Imphal,
Manipur’s capital city, is like any other small town —buzzing with a typical
kind of energy. Movie posters and hoardings along the streets give an
impression of the people’s growing aspirations. Stylish Manipuri girls zipping
around on their two-wheelers are only a slight glimpse into a society that’s
slowly transforming into a modern one. Book well in advance if you want good accommodation
in the city’s one and only deluxe hotel, the Classic.
While
in Imphal, make sure you visit the famous Khwairamband Bazaar (also known as
Imma bazaar), an interesting local market run and operated solely by women.
This is one place where even locals keep returning again and again for the best
bargains and products ranging from freshly-caught fish to freshly-picked fruit,
flowers like the lotus and vegetables straight from the farm. Begin your day
early to catch the energy. I have had my best buys of herbs, kitchen
ingredients and saplings of rare fruits from this market. This is also a
perfect place to pick up knick- knacks and souvenirs. Handlooms and handicrafts
are also available, though bargaining is essential.
Kangla
Fort, considered the most important historical and archaeological site, is
another place to spend time seeing. Located on the bank of the Imphal river,
the fort is on a sprawling 200,000 acres of land in the heart of the city. It
was built in AD 33 and was occupied by the British forces in 1891. Much later,
it was occupied by the Garhwal Rifles and then the Assam Rifles until it was
handed over to the people of Manipur in 2004. The only time I went was to show
around a friend from overseas. In the process, I learnt about its historical
significance and discovered the monuments and sites within the fort. The ruins
of the citadel, deities of two Kangla Sha or dragons, ruins of the Uttra which
is the ancestral coronation hall of the Manipur kings, are memorable sights.
There
is another place where even locals love to go for nostalgia’s sake. This is the
Polo Ground, not far from Kangla Fort. That Manipur is the birthplace of polo
must never be forgotten. If you are lucky, you might just catch a polo match as
some locals are reviving the game and even breeding the original ponies used
for polo.
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