<p>A chubby faced ima in Imphal’s sprawling Ima Market or Ima Keithel was talking in sing-song Hindi and insisting that I buy a traditional Manipuri shawl from her. I decided to quickly drift through sharp-eyed imas (women) and landed up in another cacophonous section of this one-of-its-kind ‘all women’s market’, devoted to fresh produce.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The section was filled with the aroma of freshly procured, fertiliser-free, and mostly organic produce. I was told that slots in these markets are handed down through generations and are religiously held on to. I sauntered my way to another section dedicated to earthen products — from decorative to household stuff. Out in this kaleidoscopic display of colours, the only thing that didn’t fit was the presence of commandoes.<br /><br />The thrum of crowd and traffic on the road make Imphal seem like any metropolis. But as you take your way back through side lanes, the real Imphal emerges in small joints where rice beer is brewed and old folks get together to have a conversation over smoke circles and kids try their hand (rather feet) in a friendly game of soccer.<br /><br />Patriotic past<br /><br />Gliding past these lanes, looking at the hills that extend up to Myanmar, one can still feel the vibes of war of 1944, when the Indian National Army (backed by the Japanese army) advanced during the Second World War and a battle was fought between the British and the INA. As a testimony to these war stories stand two war cemeteries. The most tangible remaining mark of the war is in the British-built metallic road that leads you out from Imphal to Moraing, where the INA had laid siege and planted the Indian tricolour and named the spot ‘Azad Hill’.<br /><br /> The INA had then distributed pamphlets in Moraing seeking help for the soldiers; many locals were arrested and incarcerated in an underground prison by the British for helping the INA. Sit with them in the verandah of their thatched hut, lit by earthen lights in the evening, and these stories of war pour out over an obvious rice beer. <br /><br />But it wasn’t the first time Manipur had resisted the British, not just the old guys of the town, but also the young lads can tell you stories of the Anglo-Manipur war of 1891. Stories of the tumultuous past of Manipur are eagerly shared and passed on to younger generations.<br /><br />And in search of more stories, I hopped on to the Kangla Fort, where the kings of Manipur were coronated and lived. Though in ruins, Kangla Fort still stands as a reminder of the mighty empire that reigned undefeated for centuries. Take a local along and be assured of some quick quips of history. And for more dose of history, one can stop by at the state museum and take a look at paintings depicting Manipuri royal history, intricate Manipuri jewellery, costumes and weapons.<br /><br />Next on the list was the oldest polo ground in the world. Looking at the empty stretch of the playground, I learnt the story of the origin of polo. Surprise...surprise, it is a Manipuri invention and was considered a God’s game as only the royals played it. And when British saw the locals playing it, they remodelled it and christened it as polo and popularised it.<br /><br />Natural beauty<br /><br />Next day, I headed to the countryside. And as I made my way towards the famed Loktak Lake, the smog thinned and a beautiful palate of colours appeared, the reds and blues of flowers, the golden hue of dried paddy, the chequered whites and reds women wore, and the azure blue of sky. No visitor can afford to miss this dream-like water body. Some 50 km away from the city, Lake Loktak is the priciest jewel in the crown of Manipur. The largest fresh water lake in the northeast, Loktak provides ample chances of duck shooting, fishing, boating and accommodation on the islet of Sendra.<br /><br /> The best 360-degree view of the lake can be had from the top of this islet. Sendra and the other two islets, inhabited by fishing folk, offer a glimpse of life that has changed little and the silence around it seems to be crying out to every visitor to stay amazed. The lake is also famous for its floating marshes called phumids, which were once favourite hunting spots. On the fringes of Loktak Lake is the Keibul Lamjao National Park. This national park’s habitat consists of the endangered dancing deer, the sangai, or the brow-antlered deer of Manipur. But the park’s real claim to fame is that it is the only floating national park in the world. <br /><br />As the night approached, I looked at this beautiful land of blue-green hills, cascading rapids, carpet of flowers and a land where faith, tradition and life seem to flow into each other organically. Here history is lived like fiction and reality seems like a myth.<br /><br /><br />Fact file<br /><br />To reach: The easiest way is to take a flight to Imphal, else one can take a train up to Dimapur and then take a cab or bus to Imphal. While crossing Nagaland, one would be asked for proof of nationality. <br /><br />Where to stay: There are modest points of accommodation all over the city.<br /><br />To buy: Manipur is famous for jewelry. It’s good and cheap and dominates the markets of Shillong and Kohima.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>A chubby faced ima in Imphal’s sprawling Ima Market or Ima Keithel was talking in sing-song Hindi and insisting that I buy a traditional Manipuri shawl from her. I decided to quickly drift through sharp-eyed imas (women) and landed up in another cacophonous section of this one-of-its-kind ‘all women’s market’, devoted to fresh produce.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The section was filled with the aroma of freshly procured, fertiliser-free, and mostly organic produce. I was told that slots in these markets are handed down through generations and are religiously held on to. I sauntered my way to another section dedicated to earthen products — from decorative to household stuff. Out in this kaleidoscopic display of colours, the only thing that didn’t fit was the presence of commandoes.<br /><br />The thrum of crowd and traffic on the road make Imphal seem like any metropolis. But as you take your way back through side lanes, the real Imphal emerges in small joints where rice beer is brewed and old folks get together to have a conversation over smoke circles and kids try their hand (rather feet) in a friendly game of soccer.<br /><br />Patriotic past<br /><br />Gliding past these lanes, looking at the hills that extend up to Myanmar, one can still feel the vibes of war of 1944, when the Indian National Army (backed by the Japanese army) advanced during the Second World War and a battle was fought between the British and the INA. As a testimony to these war stories stand two war cemeteries. The most tangible remaining mark of the war is in the British-built metallic road that leads you out from Imphal to Moraing, where the INA had laid siege and planted the Indian tricolour and named the spot ‘Azad Hill’.<br /><br /> The INA had then distributed pamphlets in Moraing seeking help for the soldiers; many locals were arrested and incarcerated in an underground prison by the British for helping the INA. Sit with them in the verandah of their thatched hut, lit by earthen lights in the evening, and these stories of war pour out over an obvious rice beer. <br /><br />But it wasn’t the first time Manipur had resisted the British, not just the old guys of the town, but also the young lads can tell you stories of the Anglo-Manipur war of 1891. Stories of the tumultuous past of Manipur are eagerly shared and passed on to younger generations.<br /><br />And in search of more stories, I hopped on to the Kangla Fort, where the kings of Manipur were coronated and lived. Though in ruins, Kangla Fort still stands as a reminder of the mighty empire that reigned undefeated for centuries. Take a local along and be assured of some quick quips of history. And for more dose of history, one can stop by at the state museum and take a look at paintings depicting Manipuri royal history, intricate Manipuri jewellery, costumes and weapons.<br /><br />Next on the list was the oldest polo ground in the world. Looking at the empty stretch of the playground, I learnt the story of the origin of polo. Surprise...surprise, it is a Manipuri invention and was considered a God’s game as only the royals played it. And when British saw the locals playing it, they remodelled it and christened it as polo and popularised it.<br /><br />Natural beauty<br /><br />Next day, I headed to the countryside. And as I made my way towards the famed Loktak Lake, the smog thinned and a beautiful palate of colours appeared, the reds and blues of flowers, the golden hue of dried paddy, the chequered whites and reds women wore, and the azure blue of sky. No visitor can afford to miss this dream-like water body. Some 50 km away from the city, Lake Loktak is the priciest jewel in the crown of Manipur. The largest fresh water lake in the northeast, Loktak provides ample chances of duck shooting, fishing, boating and accommodation on the islet of Sendra.<br /><br /> The best 360-degree view of the lake can be had from the top of this islet. Sendra and the other two islets, inhabited by fishing folk, offer a glimpse of life that has changed little and the silence around it seems to be crying out to every visitor to stay amazed. The lake is also famous for its floating marshes called phumids, which were once favourite hunting spots. On the fringes of Loktak Lake is the Keibul Lamjao National Park. This national park’s habitat consists of the endangered dancing deer, the sangai, or the brow-antlered deer of Manipur. But the park’s real claim to fame is that it is the only floating national park in the world. <br /><br />As the night approached, I looked at this beautiful land of blue-green hills, cascading rapids, carpet of flowers and a land where faith, tradition and life seem to flow into each other organically. Here history is lived like fiction and reality seems like a myth.<br /><br /><br />Fact file<br /><br />To reach: The easiest way is to take a flight to Imphal, else one can take a train up to Dimapur and then take a cab or bus to Imphal. While crossing Nagaland, one would be asked for proof of nationality. <br /><br />Where to stay: There are modest points of accommodation all over the city.<br /><br />To buy: Manipur is famous for jewelry. It’s good and cheap and dominates the markets of Shillong and Kohima.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p>
