OVERVIEW
Manipur is a state located in North- Eastern part of India. It is also called Kandleipak or Sanaleibak. The state covers an area of 22, 327 sq. km. and city of Imphal as its capital.
It is bounded by Nagaland in the North, Mizoram to the South, Assam to the West and Burma to the East. Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian cultural and economic exchange. Its people include Meetei, Kuku, Naga and Pangal, and their preferred languages come from Sino-Tibetan dialects.
Manipur is a shining pearl in the Himalayan section and Jawaharlal Nehru once described it as a ‘Jewel of India’. Manipur is a filled with natural delight – hills around the cup-shaped valleys, gushing streams, rivers and swamps.
Manipur’s population belongs to two groups; the people who reside on hills are called Nagas and those inhibit in valley are known as Meiteis. These hills are also inhibited by a group known as Kukis. The history of Manipur speaks of numerous invasions from Myanmar (Burma), which lies at the border and countless clashes with Nagas.
Agriculture and allied activities makes for the major form of occupation in Manipur. Paddy and rice are the staple food. The rice produced on these lands are comparatively sweet than the usual ones.
Located in one of the corners of India, progress touched this state in later years of Independence. Tourism has been flourishing as Manipur, as a state, has developed by undertaking small-scale industries. Speaking about its delicacies, eromba is prepared from fish, also includes vegetables and bamboo shoots. Kabok, made of molasses and rice, is the famous sweet among the Manipuris. A village named Shekmai, brews a wine named after it that is famous in the state.
Manipur has always been known for its colourful and joyful culture. The rich culture and tradition is reflected in their handloom clothes and handicrafts.
