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.

India The Land Of Celebrations- Sangai Festival

Manipur's most prestigious festival- Sangai Festival is celebrated every year from November 21- 30th and is a grand and gala event. Organized by the State government in Imphal to promote tourism and unity, this festival also highlights the conservation efforts to protect their state animal- Sangai. The festival showcases to the world Manipur's art and culture, indigenous games, cuisine and handloom. The State Government has shown great enthusiasm and dedication to organize a seemingly flawless festival to project Manipur on an international stage.

The Sangai festival starts with such a bang and the best of Manipur- dance and music is put forward. The best performances were showcased on the inaugural day followed by cultural events in the evening at the open air theater.  All the cultural events were very beautifully performed but the one that stood out among the rest was a group of young women showcasing their sword skills. The first day's events were so awesome that they should not be missed at any cost.

The venue for the festival was the massive city convention center and the entire ground was filled with stalls from every nook and corner of Manipur. There were exclusive stalls promoting indigenous products ranging from organic to agro based products to cycles made out of bamboo. Many stalls were dedicated to exclusive Manipuri cuisine, handicrafts, small scale cottage industries, highly skilled handmade pottery without the help of spinning wheel and hand woven textiles. There was also an international presence with stores from Thailand, Myanmar and Bhutan.

One of the stalls was put up by Indian post. With one of us being a crazy superstar fan, it was a goosebumps moment to see a postal card dedicated to the superstar 'Rajinikanth.'

Sangai festival was a perfect platform to introduce non locals to the traditional games where the younger generation were proud to keep the indigenous sports alive and kicking. Several of these traditional games were played on a daily basis with great fanfare. It was a proud moment to see the young folks showing their dedication towards sports that are so close to their roots and were interested in not letting the fire die down. The traditional games start at around 3.30 pm every day.

A section was dedicated to a heritage park where the tribal lifestyle of Manipuri people was portrayed in the best way possible. Different styles of huts that were completely made of natural material gave a total tribal tour. It also showcased how the indigenous people successfully used all natural material to go on with their daily activities. One particular tribe used crushed black stone to make utensils and other home needs.

Well renowned sand artist and Padma Shri Award recipient Sudarsan Pattnaik from Orissa had graced the festival with his presence and also left his mark with a sand art promoting a very important message- "Go Green."

Other highlights of the festival were Asian theater festival and the Maha Raas or Raas Leela that was performed on full moon day at Gobindaa Ji Temple. The city was beautifully lit up for the festival and all the lanes leading to the convention centre were decked up and were free of vehicular movement. Entry tickets were priced at Rs.20 per day and the festival was very efficiently organized. Also, do carry warm clothes as it gets cold post sunset.

The Government of Manipur also organizes an 8 day international polo tournament during the Sangai festival and teams from US, Australia, Thailand and England were the other participants. The first game of the tournament was played between India and USA. We are not going to pretend like we know or understand the game, all we knew about polo before entering the stadium was that horses were involved. We got to know later that the game played in Manipur is a little different as there are ponies involved and not horses.

It was so awesome to see the stadium packed and a jubilant crowd encouraging both teams and enjoying a good game. It was a neck to neck game between both teams. For majority of the game, US was leading by one goal but the table turned and with just minutes left on the clock our lads scored two quick goals to finish one up and won the game to the delight of the crowd.

One very surprising aspect about the game was that we did not have to purchase tickets. It was free for all. It was really nice to see Manipur carry on the legacy of Polo and host international tournaments and look beyond cricket. Almost all the matches were played in the afternoon between 1 to 4.30 pm.

Since we had arrived in Imphal way ahead of Sangai, we decided to visit Keibul Lamjao and Loktak Lake and come back to Imphal for Sangai. We were very keen to attend the festival on its inauguration. While we were at Loktak, we decided to leave for Imphal on November 21st to be able to attend the festival. We were not prepared for what was in store for us. Our journey of 50 km from Loktak to Imphal on the inaugural day of Sangai festival turned out to be a slightly risky but nonetheless a very exciting one.

We were unaware that a total bandh was called by a banned outfit 'United Revolutionary Front' boycotting Sangai festival. Businesses small and big were shut, state transport bus, private taxis and autos were completely off the road. The roads were deserted and gave us an eerie feel. We were still determined to reach Imphal to experience the inauguration of Sangai festival and the cultural events and therefore we took a chance.

After waiting for more than half an hour, one auto showed up and charged Rs.100 for a 3 km ride to Moirang. Normally the bustling Moirang market was totally deserted. The ever busy area with buses and shared taxis that are usually in abundance were missing with just one lone auto that was willing to drop us at Imphal at a premium price of Rs.700 whereas to reach Loktak, we spent only Rs.120 in total. However, it was worth the premium as we reached Imphal safely and were able to attend the festival. Some experiences surely are no match to any amount of money we spend.

During our stay we checked into Classic Grande a 4 star hotel. Generally our budget never permits us to stay in high end places but non availability of budget rooms put us in the lap of luxury. The hotel has a spa, swimming pool, fitness centre and all the bells and whistles. It is also conveniently located near all the attractions. Their restaurant serves excellent food and needless to say their service was extraordinary.

Photo Blog Loktak Lake

Paradise may not exist, Loktak does.