Capital :
Imphal
Area : 22,300 Sq. km.
Population
: 2.1 Million
Languages : Manipuri
Literacy rate :60%
Best Time To Visit : All
year around
Nestling
within a lush green corner of North East India,
is the amazingly beautiful little shangri-la called
Manipur. Literally meaning ' a jewelled land ',
this little state of India is a veritable paradise,
where Nature can be espied in all her magnificence.
Tourist Attraction of
Manipur
Imphal
The capital of
Manipur, Imphal is a bustling minimetropolis situated
at a height of 790 m above sea level. It is connected
by road with Guwahati (Assam) through National
Highway N.o. 39 and Silchar (Assam) through National
Highway No. 53.
Khomghampat Orchidarium
7 kms from Imphal on Highway No. 39, is the Central
Orchidarium, which covers 200 acres and houses
over 120 rare varieties of orchids, which include
almost a dozen endemic species. The peak blooming
season is April-May.
Manipur Zoological Gardens
6 km to the west of Imphal, at the foot of the
pine growing hillocks at Iroisemba, on the Imphal-Kangchup
Road are the Zoological gardens. The most important
inhabitant of this park, is the graceful Brow
Antlered Deer, one of the rarest species in the
world.
Bishnupur
27 kms from Imphal is Bishnupur, famous for the
conical roofed shrine, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Built in 1467, during the reign of King Kiyamba,
the temple is interesting for its antiquity and
Chinese design. Bishnupur is also renown for its
stone production
Moirang
45 kms away is Moirang, one of the principal centres
of early Manipuri folk culture, with an ancient
temple of the pre-Hindu deity Lord Thangjing.
In May, men and women attired brilliantly sing
and dance in honour of the Lord at the Moirang
Lai Haraoba, a ritual dance festival held annually.
Ukhrul
83 kms to the east of Imphal, this district headquarters
of Manipur East, is the highest hill station of
Manipur. A centre of the colourful warrior tribe
Tangkhul Nagas, it is well developed, and renowned
for a peculiar type of landlily - the Siroi, grown
on the Siroi Hills. Siroi Hills and KhangKhui
Lime Caves are interesting places for excursions.
Kaina
It is a hillock, about 920 m above sea level,
and a sacred place of the Hindus. The sylvan surroundings,
and the aura of serenity that envelopes it, add
to the solemnity of the site. Kaina is only 29
kms from Imphal.
Keibul Lam Jao National
Park
This tiny park, perched on the edges of the Loktak
Lake, is home to the Sangai or Manipur brow-antlered
deer (the endangered dancing deer). It has the
unique distinction of being the only floating
National Park in the world. Only 40 sq.km in area,
the park was once a hunting reserve. It was declared
a sanctuary in 1954 when a great number of the
Sangai were getting seriously decimated. The deer,
noted for their curving antlers, live on the floating
vegetation on the Loktak Lake.