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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.
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