| Sightseeing:
The famous Govindajee Temple is a sacred and ancient center for the Vaishnavites. It has a shrine of Lord Vishnu, the main deity, along with the deities of Krishna and Balaram. It is a beautiful 18th century structure housing twin domes.
The Manipur State Museum is a rich reservoir of historical documents, weapons of war, artifacts and costumes. The Bir Tirkendrajit Park has a memorial for the martyrs who lost their lives in the Meitei Revolt against the British in 1891, known as the Shahid Minar.
The War Cemeteries, have the graves of many British and Indian soldiers, who died fighting in World War II. The ruins of the Old Palace are at the centre of the city and have the remains of the fortress wall and the palace. The large grounds are now occupied by the military.
Manipur Zoological Gardens, 8kms from the city is home to one of the rarest species of deer in the world, the brow-antlered deer or dancing deer. The Khonghampat Orchidarium, is also a wonderful place to visit to view more than hundred kinds of orchids.
Excursions:
About 45 km from the city is Moirang, a significant place for the Indian National movement and home to the INA museum. It is also a centre for Meiatei culture and the Lai HAroba festival is clelbrated with great pomp here.
South of Imphal is the spectacular Loktak Lake where local fishermen live on small islands formed by dense reeds. A large part of the lake is the Keibul Lamjao National Park that is home to the rare brow-antlered deer, locally known as the sangai. It's a unique experience to see these dainty-footed deer skimming over the water and reeds. The Sendra Island in the middle of the lake is a bird sanctuary.
Other Activities:
You could try your hand at shooting some arrows at the Archery Stakes, which is a very popular sport in Manipur. The Polo Ground at the centre of the town has exciting games of Sagol Kangjei, the original predecessor of polo, played by men in dhotis riding bare-backed horses. Or you could shop at an all womens market called Ima's bazaar run by as many as 3000 ladies. If you are lucky you could even catch a performance of the famous Manipuri dance during festival time.
Tourism Info:
Tourist Information Centre
Hotel Imphal Complex
Imphal
Tel: 220802, 222705, 222451, 224635, 224603.
The capital of Manipur
is a quaint little city encompassed by hills and green valleys dotted
with fast flowing streams and woods. Also the cultural capital of Manipur, it is a city with several monuments, temples and ceremonial places all talking about Imphal's
rich past. Home to many royal dynasties, and witness to innumerable
battles, this ancient town now houses many modern administrative
buildings along with heritage structures from the past.
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