Deb Chatterji made a trip to Manipur to explore the ancient Hindu culture of the region, linked to the Mahabharata legend of Arjuna and the Manipuri princess Chitrangada. He was also interested in seeing the local dance forms
The capital of Manipur is a quiet and uneventful city (apart from the unfortunate history of ethnic rivalries). It is the home of the Meitei tribe and is a largely Hindu region, but with a very specific culture of its own. The lively martial dances and the graceful classical Manipuri dance; indigenous festivals like the Lai Haraoba and the annual boat race characterize its culture.
Highlights:
Mothers' Market - this is a large and interesting market in the centre of the town run exclusively by women. You can browse around for local handicrafts, textiles, shawls, and fresh vegetables and food produce typical to the region.
GovindajiTemple is the most important Vaishnav temple and is close to the Mothers' Market.
Polo Ground is at the centre of the town and often you can see an exciting game of Sagol Kangjei, the original predecessor of polo, played by men in dhotis riding bare-backed horses.
ManipurStateMuseum - visit here for an interesting collection of ethnic costumes, jewellery and weapons.
CommonwealthWarCemetery - this is a graveyard dating from Worl War II and before, which has graves of many soldiers who died during the Japanese invasion of this region.
Orchidarium - this spectacular collection of rare orchids is worth a visit, even though it is 12 km out of the city.
Article: Manipur Tourism - Nestling deep within a lush green corner of northeast India is a beautiful little Shangrila called Manipur. This little corner is a veritable paradise on earth.
The Wonder that is wandering Manipur - Blog about Manipur - Manipur Blog on People, Culture, Traditions, Links, News, Articles, Tourism, Places etc.,
Official Websites
Manipur Government - Manipur Government portal covering diverse topics including health, tourism, culture, climate, Tenders and e-Governance.
Directory of Manipur sites - Manipur Government Web directory of Health, Manipur Tourism, Education, Finance, Banking, Judiciary and Executive.
Other Useful Links
Manipur History, Nature, Culture & more - Nestled on a plateau and surrounded by nine sub-Himalayan ranges of hills, Manipur is the place that gifted the game of Polo to the world.
Manipur: Jewel of the East or Wild East ? - Manipur, with its salubrious climate, its green fields, its misty hills and its pollution-free sky, is among the most beautiful and scenic places in India.
