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Imphal |
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Area : 22327
sq.kms.
Altitude : 790 mts. above MSL
Rainy Season : May to October
Manipur the jewelled land borders Myanmar on the western and
southern sides and is inhabited by over two dozen tribes. According
to ancient legend Manipur was discovered due to the delight Gods had
in dancing. True enough Manipuri is one of the great dance forms and
involves acrobatics on the part of the male dancers and slow
graceful movements from the female participants.
Manipur were once considered extremely adept warriors. They still
practice the traditional skills of martial arts wrestling and sword
fighting. Polo is a popular sport and (along with several other
places in Asia) Manipur claims to have invented the game.
Agriculture and weaving are the basis of economy.
Much of Manipur lies above 2,000 mts. however the heart of the
populated area is a low-lying basin. In its centre is the reedy lake
Loktak (the largest freshwater lake in the North East). The
flat-bottomed basin and river valleys that drain into it are
extremely beautiful. There are several large lakes in the central
region where the rivers drain southwards. They are used for fishing
and duck shooting as well as for special boat races.
Manipuri costumes and handloom are very famous with almost every
household having a loom. The typically native patterns have their
own charm especially the Mairanghee design that was introduced by
Princess Thoibi of Moirang and the Phyanek or Sanke design featuring
red and black stripes that are symbolic of snakes.
Pick up an exotic shawl tangkhul scarf lashigphee blanket choose a
handicraft like Krishna radha doll in a Rasila pose Phirooks or
decorative papier-mache flower vases baskets bamboo trays and get a
feel of Manipur.
Foreigners can only obtain a permit if they travel on an organized
tour of at least four arranged by a recognized travel agency. More
information is available from the Manipur Government Offices at
2,Sardar Patel Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. |
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