Imphal City

IMPHAL CITY: EPICENTRE OF ACTIVITIES

IMPHAL TOWN

Imphal is the capital of Manipur. The Imphal town is located at an altitude of 790 meters above the sea level.

Imphal town is the also the political, economic social, educational and cultural epicenter of the people of the state.

The tourist destination spots have been sub-divided into four sections, viz., commercial hubs; parks & gardens; martial heritages; religious places and natural spots.

The important and popular tourist spots within and in the suburbs of Imphal town are the follows:

The commercial hub is the Ima Keithal market;

Among the notable parks and gardens are Manipur Zoological Gardens, and Khonghampat Orchidarium;

The martial heritages include the Manipur State Museum, Saheed Minar, the war cemeteries, INA Memorial, Moirang, the Red Hill, Khongjom,

Among the pilgrimage spots are the Shree-Shree Govindajee Temple, ;

The naturally gifted enticing spots in and around Imphal town are Kangchup;

Here is a bird’s eye view of the tourist destination spots in and around Imphal town.

The capital of Manipur state – Imphal City – is located within Imphal-West district.

Imphal City is amidst a sylvan environ. There are lush forests. The backdrop is against hills that appear blue in color.

Imphal-West City is situated on a valley that aerially appears oval shaped.

IMPHAL CITY: BASIC FACTS

The Meitei community constitutes the majority population in Imphal valley and Imphal-West district besides Imphal City.

Imphal City is the largest urban centre and the business as well as administrative hub of Manipur.

Imphal City is the Mecca of education for the students of the other districts of Manipur.

Imphal City is also the epicenter of social and religious activities of the people of Manipur.

Imphal City has modern tourism facilities.

Imphal City and its suburbs are also homes to many tourist destination spots.

IMPHAL CITY: CONNECTIVITY

Imphal City – the capital of Manipur state – is well connected with the mainland India through roads and air.

ROADWAYS: National Highway No. 53 links Imphal City with Silchar.

National Highway No. 39 connects Guwahati – the gateway to the North East – with Imphal City

RAILHEADS: The nearest railhead to Imphal City is Dimapur at a distance of 215 km. The other railway station is the Manipur town of Jiribam, 225 km away.

AIRWAYS: The Indian Airlines (IA) directly connects Imphal City with Guwhati and Silchar in North East. The IA also has scheduled flights from Kolkata, and New Delhi.

IMPHAL CITY & SUBURBS: TOURIST SPOTS

There are many popular tourist destination spots in Imphal-West district.

These tourist spots include well manicured and managed gardens, markets eluding the typical local flavor, wonderfully designed temples and the remnants of a palace that has its roots in the days of yore.

Mention may be made of the other tourist destination spots.

These include the Ima keithel or Women's Market, Manipur State Museum, Manipur Zoological Gardens, Kangla Fort, Lanthabal, Nupi-lal Memorial, Khongampat Orchidarium, the Commonwealth War Graves Cemeteries, Shaheed Minar, Shree Shree Govindajee Temple.

Here is an overview of the popular tourist spots in and around Imphal City.

 
COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES CEMETERIES

Manipur plays host to two Commonwealth War Graves. These are the World War-II cemeteries. 

One is located on the eastern outskirts of Imphal City while the other is on the northern side.

Both these Commonwealth War Graves Cemeteries are pilgrimage spots for the descendents and family members of the brave soldiers who ‘sacrificed their today for our tomorrow’.

 
MANIPUR STATE MUSEUM

The Manipur State Museum showcases the rich cultural heritage of the people of Manipur.

The Manipur State Museum has well managed sections that are dedicated to various aspects of the Manipuri culture.

Mention may be made of the following sections inside the Manipur State Museum:

The sections preserve the martial weapons; community costumes; a tour of the state’s blazing past; and many relics and other historical documents.

MANIPUR ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

The Manipur Zoological Gardens is barely eight kilometer from the state capital, Imphal.

The Manipur Zoological Gardens are located at the foothills of the evergreen hillocks.

The serene sylvan environ and the natural locale are the habitats to many exotic flora and fauna. Some of the mammals and reptiles besides the plantation are endemic to only the state of Manipur.

The backdrop is the pine-covered highlands.

The sections of the Manipur Zoological Gardens preserve the martial weapons; community costumes; a tour of the state’s blazing past; and many relics and other historical documents.

Above all, the Manipur Zoological Gardens have naturally built shelters for some of the exotic species of fauna. Mention may be made of the endangered brow-antlered deer which is known locally as ‘Thamim’.

KHONGHAMPAT ORCHIDARIUM

Within Imphal City, a popular tourist spot is the Khonghampat Orchidarium.

The best time to tour the Khonghampat Orchidarium is between April and May. That is the time when you will be able to see the exotic orchids of Manipur in full bloom.

The Khonghampat Orchidarium is located 12 km north of the hub of Imphal City.

 
SHREE-SHREE GOVINDAJEE TEMPLE

Another famous tourist destination spot within Imphal City is the Shree-Shree Govindajee Temple.

This temple is located within the main bazaar area of Imphal City. The Shree-Shree Govindajee Temple is situated adjacent to an imposing palace of the rulers of Manipur who held their sway in this kingdom before the British rule.

The twin-domed shaped Shree-Shree Govindajee Temple has a simple architectural design.

The annual primary attraction of the Shree-Shree Govindajee Temple is the series of festivals that are organized extolling Lord Krishna.

A marked feature of the fests organized during the year is the performance of the charming Manipuri dance during each such occasion.