Alternative name |
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Location | Imphal West district |
Region | Kangleipak (Meitei for ' Manipur ') |
Coordinates | 24°48′29″N93°56′24″E / 24.808°N 93.940°E |
Type | capital city (historical) |
Part of |
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History | |
Periods | Classical Antiquity |
Cultures | Meitei culture |
Associated with | |
Events | Anglo Manipur War |
Site notes | |
Condition | protected |
Ownership | Government of Manipur |
Management | Kangla Fort Board |
Public access | yes |
Architecture | |
Architectural styles | Meitei architecture |
Kingdom of Manipur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kings of Manipur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Kangla, [1] officially known as the Kangla Fort, [2] is an old fortified palace at Imphal, in the Manipur state of India. [3] [4] [5] It was formerly situated on both sides (western and eastern) of the bank of the Imphal River, now remaining only on the western side in ruined conditions. Kangla means "the prominent part of the dry land" in old Meetei. [6] It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur. [7] [8]
Kangla (Imphal) was the ancient capital of pre-modern Manipur. [9] The Kangla is a revered spot for the people of Manipur, reminding them of the days of their independence. It is a sacred place to the Meiteis. [10]
The Kangla is being proposed to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for which there are discussions ongoing in the Indian Parliament. [11] [12]
"One of the outstanding figures in the history of architecture in ancient Manipur was Naophangba (428-518 CE), who aside [sic] the foundation stone of the Kangla, the "Namthak Sarongpung", the holiest place of the Manipuries."
—L.Kunjeswori Devi., p. 108 [13]
The Kangla was the seat of administration of the Meitei rulers of the Ningthouja dynasty (33 CE to 1891 CE). [14]
The Kangla possesses a sobriquet, "Lungs of Imphal" as it is heavily forested, providing oxygen at a massive level in the heart of the metropolis of Manipur. [15] [16] [17] Unfortunately, due to some developmental construction activities in the last few years, some minor but significant deforestation occurred inside the Kangla.
In the year 2009, the Kangla Herbal Garden was set up by the Kangla Fort Board, in order to carry out the plan of planting medicinal plants inside the Kangla into action. The responsibility for bringing up the botanical garden was held by the Lamphel based sub-branch of the North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat (NEIST). [18] In the year 2010, the Government of Manipur financed ₹6.16 lakh (equivalent to ₹14 lakhorUS$17,000 in 2023) out of ₹13.46 lakh (equivalent to ₹30 lakhorUS$38,000 in 2023) to the NEIST to carry out the task. It planted around 131 different plants, (including around 20 medicinal plant species) in the garden. Notable plant species nurtured in the Kangla Herbal Garden include "heigru" ( Phyllanthus emblica Linn ), "kihori" ( Phyllanthus acidus Linn ), agar (Aquilaria agallocha Lamp), neem (Azadirachta indica A Zuss), tera ( Mobax malabathricum Linn ), singairei ( Nyctanthes arbotristis Linn ) and leihao ( Michelia champaca Linn ). An area covering 3.5 acres of land was allocated for the development of the botanical garden by the Manipur Government. [19]
During the month of June in 2019, around 700 indigenous fruit-bearing tree saplings were planted inside the Nura Heikol ( Meitei for 'Women's fruit garden ' / 'Ladies' orchard '), formerly known as "Biodiversity Park" of the Kangla) of the Kangla by the Government of Manipur, under the initiative of Green Manipur Mission. [20] [21] [22]
During the month of September in 2019, around 120 trees, including mayokfa, agar, uningthou, teak, chahui and samba, were planted inside the Kangla by the editorial board and the management team of "The Sangai Express" (TSE), a newspaper daily of Manipur, on its 20th foundation day. [23] [24]
There's another garden named "Engellei Leikol" (formerly known as "Rock Garden" of the Kangla) located in the southern part of the Kangla. [25] [26] [27]
During the month of May in 2022, around 50 fruit-bearing plants were planted inside the Kangla by the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD). [28] [29] [30]
There's a plan for planting 10,000 saplings of fruit bearing trees inside the Kangla by the Kangla Fort Board, under the leadership of Nongthombam Biren, the Chief Minister of Manipur. [31] [32]
Image(s) | Name | Description(s) |
---|---|---|
Western Kangla Gate (Meitei : ꯀꯪꯂꯥ ꯁꯅꯊꯣꯡ, romanized: kangla santhong, lit. 'Golden Door of the Kangla') | The grand royal entrance gate to the Kangla from the western side | |
Kanglasha (Meitei : ꯀꯪꯂꯥꯁꯥ, lit. 'Dragons of the Kangla') | A pair of sculptures dedicated to the lion god Nongshaba. | |
Kangla Museum (Meitei : ꯀꯪꯂꯥ ꯃꯤꯎꯖꯤꯌꯝ) | A museum that showcases the lifestyle of Meitei rulers of the Ningthouja dynasty as well as the ancient Meitei artistic and cultural heritage and maps of Kangleipak ( Meitei for ' Manipur ')) | |
Kangla Uttra Shanglen (Meitei : ꯀꯪꯂꯥ ꯎꯠꯇ꯭ꯔꯥ ꯁꯪꯂꯦꯟ, lit. 'Royal Office Building of the Kangla') | A religious office building of Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion), built in the traditional Meitei architectural style. The most significant and the holiest element is the chirong (literally, "horns"), which is the V-shaped design adorned on the roof of the building. | |
Sanggai Yumpham (Meitei : ꯁꯪꯒꯥꯏ ꯌꯨꯝꯐꯝ, lit. 'Royal residence') | A fortified royal residence inside the Kangla. | |
Inner Polo Ground (Meitei : ꯃꯅꯨꯡ ꯀꯥꯡꯖꯩꯕꯨꯡ, romanized: manung kangjeibung) | Ningthouja dynasty polo field located to the south west of the citadel inside the Kangla | |
Manūng Thāngapāt (Meitei : ꯃꯅꯨꯡ ꯊꯥꯡꯒꯄꯥꯠ, lit. 'inner moat') | Manung Thangapat is the Inner Moat of the Kangla Fort, encircling and protecting the Sanggai Yumpham as a second line of defense. | |
Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh (Meitei : ꯃꯩꯗꯤꯡꯉꯨ ꯅꯔꯁꯤꯡꯍꯒꯤ ꯃꯤꯇꯝ, romanized: meidingu narasinghgi mitam) | The grand bronze sculpture of King Nara Singh riding on a Manipuri pony. | |
The tomb of King Bodhchandra (Meitei : ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯕꯣꯙꯆꯟꯗ꯭ꯔꯒꯤ ꯃꯪꯂꯦꯟ, romanized: ningthou bodhchandragi manglen) | The site where the mortal remains of Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh (Manglen of Ningthou Bodhchandra or Samadhi of Maharaja Bodhchandra), the last ruler of sovereign state of Manipur Kingdom, was consigned to flames in 9 December 1955. | |
Chīngkhei Īkon (Meitei : ꯆꯤꯡꯈꯩ ꯏꯀꯣꯟ, lit. 'Northeastern pond') or Chingkhei Pukhri. | A sacred pond in the northeastern corner of the Sanggai Yumpham. | |
Kangla Boatyard (Meitei : ꯍꯤꯖꯒꯥꯡ, romanized: hijagāng) | The boatyard houses traditional Meitei royal boats (hiyang hiren) and commoners' boats (tanna hee). | |
Pakhangba Temple, Kangla (Meitei : ꯏꯄꯨꯊꯧ ꯄꯥꯈꯪꯄ ꯂꯥꯏꯁꯪ, romanized: iputhou pakhangba laishang, lit. 'Temple of Lord Pakhangba ') | A temple dedicated to the god Pakhangba of Sanamahism. | |
Archaeological Museum, Kangla (Meitei : ꯑꯥꯔꯀ꯭ꯌꯣꯂꯣꯖꯤꯀꯦꯜ ꯃꯤꯎꯖꯤꯌꯝ) | A museum housing Stone Age tools and historical stone inscriptions, coins and other artefacts of the Ningthouja dynasty. | |
Site for Meitei Heritage Park | A Heritage Park dedicated to the Meitei people, the largest ethnicity of Manipur. It is also known as Meitei Heritage Park. |
Meitei, also known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of northeast India. It is the official language and the lingua franca of Manipur and one of the official languages India. Meitei is the most widely-spoken Tibeto-Burman language of India and third the most used language of northeast India after Assamese and Bengali. There are 1.76 million Meitei native speakers in India according to the 2011 census. Most of these, or 1.52 million, are found in the state of Manipur, where they represent majority of its population. There are smaller communities in neighbouring Indian states, such as Assam (168,000), Tripura (24,000), Nagaland (9,500), and elsewhere in the country (37,500). The language is also spoken by smaller groups in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Mount Koubru (Meeteilol:ꯀꯧꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ) also known as Mount Koupalu is one of the highest mountains in Manipur, India and the abode of the god Lainingthou Koubru and the goddess Kounu in Manipuri mythology. Sapormeina town lies below the peak. It is located in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur and is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Manipur.
Manipuri Language Day, is an annual celebration of the Manipuri (Meitei) language in India and Bangladesh 20 August. It is a of the day on which Manipuri was added to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, making it one of the official languages of India on 20 August 1992.
Directorate of Language Planning and Implementation (DLPI) is a directorate of the Government of Manipur in charge of the language planning and the implementation of language policy.
The social movement of Meitei language to attain linguistic purism is advocated by literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanmar and Northeast India.
The Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh, also known as the Statue of Maharaja Narasingh, is a bronze sculpture located at the Kangla Sanathong, the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal. Meidingu Nara Singh was a Meitei monarch and the sovereign of Kangleipak.
The Kangla Sanathong, also known as the Kangla Gate, is the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak.
The Manung Kangjeibung is an old polo field located to the south west of the citadel inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Manipur. In ancient times, only royalties and nobilities were allowed to play the game of polo in this royal playground. It is one of the two most ancient pologrounds in the world, the other one being the Mapal Kangjeibung .
There are three notable museums inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak, which are the Kangla Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Memento Museum. Some people also count the Hijagang as a museum.
The Sanggāi Yumpham, was the citadel, a fortified royal residence within the Kangla Fort, Imphal. It is preserved as an archaeological site as well as a tourist attraction.
Events in the year 2022 in Manipur
In Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur, Kanglā shā is a sacred guardian beast with a lion's body and a two-horned dragon's head, with two horns. It is a royal symbol of the Meitei royalties . The most remarkable statues dedicated to "Kangla Sa" stand inside the Kangla.
The Kangla Nongpok Thong, shortly known as the Nongpok Thong, is the Eastern Gate Bridge of the Kangla Fort of Imphal, Kangleipak . With the re-opening of the modern Eastern Gate of the Kangla, the Kangla Western Gate was closed forever, under the leadership of Nongthombam Biren, the then Chief Minister of Manipur, due to the traditional Meitei belief that the western gate is regarded as the gate of the dead and it is ominous to enter the Kangla through the western doorway.
The Marjing Polo Complex is a sports complex dedicated to ancient Meitei deity Marjing, Sagol Kangjei and Meitei horse, built in the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, the sacred abode of God Marjing, located in Heingang, Imphal East district, Kangleipak . It houses Marjing Polo Statue, the world's tallest equestrian statue of a polo player.
The Nongmaiching Reserved Forest, also unofficially spelled as the Nongmaijing Reserved Forest, is one of the eight reserved forests of Imphal East district of Manipur. Covering an area of 67 square kilometers, it protects the forests of the Nongmaiching Ching mountains.
The Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB) is a temple development board of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple, Haying Khongban Uphong Yumpham, Imphal West district of Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). It is dedicated not only to God Lainingthou Sanamahi and Goddess Leimarel Sidabi of Sanamahism, but also to the other ancient Meitei gods and goddesses of the traditional Meitei religion.
The Lainingthou Sanna Mahee Sanna Pung, Kangleipak, also known as the Lainingthou Sanamahi Sanapung (LSSP), is a non-governmental organization of the followers of the Sanamahism, dedicated to God Lainingthou Sanamahi and other ancient Meitei deities of Kangleipak.
Japanese people and Meitei people have a long history of sharing and interacting with each other's art and cultural heritages, including but not limited to cinema, music, mythology, language, literature and theatre.