The Artisans Village- Andro

Known for its pottery skills, Andro Village, 25kms from Imphal is an upcoming lovely little artisans village. The star attraction of the village is an age old temple, Panam Ningthou, which is considered to be one of the most sacred sites by the locals. Inside the temple is a small fire that has continued to burn for years and the source is unknown. Responsibility of ensuring that the flame does not die is entrusted to each family in the village. The villagers believe that if the fire dies it would be the end of the world.

The village is also known for is scenic beauty and one such attraction is Santhei Natural Park which is around a lake. This beautiful park is more like a lovers park. It is disheartening to see alcoholic beverages being sold right outside the park. Instead of developing it into a family park all we could see were broken alcohol bottles and cigarette buds. Such a scenic place with amazing backdrops should ideally be a peaceful environment but it gave us a eerie feel and we left in a couple of minutes.

The Village also has an artisans corner called the Mutua Cultural Heritage Complex that displays their traditional tribal homes and carvings on artifacts. This complex is open only on weekends as there is not much tourist activity on other days.

Imphal- Gem Of The Jeweled Land Manipur!

The drive from Kohima to Imphal is captivating and we were greeted by charming step cultivated paddy fields and a clean countryside. It was a sight to watch the streams flow into the paddy fields and farmers toil hard and the entire journey provided a beautiful glimpse of villages and churches. The land of Manipur is definitively a jeweled Land providing us with a perfect picture of hills in the background and light shower adding more charm to the fields while the wind whistled melodiously in our ears. On reaching Imphal, the capital of Manipur we were pretty amazed to see the scale of development Imphal has witnessed.

Imphal is steeped in history and has a lot to offer a traveller. We started by visiting the War cemetery. Battle of Imphal and Kohima are one of the greatest battles in World history. This cemetery is the final resting place of more than 1600 World War II soldiers. The place is well maintained and is a must visit to pay respect to the brave soldiers.

Imphal is also famous for its one of a kind market- 'Ima Market' or 'Khwairamband Bazaar.' This market is a stunning example of awesome women power! It has over 4000 shops and all are run by women. Everything from groceries to clothes, tools, fruits, vegetables, poetry, baskets, household items, meat products are available under one roof. The striking aspect of this market is that the stalls are compact with each not more than 4 feet by 2 feet. 

The polo ground in Imphal has rich history behind it as this is the oldest polo ground in the world. The modern game of Polo seemed to have been derived from Manipur. Almost everyone in Manipur is in love with this sport.

The Manipur state museum which is right behind the polo ground would be an ideal place to understand Manipuri culture. The massive 78 feet long 'Royal Boat' stationed here is a marvel. Also, there is an iconic Chevy Impala that was used by top bureaucrats which is very interesting but in a very sorry state as the classic car has been left to rust. Though the museum has been a very good initiative by state government, the maintenance is at its very low. Despite that, it definitely should not be missed especially if you have keen interest in history.

Bang in the middle of Imphal city is the Kangla fort complex. Kangla was the ancient capital of Manipur kingdom. It was considered a sacred place and indigenous beliefs were practiced here. The fort that was once the home of Royals of Manipur was taken over by the britishers then later by the Assam Rifles and it was only in 2004 that the fort was handed over to the people of Manipur.

Centuries Old Artifact In Ruins!

The fort complex is more of a massive park to put it in perspective with a mediocre museum, ruins, polo ground and places of worship. Two massive royal boats are displayed in a glass house and the boats were made of a single log. Sri Govindaji Temple was built in 1846 but was destroyed in an earthquake and later reconstructed. Lord Ibodhou temple is dedicated to the ruling deity of Kangla. Two Dragon statues of Kangla Sha, the state emblem stand guard at the complex. It would be a ideal place to go for long walks. When they say Kangla fort please do not expect to see something like forts of Rajasthan or other parts of India. The entry fee is Rs.10 per person and the fort is closed on Wednesdays.

Shaeed Minar stands tall as a great example of Martyrdom, pride and bravery of King Bir Tikendrajit Singh and Thangal General, the ruler and General of Manipur. After being defeated by British in 1891 at this very spot which was the women's market then, the two men were hanged to death in front of 8000 women as a sign of subjugation but the attempt to humiliate them miserably backfired when Thangal General laughed aloud just before being executed.

The women of Manipur waged two wars in history against exploitation and artificial famine induced by the britishers and a memorial Nupi Lal War Memorial was dedicated to honor these freedom fighters for standing up against the invaders. However, it is really disheartening to see places that stand as a mark of respect to our freedom fighters and ensure that the coming generations are aware of the hardships they went through are now just left in shambles and accumulate dust.

Another very impressive monument in Imphal is the 'Saint Joseph Cathedral' in Mantripukhri. The beautiful architecture and the location of the cathedral with the hills in the background make it an even more charming place.

Located on the Imphal airport road, Malom stands as one of the dark chapters in Indian history. The Indian Army in retaliation for a convoy attack opened indiscriminate fire at innocent unarmed civilians killing 10 of them who were waiting at Malom bus stop. The victims included a boy who was a National Child Bravery Award Winner. Today, a stone slab mentioning the names of the victims stands at the same sight providing a reminder of misuse of power.

Since that incident life of a young girl 'Irom Sharmila' drastically changed and she is fighting a lone battle for 15 years to repeal the 'AFSPA' until today. She has dedicated the prime of her life fighting against various Governments in true Gandhian way.

We hold the Indian Army with utmost high regards and respect. They have all rights to avenge the death of fellow soldiers but their targets should be actual perpetrators and not innocent bystanders or civilians. As as mark of respect to these 10 innocent lives a memorial has been erected at the sight of shootout.

After spending considerable time in North East India we understood the gravity of tension in this part of India and how real the threat factors are. The sheer presence of Armed Forces and men in camouflage armed with Kalashnikov and assault rifles at every nook and corner provide more a sense of fear than sense of security. We sincerely hope that all parties agree to cease fire and resolve issues through dialogue. What ever the asks or demands maybe we are pretty sure it is not worth killing for.

The Classic Group of hotels are excellent options to consider for stay in Imphal. Apart from spacious, clean and brilliant rooms, their restaurant is what makes it the best place. Savoring the local cuisine while experiencing new flavors should be an integral part of travel itinerary and their authentic Manipuri Thali will definitely not disappoint. The thali includes rice and several other accompaniments. In the non veg thali you can choose between chicken or fish.

The amazing dishes are served in cups made of banana leaves. Keep in mind a request for the thali has to be placed one day in advance. The food looks, smells and tastes amazing. The best part about the thali is their dessert 'Black rice kheer' and pineapple cubes in syrup. The black rice kheer is a very unique and authentic Manipuri dessert. This variety of black rice is available only in Manipur. We are not going to describe how awesome the desert was as the pictures speak for themselves.

Cleaned Up In Under Two Minutes

To have quick bites, head to "Pizza De Cafe," a very small outlet that can give tough competition to any western fast food joint. Their veg burger is yummy and very addictive.

Willong Khullen, India's very own Stonehenge!

Who knew a small village in Manipur, a rarely visited North Eastern State, could hold such a significant wonder that is on the same lines as the Stonehenge. This exceptionally intriguing monument is sadly not known by the locals of Manipur apart from those living in the villages around Willong. We were left in awe to see massive blocks of rocks many towering over 10 feet and a few over 1 meter wide. There are a total of approx 135 pillars here.

Looking at these monoliths there were tons of questions floating in our minds. The biggest were how did they manage to do this centuries ago and most importantly why? What was significance or meaning behind carrying out such a hard, time consuming and challenging task. Were they funeral stones or used for some religious ceremony or sacred stones? The massive stone blocks did not seem to be available in the vicinity so where did they procure these from? Apart from the local tales there is no documentation or script that can provide answers to the questions we had. We guess the answers would remain lost with time.

If the local tales are to be believed, the stones talk to each other at night and each stone has a name. According to them, only a man with great strength and power can think of erecting a stone. Before erecting a stone, he has to fast the whole night and perform a ritual of offering wine to the stone. He would have to venture out to far off places to find the perfect stone and the villagers would assist him if required to bring it to Willong. They also believe that it is not possible to count the stones as their placement is so confusing that you tend to miss the count, they believe a spirit confuses you from counting.

The locals don't seem to be aware of this place or the monoliths. Sadly, such an iconic site is left in ruins and the Government has taken zero steps to promote such a monumental site. It was disheartening to see sheds constructed to store construction material right in front of this monument. Tiny homes have started to encroach the land around. In a matter of time this entire monument would go invisible.

Reaching this wonder in 'Willong' could be tough as there is absolutely no public transportation available. The only way to reach is to hire a vehicle either from Imphal or Kohima and do it as a day trip. Also, there are no places to stay or eat here. Willong is equidistant from both State Capitals. One should head to Maram village in Senapati district and from there take the road that goes to Peren. 40 km on this road is Willong Khullen. As soon as you reach Willong, to your left is the Stonehenge of India. The distance from Imphal to Willong took us 3 hours one way in private taxi and for the total journey we were charged Rs.3500.

Photo Blog Loktak Lake

Paradise may not exist, Loktak does. 

Loktak Lake! Magical Floating Paradise

Loktak, a natural wonder of Manipur should definitely be on the bucket list of any traveler. The fresh water lake is filled with phumdis, a cluster of vegetation that are at different levels of decaying. This amazing natural vegetation runs deep underwater and only 20% of it is seen above water level. The amazing aspect of these floating islands is that when the water levels goes down they absorb the nutrients from the lake bed. The vegetation is so thick and durable that the locals have built their homes on them.

This beautiful wonder surprisingly was devoid of any tourists. Only locals tend to visit this place and it is more like a day trip. The natural beauty of this place definitely requires a stay of minimum 2-3 days for perfect relaxation. 'Sendra Park and Resort' run by the Classic group of hotels is the only stay option here. The resort offers 4 stunning cottages and a couple of deluxe rooms. Undoubtedly, the cottages offer the best of the view and the aesthetics are simply amazing. The charming rooms are very romantic and a fleet of wooden stairs led us to the best part of the cottage- the attic. It offers a beautiful sit out with unending views of the amazing Loktak lake, her vegetation and the mountains in the backdrop.

Apart from the attic, we spent hours sitting outside our cottage looking at the blue mountains, red tall grass, amazing loktak lake and lone fishermen on their tiny boats. No amount of modern engineering structures can even remotely come close to natural beauty.

The price at which the cottages are let out is unbelievably reasonable. The resort also has a view point and cafe. To be honest, the views from the cafe are even more mesmerizing than the view point. We spent hours sitting on the wodden benches sipping hot cup of chai, munching hot pakodas and soaking in breathtaking views.

The food served in the cafe is really good. Their service is also pretty commendable. If the fresh water fish in Nagaland tasted amazing the fresh water fish of Manipur showed us a glimpse of paradise. The fish served at Sendra resort was tender, juicy and melted in our mouth. Do try out the water chestnut fruit which is available in abundance right outside the resort.

While at Loktak, post sunset you might feel locals are bursting crackers but it is actually soldiers of Assam Rifles practicing in their shooting range. The shooting range is right next to the resort entrance and one can see the soldiers practicing. Clicking pics might not be the brightest of ideas.

Sendra is also a bird watchers paradise and in under two hours in the afternoon we spotted several different species of birds. Spotting a common hoopoe right outside the cottage was a beautiful moment. Growing up as a child we used to see several sparrows. Thanks to urbanization we have chased them away from our streets. Looking at the sparrows at Loktak we were reminded of our childhood. Amur falcons tend to hover around in Manipur as well and you catch a glimpse of them at close quarters.

Very close to Loktak is the mesmerizing Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating National Park in the world and is also the last natural adobe of the indigenous Sangai deer aka dancing deer.

Due to infrastructure development around Loktak lake the natural habitat around are disturbed and the vegetation is highly threatened and are decreasing at a very rapid rate. Some of the larger sections of the phumdis have broken down into several parts and have drifted away. It is such a shame that the human race is destroying natural wonders at a extremely alarming pace.

Loktak is just 45 km away from the capital of Manipur, Imphal and frequent buses ply from 'Keishampat Bridge' in Imphal to Churchandapur via Moirang. We got down at Moirang and a short ride of 4 to 5 km in a jam packed share auto took us to Sendra resort.

The Only Floating National Park In the World- Keibul Lamjao

The only floating National Park in the world, Keibul Lamjao is the last abode for the endangered species Sangai or dancing deer. Once threatened to near extinction, re-appeared a couple of years later and now one of the most endangered species. This Park is a part of the Loktak lake and though the lake has phumdis all over, the phumdis in the National Park are the ones that are best suited for the survival of the dancing deer. The reeds and grasses that grow on the phumdis serve as food for the sangai.

The Park is also home to rare species marbled cat and Himalayan black bear. Also it is a birders paradise and you can spot black kites, mynas, and hornbills in the vicinity.

Entering the park was one of the best moments of our travel lives. Walking on the trek path en-route the watch tower, we felt like we had the whole Keibul Lamjao National Park to ourselves. Though you can take a vehicle inside the park and halt directly at the watch tower, we would strongly recommend not doing so. The entire walk to the watch tower is a pleasant one with so much of natural beauty around. You never know what surprise might await you on the way. The best part being the numerous bird calls echoing all around giving you company and tempting you to look around to figure out which bird call it was.

On our path en-route the watch tower, we came across a water way and we hopped on a canoe and ventured into a narrow channel of water experiencing and enjoying the beauty of the floating paradise and occasionally looking out for the shy Sangai deer and aquatic birds.

We had once in a life time experience of setting foot on the phumdis and it was unbelievable to walk on the vegetation. If this was not enough our boatman put his 11 foot long bamboo pole and proved to us that there was no solid ground beneath our feet.

After the amazing canoe ride we headed to the watch tower. It is built high up on a hillock offering excellent panoramic views of the National Park. Some awesome perks of being an early birder is that we had the whole park to ourselves. It is from here that the chances of sighting a sangai deer are bright. The park opens early in the morning at 6 am but during winter the fog hinders visibility so it would be a good idea to reach the park by 8:30 or 9 am.

We were very fortunate to catch a glimpse of 4 sangai deers. It is a challenge to spot them amidst the high grass and the camouflage. This endangered species is the State animal of Manipur and conservation efforts are in full swing to ensure that they don't lose their State emblem. From a dwindling 14 in 1977 the numbers have increased to 204 in 2013. It would be a good idea to park aside at least half a day for this experience.

The National Park is facing many threats and this is hampering the survival of Sangai. Due to the construction of a barrage to aid the Hydro Electricity Power Project, the vegetation and ecology is changing drastically. Earlier the water level of the lake used to depend on the season. During dry season, phumdis would settle on the ground absorb nutrients from the soil and on the onset of monsoons float on water. Now, the phumdis are floating continuously and are therefore thinning over time. The barrage has also stopped the flow of old phumdis from the lake to the rivers.

The other threats being farming in the vicinity, lack of boundaries around the park have led to encroachment, poaching and illegal fishing. The park has already witnessed the disappearance of 16 indigenous species of fish and 20 species of plants. Waterfowls that were regular water migrants are now decreasing in number due to lack of open water surfaces. The state has to action out on the conservation efforts as the survival of phumdis is essential for the survival of Sangai.

Keibul Lamjao National Park is 10 km away from Sendra Resort, the only good option to stay in vicinity. We had a fun and adventurous experience of foot boarding in a packed share auto to the National Park. These are lively and precious moments that one can experience while backpacking rural India.

Entry tickets to the park are priced at Rs.30 per person and camera charges are Rs.50.  The half an hour canoe ride is charged at Rs.50 per person.