Imphal
(2001 pop. 217,000). The capital of Manipur State in northeastern India, Imphal lies in a Manipur River valley at an altitude of around 792 meters. It is believed to have existed as early as the third century BCE. Imphal was the seat of the kings of Manipur before the British took control of the region in 1926. In 1944 it was the site of a decisive battle in which a British garrison held off advancing Japanesetroops, thereby halting the Japanese march through Myanmar (Burma) and ending Japan's attempt to invade India.
Women in the market with their piles of textiles for sale. (LINDSAY HEBBERD/CORBIS)A polo field dominates the city center; the Manipuri game of Sagol Kangjei (Kangjei means a stick made of cane) is considered the original form of polo. The city is a major trade center, noted for its weaving, brass-ware, and bronze ware. The market of Khwairamband is run by 3,000 women. Half is devoted to textiles, including the moirangphee, the traditional Methei dress. (The Methei are Hindus of Mongoloid stock.) The other half of the market sells fish, vegetables, and basic provisions. The Shri Govindjee temple is an important center for Vaishnavite Hindus. Two cemeteries commemorate heroes of World War II. The Khonghampat Orchidariums feature 110 species of orchids. Nearby are zoological gardens, famous for rare indigenous brow-antlered deer.
Further Reading
Rooney, David. (1992) Burma Victory: Imphal, Kohima and the Chindit Issue, March 1944 to May 1945. London: Arms & Armour.
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