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Manipur: the land of Gandharvas!
Manipur,
being the home for a tradition of antiquity called Sanamahism and an
oldest ethnic community called Metei, is known as the ‘Switzerland
of East”. Imphal is the capital city.
Manipur
is the land of unique Metei culture representing unique dance style
and sports traditions. The region is known for elegant dance styles,
music tradition, martial arts and sculpture. The Rasalila dance with
delicate and graceful movements is known to be inherited by
Gandharvas. Pung Cholom, a group dance performed by playing a
percussion instrument called Pung, is a dance form performed by male
dancers.
image credit: manipuri.20m.com |
The state
was founded in 1972. It is surrounded by three Indian states
(Mizoram, Nagaland, Assam) and a foreign country (Myanmar).
Manipur’s
geographical terrain contains river valleys, and hills. The natural
environment in Manipur has been undisturbed so far. The presence of
AFSPA has been a matter of concern and you might have heard of Irom
Sharmila the brave lady of Manipur who has been protesting against
it.
Manipur
is connected well by Imphal Airport. The capital town is linked well
to Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Silichar and Agartala by air and
roadways. If you are traveling by train, Dimapur in Nagaland would be
the nearest destination. But, Dimapur is located at about 220 km from
Imphal.
Manipur
hosts a 10 days cultural fest from 21st
to 30th November
every year. It is known as the Manipur Sangai Festival.
Accommodation:
Imphal city is the best place
to stay. You would get plenty of hotels. If you want to check resorts
in the interiors of Manipur, you would get of course.
Cuisine:
Staple food is rice along with leafy vegetables and fish. They use
herbs and spices while preparing food. Serve in small banana leaf
pouches. Ngari, Iromba, Chamfoot and Morok are some popular names of
Manipuri dishes.
Shopping:
Go for Handloom articles, silk sarees, scarves, bamboo articles,
ivory articles, shawls and jewellery.
Important
tourist destinations:
- Bishnupur district: The popular tourist spot - Loktak Lake, a 14th century Vishnu temple, Keibul Lamjao National Park, INA memorial and the Loukoipat Lake. Loktak Lake is situated at about 48 km from Imphal. A tourist guest house attached with a cafeteria is there on an island called Sendra Island facing the lake.
- Imphal is divided into two districts: Imphal East and Imphal West. Imphal, the state capital is located in Imphal West district. Manipur State Museum, Shaheed Minar, Zoological garden, palace, Ima Market and the very famous Khonghampat Orchidarium are the main attraction in the district. The Orchidarium houses more than 100 orchid varieties. It is located on the outskirts of Imphal city.
- Senapati district: The district houses old villages belonging to age old Naga tribes. Yangkhullen and Makhel are the quite known among them. Mao, an oldest hill station is located in this district. Dzukou valley is the most popular tourist place in the Senapati district. With picturesque landscape and unique Lily flowers the valley attracts nature loving tourists. The valley is the home for the highest mountain peak in Manipur named, Manipur Mount. Sadhu Chiru Waterfall is also located in the same district.
Tag :
Best of India,
Explore North East India
North-Eastern India is
the less explored region in India compared to other parts of the
nation. Lack of accessibility was the major concern for the tourists.
But, now, the region is slowly opening up to nature enthusiasts.
Though there are instances of separatist protests and agitations in a
few parts of the region, tourists activities go on. However, it is
better to update yourself before landing up there.
North East India, as
the name suggests, is located to the North-Eastern part of India
bordering China (Southern Tibet), Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The
region consists of seven states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Rich biodiversity,
indigenous local cultures and picturesque landscape have made this
region versatile and unique. Let us explore the tourism possibilities
of each state within this region. There are two World Heritage Sites
in the region and they are located in Assam: Kaziranga Wildlife
Sanctuary and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.
Arunachal
Pradesh
Known as ‘The land
of Dawn lit Mountains’, the state of Arunachal Pradesh is located
on the eastern most part of North Eastern India bordering China,
Bhutan, Myanmar, Nagaland and Assam. Bound by the Himalayan Mountains
in the north, the state is the home for exclusively rare variety of
orchids. Hence it is also called the Orchid State of India.
Image credit: sparktravels.com |
Culture
of Arunachal Pradesh comprises indigenous tribes and Buddhist
traditions mainly. Most of the tribal language belongs to
Tibeto0Burman family, which is known as Tani language. Itanagar is
the capital city.
Buddhist
Gompas occupy the larger section of state heritage sites and thus
makes the state a destination for ‘Spiritual Tourism’. The Tawang
Monastery is one of the important Buddhist sites in the entire India.
Travellers
need Inner Lane Permits to travel within the state. There are
different travel circuits marked by the Tourism Authorities and the
tourists will have to mention to which circuit they will be
travelling.
Travel
locations within the state are spread out among five river valleys
(the Kameng, the Subansiri, the Siang, the Lohit and the Tirap),
lakes, Himalayan peaks and Himalayan forests. The climate depends
upon the locations; freezing Greater Himalayas, cool Middle Himalayas
or moderate lower Himalayas.
Four
main travel circuits are:
- Tezpur-Tipi-Bombdilla-Tawang
- Tinsukia-Tezu-parasuramkund
- Margherita-Miao-Namdapha
- Itanagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Along-Pasighat
Main
tourist destinations within the state are:
- Tawang Monastery: This 17th century Buddhist monastery is the largest in India located about 180 km from Bomdilla. It is situated at 10,000 ft altitude.
- Ziro: This is the headquarters of Lower Subansiri district. This town is known for community festivals hosted by the Apatani tribe.
- Namdapha Tiger Project
- Sela Lake near Bomdilla
- Malinathan temple, Rukmini Nagar, Parasuram Kund are associated with epics of India.
- Itanagar: the state capital houses archaeological sites. Ita Fort, Ganga lake, Jawaharlal Museum are main attractions.
The
state is not served by a proper airport. Airports in the Assam state
are the nearest points for air travellers. By road, the state is
connected to Tezpur of Assam. Soon it will be connected by a railway
line Harmuti to Naharlagun. Stay in guest houses, lodges, private
hotels and home stays.
Tag :
Best of India,
Wayanad
Wayanad region in
Kerala is known for aboriginal tribal culture, paddy fields and rich
forests. The region is not connected by rail network yet. It is
situated in the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau bordering
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states. The region has
been a district in the state of Tamil Nadu. The entire region
comprising three Taluks has been chosen as one of the promising
tourist spots under the Responsible Tourism project in Kerala.
Kalpetta
is the district headquarters. You can approach this region via
Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. From Karnataka side, one can enter through
Mysore and Coorg. Kozhikode in Kerala is the nearest major
destination that is connected well by rail/road and airways. Kalpetta
is at a distance of about 75 km from Kozhikode. Sultan Bathery is
another main town in Wayanad having good connection.
Speciality
of this region is that it is tucked away in the wild forests of
Western Ghats. The remoteness and less movement of population have
created a distinct atmosphere in the entire region. You feel like
exploring more. Winding Ghat sections, thick jungles, wild life,
heritage spots and the local indigenous/un-disturbed tribal culture
are really rewarding. Preservation and conservation of the local
culture and environment has been the priority of Wayanad Tourism
Organization.
Chembra
Peak, Neelima View Point, Meenmutty Falls, Chethalaym Falls,
Brhamagiri Hills, Banasura Sagar Dam, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuaries in
Muthunga and Tholpetty, Sulthan Bahthery Jain Temple, Edakkal Caves,
Wayanad Heritage Museum, Muniyara, Pazhassi Raja’s Tomb, Valliyoor
Temple, Papanashini, Tirunelli, Pookote Lake, Sentinal Rock Falls,
Sunrise Valley and phantom rock…huh! Innumerable spots you see.
Many
NGOs have joined hands in the preservation of local culture and have
been providing market to locally grown products. Medicinal herbs,
spices and handicrafts produced in this region are in great demand.
Accommodation:
Resorts
and home stays overlooking Jungles and plantations are very popular
among the tourists here. These home stays provide the experience of
traditional homes of Kerala. Jungle resorts are typical of this
region.
Tag :
Best of India,