Ancestry of the kings is traced to the union of Arjuna and Chitrangada. Legend says that the valley was once filled with water. Shiva was looking for a place to dance. Seeing the valley he drained the water and thus from here the Imphal River forks out into three branches – Kongba, Iril and Nambul towards the south.
Another underground canal pushes through three caves in the mountains to merge into the Chindwin River in Mynamar. When the dance started various gods and goddesses took part with Shiva and his consort Parvati, including Vishnu and Lakshmi. The snake Ananta was so charmed with the dance that he brought his crown jewel to this paradise.
The Land:
The land of the jewel nestles on the slopes of the Sub-Himalayan ranges rolling southwards (latitude 23.80º N to 25.68º N and longitude 93.03º E to 94.78º E) The Imphal valley of 700 square miles is girdled by seven breathtaking ranges. It is also the place where Polo was born. The climate is salubrious. Manipur with hills, green coverage and lakes has been referred to as the Switzerland of India by Lord Irwin..
Literally it means the land of the jewel. But the peace here is not negative but a potent force guarding the frontiers against barbarians and invaders. Through it the Indian culture has spread to the Far East. Most of the land is mountainous dotted with precious orchids. India’s biggest fresh water lake is Loktak Lake.
It also boasts of the largest market complex being manned by women alone and the only floating national park of the country. Manipur has exquisite distinctive handicrafts and innumerable temples that speak for themselves of the grace and beauty of the land and the people. |
