40 Unbelievable Facts About Manipur

Facts About Manipur: Manipur is a state in northeastern India. Manipur was formerly a monarchical kingdom of British India until 1947. Annexed by India in 1949. It was part of the Union of India until 1956. Gained separate state status in 1972.

Its capital is Imphal. Manipur borders the Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam in the north, south and west, respectively, and borders Myanmar in the east.

Most of the citizens of this state are of the Meitei ethnic group. They (Meiteilon) speak their ancestral Maithri language called Manipuri. The language was added in 1992 as one of the recognized languages ​​of India.

The area was the site of numerous battles between Japanese and Allied forces during World War II. Japanese forces were victorious in East Asia and attacked as far as Manipur. But they failed when they tried to bring the city of Imphal under their rule. The event marked a turning point in the aftermath of the war. The British War Graves Commission currently maintains two crematoriums for Indian war veterans and Allied war veterans.

Manipur is considered a tense border state. Non-Indian citizens must obtain a Ticket for a restricted area at the Regional Foreigners Registration Office in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. This law also applies to Maithri people born in Manipur and immigrated to other countries. Holders of this special permit can stay in Manipur for ten days. During that time they must accompany at least three fellow travelers on a travel plan arranged by a government-mandated travel officer. Also, foreign travelers will be allowed to enter Imphal only by air. They are impal They will not be allowed to go anywhere other than the city.

Interesting Facts About Manipur

• Manipur is connected to all its neighbour states by the National Highways.
• Manipur is known by various names like Kangleipak, Sanaleibak and Meeteileipak.
• Zoological Gardens: It houses the Sangai (the graceful brow-antlered deer) at the base of pine-clad hillocks.
• Handloom weaving and sericulture are two marketing sectors that provide mass employment to the locals of Manipur.
• The sports Polo originated in Manipur. this game was later adopted by the Britishers and hence it gained popularity in the west.
• Khonghampat Orchidarium: The sprawling land of 200 acres boasts over 110 rare varieties of orchids including a dozen endemic species.
• Manipur became part of India in 1949 and in 1956 it became a Union Territory, whereas 16 years later, Manipur became a state of India.
• Manipur played a major role in WW II. Japanese army invaded British India via Manipur, where British forces beat Japan before they could enter Imphal.
• The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has constituted a four-member team for conservation and management of Loktak Lake in Manipur.
• Dol Yatra (March), New Year Day (April), Rath Yatra (June-July), Durga Puja (September-October), and Ningol Chakouba (November) are just some of Manipuri festivals.
• Govindajee Temple: This is a Vaishnavite temple built by the former kings of Manipur. The simple but beautiful structure consists of two domes and a large congregation hall.
• Legends say that the inhabitants of Manipur are originally Gandharvas –the celestial singers and dancers. Just like Kashmir, Manipur also has a reputation of being Gandharva-Desa.

Historical Facts About Manipur

• War Cemetery: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains the graveyard. Little stone markers with bronze plaques on them commemorate the dead British and Indian soldiers of World War II.
• Imphal International Airport is situated in the capital which connects direct flights from Imphal to Kolkata, Guwahati, New Delhi and Agartala And there is a new terminal is purposed to build.
• Keibul Lamjao National Park: Keibul Lamjao National Park is the only floating National Park in the world. It is on the Loktak Lake and is the last natural habitat of the Sangai deer of Manipur.
• India’s first floating elementary school named Loktak Elementary Floating School was inaugurated at Langolsabi Leikai of Champu Khangpok floating village on Loktak Lake in Manipur on February 2017.
• Manipur literally means the land of gems, and it is really so given the interesting history, uniqueness and culture it has. Here are some special facts worth knowing about this northeast Indian state.
• Shaheed Minar: This tall seminar at the heart of Imphal city is to commemorate the indomitable spirit of the patriotic Meitei and tribal martyrs who sacrificed their lives while fighting the British in 1891.
• The construction of the railway line is going on to connect Manipur to its neighbour states as well as it’s cities and it is expected to start working in 2018. Currently, Manipur has one railway station, Jiribam.
• Bishnupur: The place features a Vishnu temple with peculiar Chinese influence besides the Loktak Lake and also the Red Hill, where a fierce battle between the British and the Japanese took place during the World War II.
• Loktak Lake: The biggest natural freshwater lake of the northeastern region of India is the Loktak Lake. The Sendra island is situated on the lake itself and has a tourist bungalow that provides a captivating view of the lake waters.

Geographical Facts About Manipur

• Nongda Lairen Pakhangba is believed to be the first king of Manipur in 33 AD. However, Manipur earned fame in the ancient text Mahabharata as the princess of this kingdom, Chitrangada, was one of the wives of the Pandava warrior-prince Arjun.
• This is a historical landmark of the Manipuri capital, Imphal. Hundreds of stalls run entirely by women where you can buy fashionable clothing, colorful fabrics, handmade jewellery, fruits, vegetables, spices, and plenty more. In Manipuri, the word ima means “mother” and keithel means “market”.
• Manipur has primarily an agrarian economy, with significant hydroelectric power generation potential. It is connected to other areas by daily flights through Imphal airport, the second-largest in northeastern India. Manipur is home to many sports, the origin of Manipuri dance, and is credited with introducing polo to the Europeans.
• Manipur is one of the north-eastern sister states where Inner Line Permit is required. The Inner Line Permit is an official government document which allows travellers to visit a protected area. The Inner Line Permit is granted by the government of Manipur, and it mentions the dates of visit as well as the places intended to be visited.
• There are several traditional dresses that Manipuris can boast of. Traditional clothing for women includes Innaphi, Phanek, and Mayek Naibi. Innaphi is a shawl to wrap around your upper body. Phanek is a hand woven skirt, similar to the famous sarong. Mayek Naibi is a special kind of phanek, which comes in bright colors and has horizontal stripes.
• Keibul Lamjao National Park is situated on the floating Loktak Lake of Manipur. It has a vast wetland populated with dense dead and decaying floating vegetation called phumdi. It is home to the endangered Sangai or the brow-antlered deer and rare flora which are also the state animal of Manipur. Thousands of fishermen families live close to the Loktak Lake for their livelihood.

Social and Culture Facts About Manipur

• The state has four major river basins: the Barak River Basin (Barak Valley) to the west, the Manipur River Basin in central Manipur, the Yu River Basin in the east, and a portion of the Lanye River Basin in the north. The water resources of Barak and Manipur river basins are about 1.8487 Mham. The overall water balance of the state amounts to 0.7236 Mham in the annual water budget.
• Manipur has numerous indigenous games such as Yubi lakpi, a type of contact sport, similar to rugby, played by seven barefoot players using a coconut; the famous Polo, which originated in Manipur; Oolaobi, played only by females divided in Raiders and Avoiders; Hiyang Tannaba, a distinctive boat rowing race. Moreover, Manipur has its forms of wrestling (Mukna) and hockey (Khong Kangjei).
• The festivals of Manipur are Lui-Ngai-ni Ningol Chakouba, Yaoshang, Gan-Ngai, Chumpha, Cheiraoba, Kang and Heikru Hidongba, as well as the broader religious festivals Eid-Ul-Fitr, Eid-Ul-Adha and Christmas. Most of these festivals are celebrated on the basis of the lunar calendar. Almost every festival celebrated in other states of India is observed here, and it makes Manipur a mini-metropolis.
• Manipur has the oldest polo ground in the world at Imphal’s Mapal Kangjeibung. It is said that Manipur's deity-king Kangba invented the game in the 14th century BC, and in 33 AD, King Nongda Pakhangba hosted the first polo match. It hosts the Manipur International Polo Festival every year which is attended by a lot of polo fans. The Britishers took polo to the west during their colonial rule in India.
• The staple diet of Mapuris is made of rice, fish, and seasonal vegetables (of both aquatic and terrestrial) — many of them can be found only in and around the region. They make a large use of spices and herbs such as hooker chives, mint, coriander, curcuma, and pepper chili, avoiding the use of oil. One of the most popular dishes is Chamthong, a delicious vegetable stew. Sign up below for free, and you can receive your own Manipuri recipe!
• The local mothers who run the small shops at Manipur’s all-women market are referred to as Imas in Manipur. The market is divided into two sections on either side of road. The market is remotely located on the Indo-Myanmar border. Interestingly, no men are allowed to sell their wares at this market. People visit this all-women market to shop for vegetables, fruits, household groceries and fish as well a beautiful handloom items and household tools.
• The state covers an area of 22,327 square kilometres and has a population of almost three million, including the Meitei, who are the majority group in the state, Loi, Yaithibi, Kuki and Naga peoples, who speak a variety of Sino-Tibetan languages. Manipur has been at the crossroads of the Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years. It has long connected the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia, enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.
• The climate of Manipur is largely influenced by the topography of this hilly region. Lying 790 metres above sea-level, Manipur is wedged among hills on all sides. This northeastern corner of India enjoys a generally amiable climate, though the winters can be chilly. The maximum temperature in the summer months is 32 °C (90 °F). In winter, the temperature often falls below 0 °C (32 °F), bringing frost. Snow sometimes falls in hilly regions due to the western disturbance. The coldest month is January, and the warmest July.
• The state lies at a latitude of 23°83’N – 25°68’N and a longitude of 93°03’E – 94°78’E. The total area covered by the state is 22,347 square kilometres. The capital lies in an oval-shaped valley of approximately 700 square miles surrounded by blue mountains and is at an elevation of 790 metres above sea-level. The slope of the valley is from north to south. The mountain ranges create a moderated climate, preventing the cold winds from the north from reaching the valley and barring cyclonic storms originating from the Bay of Bengal.
• Natural vegetation occupies an area of about 14,365 square kilometres (5,546 sq mi), nearly 64 per cent of the total geographical area of the state and consists of short and tall grasses, reeds and bamboos, and trees. Broadly, there are four types of forests: Tropical Semi-evergreen, Dry Temperate Forest, Sub -Tropical Pine, and Tropical Moist Deciduous. There are forests of teak, pine, oak, uningthou, leihao, bamboo, and cane. Rubber, tea, coffee, orange, and cardamom are grown in hill areas. Rice, a staple food for Manipuris, and other cash crops make up the main vegetation cover in the valley.
• About 41.39% of Manipuri people are Hindus. Hinduism is mostly professed by Meitei people, who are the majority in the state. However, a large minority of Meitei people practices Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion) and Christianity. Vaishnavism school of Hinduism became a dominant force in Manipur in the eighteenth century when the King Garib Niwas (1708–48), declared it as the official state religion. This was the Vaishnavism of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Bhakti preacher of Bengal, which stressed Krishna Bhakti. The Hindu population is heavily concentrated in the Manipur valley among the Meitei people. The districts of Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal East and Imphal West are all Hindu majorities averaging 67.62% (range 62.27–74.81%) according to the 2011 census data.

Friends, hope you liked this post of Unbelievable Facts About Manipur. If you liked this post, then you must Share it with your friends and Subscribe to us to get updates from our blog. Friends, If you liked our site FactsCrush.Com, then you should Bookmark it as well.