| Imphal, the
tiny capital city of the northeastern state of Manipur,
is an ideal destination off the beaten track. The landscape
of green-blue hills, lush fields and low clouds is like
an exquisite painting.
THE CITY
One of the few places in India where nothing
seems to have changed is Imphal, a tiny valley tucked
away in the northeastern state of Manipur. Relics of
an old, historical palace, well-planned temples and
ceremonial houses in all their splendor amidst the tall
pine and jackfruit trees, speak of Imphal’s ancient
past.
At places, Imphal looks almost like a painting—clouds
hanging low over long stretches of lush green fields
and numerous small hills of the green-blue Koubrou and
Namaijing ranges forming a garland around the valley.
Adding a riot of color are hundreds of orchids.
The best way to visit the places in Imphal is to hire
an auto-rickshaw or a cycle-rickshaw on an hourly basis.
It will take you to all the interesting sites and finally
to the central market where you can spend as much time
as you like.
Lying at the center of Manipur valley, Imphal is one
of the most ancient towns in the Indian subcontinent
and has much to offer to a discerning tourist.
PLACES TO VISIT
Eight kilometers from Imphal, at the foot of
the pine-covered hillocks, you will find a wealth of
rare birds, animals and reptiles at the Manipur Zoological
Gardens. In the zoo’s sylvan surroundings, you
will even get a glimpse of one of the rarest species
of deer in the world, the graceful brow-antlered thamin
deer.
Then there is the Khonghampat Orchidarium that has
more than a hundred rare varieties of orchids. The best
time to visit the orchidarium is in the months of April
and May when the orchids are in full bloom.
One of the main features of Imphal is the Khwairamband
Bazaar. What makes this market different is that it
is run by women. Split into two sections on either side
of the road, it has tribal women clad in colorful, traditional
attire, selling everything from hand-woven shawls, skirts,
vessels, mugs and mats to fish, lotus, oranges and orange-flavored
honey. And if you wander in the quaint by lanes around
the market, you will get a glimpse of Manipur’s
customs and traditions.
The core of Imphal’s traditions, however, lies
in its various temples. The most important of these
is the Shri Govindajee Temple, a historic center for
Vaishnavites. A simple, twin-domed structure, it adjoins
the magnificent palace of the former rulers of Manipur.
Constructed in the early 18th century under the Rajarishi
Bhagyachandra regime, the temple comes alive during
festivals when thousands of people come to offer prayers.
In fact the best time to visit it is during Holi, also
known in Manipur as Dolijatra or Yaosong when boys and
girls do the Thaba Changba folk dance, all night. In
the center of the temple stands the presiding deity,
Lord Vishnu flanked by the shrines of Balarama and Krishna
on one side and Jagannatha on the other. The temple
also has a paved court and a large raised congregation
hall.
The Manipur State Museum is another place that is worth
a visit. The museum has a rich collection of Manipuri
costumes, war implements, historical documents and relics,
and gives you a sample of the state’s complex
history. Here, the visitors can also see sculptures
of the local forest gods, and the motif of the Phakangba,
the man who could turn himself into a dragon. Represented
in his dragon form, Phakangba is considered as the ancestor
of all Vaishnavites. All these things speak about the
importance that the Manipuris attach to the organic
relations of humanity with nature.
Right in the heart of the city is the tall Shahid Minar
at the Bir Tirkendrajit Park that was built in memory
of Manipur’s martyrs who sacrificed their lives
for India’s independence.
From another era, there are the famous cemeteries of
the British and the Indian armies that commemorate those
who died in the Second World War. Well maintained by
the Commonwealth Grave Commissions, it has stone markers
and stone plaques, each of which has a record of the
sacrifice made by the soldiers.
Yet another special feature of Imphal is the Archery
Stakes that are held everyday on various low-lying stretches
of ground just below a stand of conifers. Evolved from
an ancient tribal sport, it is still very popular in
Manipur and one can see archers shooting as many as
500 arrows within a span of a few minutes.
For the history buffs, there is in the heart of the
city the Old Palace with interesting ruins of an old
fortress wall and a palace.
If you want to add a touch of glamour to your visit,
plan a trip to the city during November when Imphal
becomes the stage for a national festival of classical
dance on the lines of the Khajuraho, Ellora and Badrinath
festivals.
If you are one of those who are always on the lookout
for the quaint and the unusual, get off the beaten track
and visit Imphal. You may feel that Imphal is too far
away but this is not really true. It is far easier to
reach than you may think. You can reach either through
Calcutta or Guwahati by any fast train or fly down to
either of these places and then to Imphal. The airfare
in the northeastern sector is highly subsidized and
is just a little more than the first-class railway fare.
Alternatively, you may take a bus from Guwahati. The
road journey, though a little tiring and time consuming,
brings to you unspoilt scenes, limitless greens, virgin
forests and crisp air. However, if you wish to travel
by road, keep a passport-size photograph handy because
you will required to get an Inner Line Permit—a
mere formality—for traveling through Nagaland
to reach Imphal.
Imphal boasts of the biggest freshwater lake in the
country, the Loktak.
SITES NEARBY
There are a number of places an hour
or two away from Imphal, each more beautiful than the
other. Moirang is just 45 km away and it is here that
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose first hoisted the flag of
the Indian National Army (INA) on Indian soil. There
is an INA museum, which contains letters, photographs,
badges of rank and other articles associated with this
movement. There is also a statue of Netaji. The graceful
Khamba-Thoibi dance originated here.
Keibul Lamjao National Park, at a distance of 53 km,
is supposed to be the last natural habitat of the thamin
deer.
Ukhrul (83 km) is the highest hill station of the state;
Moreh (100 km) is close to the Burma border and is a
commercial center. Tengnoupal is 69 km away and from
here one can have a full view of the valley of Manipur.
GETTING THERE
Indian Airlines connects Imphal with
Delhi via Guwahati on a daily basis. A daily Boeing
Service also connects Imphal with Calcutta via Silchar.
Vayudoot connects Imphal with Calcutta and Dimapur,
thrice a week.
Dimapur, 215 km from Imphal, is the nearest railhead
for Manipur.
Imphal is connected by road with Dimapur by National
Highway 39 and Silchar by National Highway 53.
SHOPPING
Sales Emporium, Manipur Handloom &
Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd., Paona Bazaar,
Imphal (Ph: 20340)
Eastern Handlooms and Handicrafts, Paona Bazaar, Imphal
MISCELLANEOUS
Foreign tourists visiting Manipur require
Restricted Area Permit issued by the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi.
Domestic tourists visiting Manipur by road via Dimapur,
Kohima, require inner line permit issued by the sub-divisional
officer (Civil), Government of Nagaland, Dimapur.
For further details, tourists may contact: Tourist
Information Center, Directorate of Tourism, Government
of India Tourist Office, Jail Road, Imphal 795001 (Ph:
21131).
Because Imphal is situated in the extreme east of the
country, the sun rises and sets quite early. So, plan
your excursions accordingly.
Maximum Temperature 32°C; Minimum Temperature 0°C
Woolen clothing is essential from November to February
and cottons for the rest of the year.
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