Manipur

The literal meaning of Manipur is "Land of jewels". These jewels are in the form of emerald lakes, Blue Mountains, foaming waterfalls and exotic wildlife. It is claimed to be the birthplace of the equestrian sport of polo. Manipur's dance forms are based on "Raas Lila" linked to the life of Lord Krishna.

General Information

Latitudes : 24.6637° N
Longitudes : 93.9063° E
Time zone : IST (UTC + 5:30)
Area : 22,327 square kilometer (8,621 square miles)
Capital : Imphal
Temperature : Maximum 32° C and Minimum - 2° C
Rainfall : 1467.5 millimeters
ISO abbreviation : IN-MN
Districts : Nine (9)
Population : 23,88,634
Density : 107 / kilometer square
Official Language : English, Hindi & Meiteilon (Manipuri)
Sex Ratio : 978 female per 1000 male
Male Population : 12,07,338
Female Population : 11,81,296
Literacy Rate : 14, 29,656 (68.87%)
Nearest Railway Station : Dimapur
Nearest Airport : Guwahati (Assam). Imphal
Major Towns : Imphal, Dimapur
Rivers : Barak, Manipur, Imphal, Iril, Nambul, Sekmai, Chakpi, Thoubal and Khuga, Irang, Maku, Tuivai.
Snow Fall : Occasional
Major Crops : Timber, bamboo, rubber, tea, coffee, orange, cardamom
Highest Peak : Saramati (3,841 metres),Mount Iso Peak (2,994 meters)
Major Minerals : Lime Stone, Marble & Decorative Stone, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Nickle, Cobalt, Chromium, Basalt, Chert, Dunite, Gabbro, Granodiorite, Serpentine, Spilite, Pyroxenite, Quartzite
Major Tribes : Sumi, Lothas, Angami, Ao, Kuki, Chakhesang , Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Pochury, Rongmei, Rengma, Sangtam, Yimchungru, Zeliang

Places to See in Manipur

Imphal
Kaina
Churachandpur
Tamenglong
Khwairamband Bazaar
Manipur Zoological Garden (6 km. from Imphal)
Senapati
Ukhrul
Loktak Lake
Sendra Island
Langthabal
Moirang - Manipur State Museum

Adventure Activities in Manipur

Trekking: Loktak - Lamdan
Polo: Manipur Archery – Manipur

Festivals and Fairs of Manipur

Yaoshang Festival (February/March)
Cheiraoba Festival (April)
Kang Festival (July)
Kut Festival
Ramazan-Eid - The Festival of Manipuri Muslims
Heiku Hidongba (September)
Ningol Chakouba Festival (November)
Chumpha Festival (December)
Lui-Ngai-IMi (15th Feb) (December/January)
Kut (1st Nov)

Wildlife of Manipur

Keibul Lamjao National Park
Manipur Zoological Garden (6 km from Imphal)

Pilgrimage / Places of worship in Manipur

Shri Govindji Temple (Imphal)
Shri Gopinath Mandir (Imphal)
Vishnu Temple (Bishnupur)

Art and Craft of Manipur

Cane and Bamboo (Utilities)
Wood Carving (Wooden Tray, Spoon and Drum etc)
Textile Weaving
Dolls and Toys
Stone-Carving (Bowls, Candle-stands, Grinders, Flower-vases, Plates, etc)
Block Printing (Printing on Pillow-covers, Towels and Bed-sheets)
Kauna (Water Reed) Mat (Mats and Cushion)
Hand-Embroidery

Dance and Music of Manipur

Khullong Ishei (Folk Song)
Pena Ishei (Folk Song)
Lai Haraoba Ishei (Folk Song)
Khamba Thoibi dance
Maibi Dance
Pung Cholom
Ras Lila
Nupa Pala

Cuisine of Manipur

Ngri (roasted fish and fried fish)
Yongchak singju
Monica gi chakum
Aloo mattar and smoked fish
Bora (A kind of pakora)
Kanghau
Khajing bora.

Connectivity of Manipur

By Air: The state has an airport in its capital Imphal, which is well connected with Indian cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati.
By Rail: Manipur does not have any train service. But there are other north-eastern cities like Guwahati, Dimapur, Silchar which have railway stations and are serviced by important trains to and from the rest of the country.
By Road: The road network is quite efficient in Manipur. National Highway 39 connects Manipur with major cities like Guwahati, Dimapur, Kohima, Silchar in the north-eastern part on India.