိန်မြို့; MLCTS: ti: tin mrui., pronounced[títeɪ̀ɰ̃mjo̰], (Zo: Tedim Khuapi, pronounced ; is a town and the administrative seat of Tedim Township in Chin State, Myanmar. It is the second largest town in Chin State. The town's four major boroughs are: Sakollam, Myoma, Lawibual and Leilum. The population primarily consists of Chin people.

Moreh is a border town located on the India–Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district of the Indian state of Manipur. As a rapidly developing international trade point with the integrated customs and international immigration checkpoint, Moreh plays an important role in India's Look East Policy, trade and commerce under ASEAN–India Free Trade Area, India-Myanmar relationship, India–Myanmar–Thailand road connectivity, and Trans-Asian Railway connectivity.

Hiangzou is a ward within Churachandpur town in Manipur, India. Situated on the bank of the Khuga (Tuitha) river, this residential settlement developed from paddy fields. Its first settler, Upa P. Tuahchinhau, moved to Hiangzou on 31 January 1999. More settlers joined within a couple of years.

Hiangtam or Hengtam is a village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, India. It is located in the southern part of the district in the Singngat Subdivision. It was the site of fierce resistance during the Kuki Rebellion of 1917–1919 fought by the Zou people.

Guite is the progenitor clan of Zomi people, also called Chin in Myanmar, Mizo, or Paite, or even Kuki in India. According to Zam, Nigui Guite is the elder brother of the ancestral fathers of the Thadou people, namely Thangpi, Sattawng, and Neirawng. This genealogy was recently inscribed on the tribal memorial stone at Bungmual, Lamka in the presence of each family-head of the three major clans, Doungel, Kipgen, and Haokip, on August 7, 2011. Some historians, like Shakespeare, assumed Lamlei was the Nigui Guite himself but the Guites themselves recounted Tuahciang, the father of Lamlei, as the son of Nigui Guite instead, in their social-religious rites. Regarding Guite as the born son of Songthu and his sister, Nemnep, it was the practice of ancient royalty to issue royal heir and also to keep their bloodline pure instead. Depending on local pronunciation, the clan was also called by different names such as Nguite or Vuite, Gwite, Nwite, Paihte by the Lushei. In accord with the claim of their solar origin, the Guite clan has been called nampi, meaning noble or major or even dominant people, of the region in local dialect in the past.

Churachandpur, locally known as Lamka, is the second largest town in the Indian state of Manipur and the district headquarters of the Churachandpur District. The name "Churachandpur" was transferred from the earlier headquarters of the district at Songpi to the present location, and honours Churachand Singh, former maharaja of the Manipur princely state. The local Kuki-Zo people reject the name as a colonial imposition and use the native name "Lamka".

Khampat (ခမ်းပါတ်မြို့) is a town in the Kabaw Valley in the Sagaing Region in western Myanmar. It is at the location where the Namsaweng River flows down from the hills and enters the Kabaw Valley. It is the site of a historical principality, which often changed hands between Manipur and the Burmese kingdoms to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuivai River</span> River in India

The Tuivai 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 village Sipuikawn.

Northern Kuki-Chin is a branch of Kuki-Chin languages. It is called Northeastern Kuki-Chin by Peterson (2017) to distinguish it from the Northwestern Kuki-Chin languages. VanBik (2009:31) also calls the branch Northern Chin or Zo.

Thangjing Hill , is a mountain peak in the Indian state of Manipur. It is in the Churachandpur district, to the west of Moirang. The north-south-running mountain range on which it sits is also called Thangjing range or Thangjing Hills. The range forms part of the western border of the Imphal Valley.

Mombi, original name Lawmpi or Lonpi, is a census village in the Chandel district in the Manipur state of India. It had a population of 464 in the 2011 census.

Torbung is a census village split across the Bishnupur district and Churachandpur district in Manipur, India. The Bishnupur part of the village has a population of 2781, and the Churachandpur part a population of 1047 in the 2011 census. Torbung is on the bank of the Torbung river, which flows down from Thangjing hills to join the Khuga River. It is a village of historical as well as current political significance.

Kangvai is a village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, India. It is on the bank of the Kangvai stream that flows down from the eastern slopes of the Thangjing Hill. It is also the headquarters of the Kangvai Subdivison in the Churachandpur district. In the 2011 census, Kangvai had a population of 939 people. According to many sources, the 2023–2024 Manipur violence began at Kangvai, causing most residents to abandon the village.

Ukha Loikhai is a village in the Churachandpur district of Manipur, India. It is on the western slopes of the Thangjing Hill and has ongoing claims to the top of the hill itself. In the 2011 census, Ukha Loikhai had a population of 418 people. Ukha was one of the leading villages in the Kuki Rebellion of 1917–1919.

Henglep is a village in the Churachandpur district in the Manipur state of India, populated by about a thousand Kuki-Zo people. Henglep is also the headquarters of the Churachandpur North subdivision with a population of more than 30,000 people. Henglep was a key area of operations during the Kuki Rebellion of 1917–1919.

Torbung Bangla is a village in the geographical precincts of Churachandpur district in Manipur, India. It is populated mostly by Meitei people who regard themselves as being part of Bishnupur district. The village was originally called Boljang, with an educational sericulture farm established here. At present, the village is a site of contestation between the majority Kuki-Zo people of the Churachandpur district and the Meitei people that dominate the state of Manipur. During the 2023–2024 Manipur violence, the village was almost entirely burnt down by Kuki mobs.

William McCulloch (1816–1885) was a British army and political officer in India. He served as the Political Agent for the Manipur Kingdom, a de facto British protectorate on the border with Burma, for a period of 27 years. He acquired an intimate knowledge of the land and the people of Manipur, publishing a book, Account of the Valley of Munnipore and of the Hill Tribes, which has been regarded as authoritative by later writers.

The Leimatak River is an upstream tributary of the Barak River in Manipur, India. It originates in the Churachandpur district near the Mamun Lhang peak, and flows north for 34 km (21 mi) before entering the Noney district. After flowing an equal amount of distance in the Noney district, it enters the Tamenglong district, where it drains into the Irang River, a major tributary of the Barak River.

References

  1. ↑ Parratt, The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur, Vol. 1 (2005), p. 122
  2. ↑ "Annual Administration Report of the Munnipoor Agency, For the year ending 30th June 1874–75", Selections from the Records of the Government of India, Foreign Department, Calcutta: Foreign Department Press, 1874, p. 7 – via archive.org
  3. ↑ Churachandpur District Census Handbook (2011), p. 24.
  4. 1 2 3 Churachandpur District Census Handbook (2011), p. 25.
  5. 1 2 Pau, Indo-Burma Frontier and the Making of the Chin Hills (2019) , p. xii: "From a remote hill village in the Indo-Burma border, my grandparents moved to the plain of Lamka (Lamka zaang) in Churachandpur District of Manipur chiefly in search of better livelihood and opportunity for the education of their children."
  6. ↑ Khuga Dam, Churachandpur District administration, retrieved 1 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Sukrit Baruah (10 July 2023), "Amid ongoing violence, why there is an open challenge to the name of Manipur's Churachandpur", The Indian Express
  8. ↑ Parratt, The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur, Vol. 1 (2005) , p. 122. The expression "near Khuka" suggests that the reference could have been to a place rather than a river.
  9. ↑ Annual Administration Report of the Munnipoor Agency for the year 1875–1876, Calcutta: Foreign Department Press, 1876, p. 5 – via archive.org
  10. ↑ Dun, E. W. (1992) [1886], Gazetteer of Manipur, Manas Publications, p. 193 – via archive.org (Villages such as Saikot and Saitul are described as being "on the Turbung stream".)
  11. ↑ Pau, Tedim Road (2012), pp. 778–779.
  12. ↑ Pau, Indo-Burma Frontier and the Making of the Chin Hills (2019), pp. 67–69, 160.
  13. ↑ Pau, Indo-Burma Frontier and the Making of the Chin Hills (2019), p. 161.
  14. ↑ Sukrit Baruah (10 July 2023), "Amid ongoing violence, why there is an open challenge to the name of Manipur's Churachandpur", The Indian Express
  15. ↑ Pau, Tedim Road (2012).

Bibliography


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.