Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. The state covers an area of 22,327 square kilometres (8,621 sq mi) and has a population of almost 3 million, including the Meitei, who are the majority group in the state, the Meitei Pangals, Naga tribes, Kuki/Zo tribes and other communities, who speak a variety of Sino-Tibetan languages. Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years. It has long connected the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, China, Siberia (Russia), Micronesia and Polynesia, enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.
Meitei, or Meetei is a Sino-Tibetan language and the predominant language and lingua franca of the state of Manipur in northeastern India. It is one of the official languages of the Government of India.
The Meitei people are an ethnic group native to the state of Manipur in northeastern India. The Meitei primarily settled on the valley region in modern-day Manipur, although a sizable population have settled in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram; with notable presence in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
The Palace of Kangla is an old palace at Imphal in the Manipur state of India. It was situated on both sides of the bank of the Imphal River. But now it remains only on the western side of the bank. Only the ruins remain now. Kangla means "dry land" in old Meetei. It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur.
Manipuri dance, also known as Jagoi, is one of the major Indian classical dance forms, named after the region of its origin – Manipur, a state in northeastern India bordering with Myanmar (Burma), Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram. It is particularly known for its Hindu Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called Raslila. Raslila was performed in ceremony as festivals in honour of Krishna and her consort Radha who danced in expression of joy when the flood of Manipur was drilled out through Chingnunghoot passage and the time period of the act is historically estimated at Circa 3200 BCE and puyas recorded of Krishna arriving at Manipur by Garuda. Raslia has been observed in paying obeisance to the divine act of Radha and Krishna. The modern dance with beautiful dress up was initiated in 1790s according to references. However, the dance is also attributed to regional deities such as Umang Lai during Lai Haraoba.
Imphal East district is one of the 16 districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. As of 2011 it is the second most populous district in the state, after Imphal West.
Located in the Indian state Manipur, Kaina is a small hillock that is sacred to Hindus. It lies on the Imphal - Yariripok road, about 29 kilometres (18 mi) from the state capital, Imphal. It is said to be the place where King Bhagya Chandra received an epiphany to carve a statue of Lord Govinda from a sacred jackfruit tree.
Ningthou Ching-Thang Khomba (1748–1799) was a Meitei monarch of the 18th century CE. The inventor of the Ras Lila dance, with his daughter Shija Lailoibi playing as Radha at the first performance, he is a legendary figure in Manipur, and much of his actions as King had been mythologized. He is also credited with spreading Vaishnavism in Manipur State after his grandfather Pamheiba made Hinduism the official religion and for creating a unified Manipur.
Chinglen Nongdrenkhomba (1788–1834), also known as Raja Gambhir Singh, was a ruler of the Manipur Kingdom.
The history of Manipur is reflected by archaeological research, mythology and written history. However, with the finding of old lost Puya called Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya which was written around 1398 BCE at the time of King Mongyamba, the kings of Kangleipak need to be updated. Since ancient times, the Meitei people have lived in the valleys of Manipur alongside the highlanders in the hills and valley in peace. Pangal (Muslims) people settled in the valleys during the reign of Meidingu Khagemba in the year 1606. Since then, they also lived along with the Meitei.
Meitei literature or Meetei literature is the literature written in the Meitei language. The presence of writing among the Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kangleipak state under king Loiyumba in the early 12th century. The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. It is known only from the Puya manuscripts discovered in the first half of the 20th century. Manuscripts of the 18th and 19th century used the Bengali alphabet. The existence of the Meitei script in the 15th-century hinges on the authenticity of an inscription dated to the reign of Senbi Kiyamba.
Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled Cheithalon Kumpapa, is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, as "the former copy was no more available". It is the main source for the list of pre-modern kings of Manipur, tracing the genealogy of the ruling Ningthouja dynasty back to a ruler named Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, said to have ruled for more than a century, from 33–154 CE. It is to the Meiteis what the Buranji is to the Assamese and the Yazawin to the Burmese.
Nara Singh also known as Chingthanglen Pamheiba and Meetingu Lairen Nonglen Sendreng Manik Khomba, was a ruler of the Kingdom of Manipur. He ruled first as regent from 1834 to 1844 and then as king for a period of six years from 1844 to 1850. His subjects called him ‘Eningthou Nungsiba’ or ‘our beloved king’.
The Ningthouja dynasty comprises the descendants of the kings of Manipur. It has 125 extended families. It was the single ruling dynasty of the erstwhile kingdom of Manipur. It was one of the longest-lasting dynasties in the world. It was founded by King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba in 33 CE. The reign of Ningthouja Dynasty continued until the abolition of the privy purse and royal entitlements by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi through a constitutional amendment in 1971.
Shree Govindajee Temple is a Vaishnava temple. The largest Hindu temple in Imphal, it is located next to the palace of the former rulers of the then Manipur Kingdom. The temple is simple in design with two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised mantapa, or congregation hall. The central chamber of the garbhagriha has the main deity of Govindaji, stated to be the incarnation of Lord Krishna, and his consort Radha. In the other two chambers of the sanctum, on either side of the main deity, images deified are of Balabhadra and Krishna on one side, and images of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra on the other side. The temple was originally built in 1846 during the reign of Maharaja Nara Singh and rebuilt by Maharaja Chandrakriti in 1876.
Northeast India consists of the eight states Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Tourism in this area is based around the unique Himalayan landscape and culture distinct from the rest of India.
Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh was an Indian writer, lexicographer and historian, known as the author of Manipuri to Manipuri and English, the first modern general dictionary in Meitei language, which was published in 1964. He was a fellow of the Sahitya Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987.
Meitei architecture or 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.
Hinduism is one of the religion practiced in the state of Manipur, India. Hinduism is concentrated in valley districts of Manipur neighbouring to Assam state. Hinduism practiced among mostly Meitei people, Nepali people, Bengali people. Hindus constitute 41% of the population. In Manipur valley, Hindus constitute 67-74% of the population.
