Manipur is a landlocked state in northeast India with Imphal as its capital. It borders Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north. It shares international borders with Myanmar, specifically the Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the southeast. Covering an area of 8,621 square miles, the state consists mostly of hilly terrain with the 700-square-mile Imphal Valley 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 official language and lingua franca, Meitei (Manipuri), also belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.
Imphal is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace, the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a moat. Spread over parts of the districts of Imphal West and Imphal East, the former contains the majority of the city's area and population. Imphal is part of the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Being a mega commercial hub, Imphal is known for its weaving, brass-ware, bronze-ware, and other cottage industries. Meitei language is the most widely spoken language in the city.
The Meitei people, also known as Meetei, Manipuri people, are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group native to the Indian State of Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Republic of India and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the Imphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meiteis in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meiteis represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
The Kangla with diacritic Kanglā, officially known as the Kangla Fort, is an old fortified palace at Imphal, in the Manipur state of India. It was formerly situated on both sides of the bank of the Imphal River, now remaining only on the western side in ruined conditions. Kangla means "the prominent part of the dry land" in old Meetei. It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur.
Kakching is a town in the southeastern part of the Indian state of Manipur. It serves as the headquarters of Kakching district and is a major commercial hub in the state. In 2018, Kakching was declared as the cleanest city in North East India by the Swachh Bharat Mission of the Indian government.
Thoubal district is one of the sixteen districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. This district is bounded by Imphal East on the north, Kangpokpi District and Tengnoupal District districts on the east, Kakching district on the south and Imphal West district on the west. The district occupies an area of 324 km2. The population as of 2011 is 286,687. Thoubal town is the district headquarters. This district is known for Khongjom, where the last battle of the independence of Manipur was fought in April 1891 against the British army.
Thoubal is a town and municipal council with 18 wards, serving as the district headquarters in Thoubal district, in the Indian state of Manipur. The name 'Thoubal' derives from 'Athouba,' meaning brave people, symbolizing the courageous residents of the district. It is one of the larger towns in Manipur, known for its idyllic setting, featuring numerous lakes, rivers, paddy fields, and gardens. Thoubal is also a gateway to Southeast Asia, with the Trans-Asian Highway (AH1) passing through it, and is well-connected to Imphal, Kakching, Moreh, and Yairipok.
Khangabok is a village located about 25 km south of Imphal, in the state of Manipur, India. Its jurisdiction falls under the Thoubal District Division. Khangabok is one of the largest villages in Manipur in terms of area and population.
Pakhangba is a primordial deity, often represented in the form of a dragon, in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is depicted in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, which originated in paphal, mythical illustrations of the deity. It is believed that the ancestor of one of the Meitei clans manifested himself as the Pakhangba.
Meitei architecture, sometimes also referred to as Manipuri architecture, is the architecture produced by the Meitei speaking people, whose culture flourished in the Kangleipak kingdom and its neighbouring kingdoms from the middle of the fifteenth century BC. The Meitei architecture is best known for its temples, found scattered in the Kangleipak. Other architectural forms that are still in existence are the grand gates (Hojang), Traditional houses (Yumjao), Public houses (Sanglen), Official buildings (Loishang), etc.
The Kangla Sanathong, also known as the Kangla Gate, is the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak.
The Pakhangba Temple, also known as the Pakhangba Laishang, is a Meitei temple dedicated to the God Pakhangba of Sanamahism, the traditional Meitei religion, located beside the Nungseng Eekon, to the left side of the Kangla Sanathong, the western gate of the Kangla Fort in the Imphal West district of Manipur.
There are three notable museums inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak, which are the Kangla Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Memento Museum. Some people also count the Hijagang as a museum.
In Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur, Kanglā shā is a sacred guardian beast with a lion's body and a two-horned dragon's head. It is a royal symbol of the Meitei royalties . The most remarkable statues dedicated to "Kangla Sa" stand inside the Kangla.
The Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, officially known as the Laiyingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, is a temple of God Lainingthou Sanamahi of Meitei religion (Sanamahism), built on the Nongmaiching mountain in the Imphal East district of Kangleipak. It is a center of the Sanamahism followers in Manipur. It is the central body of the "Sanamahi Lainingkol" at Chingoi Maru Langmaiching (Nongmaiching).
The Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB) is a temple development board of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple, Haying Khongban Uphong Yumpham, Imphal West district of Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). It is dedicated not only to God Lainingthou Sanamahi and Goddess Leimarel Sidabi of Sanamahism, but also to the other ancient Meitei gods and goddesses of the traditional Meitei religion.
Japanese people and Meitei people have a long history of sharing and interacting with each other's art and cultural heritages, including but not limited to cinema, music, mythology, language, literature and theatre.
The Naharolgi Thoudang is an Indian Meitei language daily newspaper, circulated mainly in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur. Since Meitei language is written predominantly in both Meitei script and Bengali script, Naharolgi Thoudang is printed in different editions of the two writing systems.
Sagol Kangjei is a traditional Meitei ball sport played on horseback with a long-handled stick. The sport, also known as Manipuri polo, is a predecessor of modern international polo.
The intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Meitei civilization is recognised, honoured, preserved as well as promoted by the UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture of the Union Government of India, the Government of Armenia, the State Government of Manipur, the State Government of Assam, the State Government of Tripura, among many other notable institutions.
