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Experience The Best Of Manipur Series - II

While I loved the valley but my heart remains tucked somewhere in the hills of Manipur. It was my home for more than two years and the hills and its people loved me back the way I loved them and more. Manipur hills with all its insurgency and army operations happening have been a scary and mysterious abode. And I am glad it opened it’s arm to peacefulness in my presence. https://herlittlespace.com/2019/06/20/the-best-of-manipur-series-i/ Do read the first part of this series ! Just two hours from Imphal lies Tengnoupal, a beautiful, serene hill town that I called home. It happens to be the highest point on NH-2, the ASEAN highway that enters Myanmar, through Moreh. The road is popularly known as the Moreh road and you can book a vehicle easily from Imphal to travel here. There are also buses running daily and share taxis are plenty! While traveling from Imphal, the road is plain and straight till Palel. And you cross little towns like Thoubal, Kakching, Khongjom, etc. Thoubal happens to be a district town which is crowded and the market is really big, while Kakching has a beautiful garden known as the Kakching Garden and, bang on the road in Khongjom you come across the glorious gate of the Khongjom War 1891 Memorial. While driving down it falls on the left-hand side and it’s worth paying a visit. Not just for the architecture but to pay homage to the great sacrifice to the martyrs of 1891 War.

The first bullet of the war was fired by the British on the 24th March 1891, without any provocation from the Manipuris. In the days fighting at the capital of Manipur, about 50 Manipuris including Pukhramba Tanka, Khumbong Subedar, Leisang Jamadar and Athokpa Dewan sacrificed their lives. Two Tangkhuls were also among those killed in hand to hand fight. Lt. Brackenbary and some sepoys of the British Army lost their lives on the side of the British. In the aftermath of the palace attack, owing to the demand of the Manipuri masses, seven unguarded British Officers were killed.The Battle of Khongjom was the greatest battle of the Anglo-Manipur War. Great freedom fighters-Major Paona Brajabasi, Chinglen Sana, Khumbong Major, Loitongba Jamadar, Keisa Jamadar, Heirang Khongja and many more rank and files of Manipuri warriors sacrificed their lives at this battlefield. Source - https://thoubal.nic.in/tourist-place/khongjom-war-memorial-complex/ After Khongjom the drive is beautiful with green meadows on both sides and hills at a distance. Different shades of green fill your heart and if you are lucky, you might get to see a rainbow! The hilly roads start from Palel and the scenic beauty of the road is unparallel.  During monsoons it’s misty, clouds come down to say hello and the temperature changes drastically. And exactly two hours or 70kms from Imphal on this road you reach Tengnoupal, there is an Assam Rifle post for a regular checkup and just 5 minutes from the check post is the very beautiful Gaby’s Café where you can stop for a quick bite.

https://herlittlespace.com/2019/06/06/these-beautiful-cafes-in-manipur-are-all-about-coziness-and-good-food/ You can learn more about the cafe here!

Tengnoupal town Tengnoupal had been home for more than two years and I had so many guests come over for a stay, they just wanted to soak in the beauty of this tiny little village town which has recently been made into a district. And quite a few kept asking if there was a homestay or a hotel around this beautiful hill but there wasn’t any until now! Gaby’s Café now has rooms to stay and that’s not all, you can also carry your tent and camp for the night in their compound. And if you are a mountain lover like me you must stay at least for a night in this beautiful café and explore the villages around. You shall meet some really lovely people with the warmest smiles.

Home!

Strolling down the village... Tengnoupal lies just 37kms from Moreh, the border town that shares its boundary with Myanmar. It takes a little more than an hour in the hilly roads to reach Moreh. There is one more Assam Rifle check post and you cross the very beautiful Chamol river on the way. MOREH TOWN

Often referred to as India’s gateway to Southeast, Moreh is more than just a border town. This commercial capital of Manipur is mainly inhabited by the Kuki community but there is a noticeable number of Tamils, Meiteis, Punjabis, Telegus, Bihari and Nepali settled there. This rapidly developing trade point in India is growing at an unbelievable pace.

The fish market in Moreh

The vegetable mandi I made frequent trips to Moreh because the Lamphalong Market was such a temptation! And just an hour away I could actually enter a differ country without any Visa or Passport, how could I not make the most of it.

However, the first thing that I noticed about this little town bustling with people was the number of Tamil posters around. In a little state like Manipur, where most people were not very familiar with Hindi, how was Tamil so popular? I did not know whom to ask until I met Shree Aunty. One day in my usual trip to Moreh I asked my driver, where did he have his food? He was from Uttar Pradesh and I saw he was never comfortable in having food in the local market places. “God knows what meat they will feed me”, he said. So, I asked him if he stayed hungry till he gets home? He said he had food at a Tamil family restaurant and I thought of accompanying him. The little restaurant served proper home cooked food including dosas and thalis( both veg and non veg). On the very first day I asked for a permission to take a picture of the old lady sitting in the counter,he had the most typical tamil features and spoke to her employees in Burmese. She denied for a picture and I did not wamt to push. I started visiting her restaurant regularly and it did not take long for the ice to break and at times I visited Moreh just to sit and chat with her. I have always been curious about the Burmese Tamils here and I had googled about them but I wanted to know more. And I would keep asking her until one day she was ready for a picture and talk about her ancesters.

“My mom used to say they called us Kala Lumyo, because we are dark. But still that is our home and those people are our people! Things will get better and we will be able to go back to our own home." Often she looked lost in her thoughts... Maybe pondering on the times gone by. "I was born in India, in Moreh. But my mother used to say that I belonged to Burma. I speak Burmese better than Tamil. My mother was from a village in South india and my father was from Chennai but they had their home in Burma. They fell in love and married in Burma. Burma was their country. Burma was home!" I had very casually asked her... "And where do u belong aunty?" She smiled with teary eyes and said, " I don't know... “  In the 19th century during British colonialism thousands of Indians from Tamil Nadu began to leave and migrated to Burma(now Myanmar) attracted by the country’s labour prospects. They successfully involved themselves in the rice cultivation and trade. But their fortune did not last too long, with the decline of the British Empire they began losing on their business. During a military coup in the 1960s under General Ne Win, the Tamil population were forced out of the country. There are quite a few articles written about these Burmese Tamils and if you want to read more about them, here is a link to one of the best I found - https://homegrown.co.in/article/47804/manipurs-mini-tamil-nadu-how-burmese-tamils-ended-up-in-moreh Other than the interesting blend of culture and heritage this little border town of India has one of the most flourishing market places in the country. According to economists, this little town will turn into a bustling city in the coming years and you know they are correct once you enter the town.

The market place in Moreh happens to be one of the main attractions of Manipur and for all the right reasons. I myself explored the market there and I can tell you there you nothing you won’t find there, both legal and illegal. And the biggest market here is the Namphalong Market from where daily there is a business of around 90 crores. NAMPHALONG MARKET

The Namphalong market is on the other side of the border and to enter the market you actually enter Myanmar. If that is not interesting enough you can actually explore the border town of Myanmar, Tamu for the day without a Visa and a passport. Though this is far from experiencing mainstream Myanmar but good enough if you want to explore the local cuisine and a part of the culture, market place and places of worship. The namphalong market was described as a shoppers' paradise to me and why not?! You actually find an insane variety of things in this market and for a tax-free price!

Every day thousands of sacks packed with goods are transported through these thelas, trucks and buses.

In my two and half year stay, I must have visited the market hundreds of times and I actually went crazy with the variety of fruits and vegetables that were available and how cheap they were.

Then there are electronics of every kind, there are enough types of kitchen items to set your kitchen up for good, there's a full lane for crockery! A lane dedicated to home décor stuffs like posts and planters, artificial flowers, wall décor. A lane dedicated to clothes and fabrics. One for makeup and skincare, one for shoes and bags, and one dedicated to food! And if you are a shopaholic you might just go crazy with the kind of options you get for the price.

Shopping is not the only attraction this place has to offer, you can actually take a pass from the immigration office in the market go for a tour around the town of Tamu. I absolutely loved doing this, most of the times I would take an auto to just drop me in the main market and explore everything on foot. It’s easy to find an auto back to the lamphalong market at the end of the time. Right when you enter the Lamphalong market you come across the little immigration counter. The counter charges around 20/- INR, keeps an identification card and you are told to be back by 4pm(Indian time). You have an auto stand at the end of the market place and they charge you 300/-INR for an hour and 500/- INR for hiring them full time. TAMU

The bridge that connects both the countries. The white part is Indian side and the yellow part is where Myanmar starts. Suddenly the auto driver starts driving on the left-hand side of the road, you cannot read the banners around you and the auto driver nor any other person does not understand Hindi or English, you have entered Myanmar. However, there are quite a few Nepalis settled there and if you are lucky you might meet a few and they happily take you around the town.

For me, the language barrier hasn't been much of a hindrance, I roamed around the market and bought things without understanding a word they said and it was fun! I loved the feeling of being in a different country where I could not understand the language but it worked out amongst us quite beautifully. We laughed at each other for being confused and yet, in the end, it was manageable. Other than the market place, Tamu has a few beautiful monasteries that are worth a visit.

Tamu market will give you a little glimpse of the culture of Myanmar and there are a few good restaurants there too. There is one right in the main market area called 'The Water World'. The food is delicious and paying in Myanmar currency you end up eating so much for so less money! Almost every tour agency take their guests to this restaurant and so I am sure you won't miss this one. During these visits, I made a few friends in Myanmar too and one of them was a baker. I loved her cakes so much that she took me to her little factory in her house itself.

I had written quite a few blogs on Manipur, but never about this part of the state. Not because I did not want to but this part of the state was home and I was scared if I would be able to do justice to it. Hoping that the blog grows your interest in the beautiful state that Manipur is. And the next in the series shall be the other sides of the state. though I have already written about most of them but will combine all in this series so that it helps. Liked the blog? Pin it!

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The best of Manipur Series – I

It was the end of October in the year 2016 and we were in the Nubra valley with our parents for the weekend. The evenings in Leh had started to get really cold by that time. I was strolling in the quiet and dimly lit path of the guest house after quite an eventful day. We had spent an year already in this stunning place and we were expecting our posting anytime soon. Leh is beautiful and I had the most magical experiences of my life while staying here. I don’t quite remember what I was thinking when I heard the husband calling out for me. He announced our posting is out and it was somewhere in Northeast! I was vigorously praying for Sikkim or Meghalaya to every God I could think of. And after a few phone calls, I came to know it was someplace in Manipur. No points guessing, I was disappointed. And my welcome in Manipur had made it only worse. On the 10th of December when I took my first flight to Imphal, there were hardly any people on board. The airport in Imphal was tiny and deserted. I grabbed my luggage as fast as I could and ran to find the vehicle.  As I got in the vehicle and it zoomed past the closed shops and empty streets, I could only see a few people burning tires at the side of the roads chanting anti-government slogans. I was petrified and cursed my luck for landing me here!  It was the time of the economic blockade and the whole state had come to a standstill. But that was 3 years ago and today when I am getting posted out of Manipur all I know is that I am going to miss this place dearly! They say ‘every place you go becomes a part of you‘ and Manipur shall remain very special to me forever! Which is why this blog series is special to me… and I just hope to do justice to the beauty of Manipur through these blogs.  I have been asked so many times about the places to visit in Manipur and how many days should be enough and even what are the places that were worth visiting or the festivals worth experiencing. And through this series of blogs, I wish to give you an idea about the ideal places to visit and come up with an itinerary and help you experience the best of Manipur! Let’s start with how to reach Manipur – The best way to reach Manipur happens to be by air. The flight connectivity is really good and the cheapest and shortest flight is from Kolkata. The nearest railway station is Dimapur, which is almost 206kms and it takes 7 – 8 hours. The road condition is awful! I visited Dimapur a few times and each time traveled by road. And every time I ended up looking and feeling like a zombie at the end of the journey. But the construction work has been going on to make it better. However, there is also a proposal of getting railway tracks extended till Imphal, which will be a great positive change for the state and it will also help flourish tourism.

I have always taken a flight to Manipur. And the first view of Manipur from up above is stunning! Lush green hills and plains with paddy fields and water everywhere… it’s a beautiful riot of green and blue. You get the first glimpse of the unique Loktak Lake from the flight itself and it looks beautiful and huge.

Imphal, the capital city – Imphal the capital city of Manipur is where the flight lands you. It’s a beautiful valley and has a lot of things to offer to a tourist. Imphal is not just the capital of Manipur but it also happens to be the center point of this state strategically. All the other places are situated in and around Imphal and can be traveled within a day. But before you move out of Imphal I suggest you explore this beautiful historical city. It has a lot to offer and you shall get a glimpse of the culture of the Meiteis of Manipur, who resides only in the valley. The city has some really vibrant market places like the Thangal Bazar, Paona Bazar, DM College Road, Uripok. Imphal also has the very unique woman’s market, Ima Keithal, popularly known as the Mother’s market. The market is dominated by beautiful women dressed up in their traditional innaphis and phaniks and streaks of sandal paste on their forehead. Check out the blog below - https://herlittlespace.com/2017/05/27/welcome-to-the-mothers-market-in-imphal/ This tiny little state in the Northeastern region has always been known for its rich cultural heritage, art and culture, and sports. And Manipur has produced some really eminent artists whose work is worth witnessing. And if you are an art lover you must visit the RKCS Gallery and The Three Mothers Art Gallery in Imphal. Check out the blog below - https://herlittlespace.com/2019/03/06/rkcs-art-gallery-and-three-mothers-art-gallery-in-imphal-manipur-is-a-treat-for-art-lover/ Standing tall right in the center of the Imphal city is the Kangla Fort Gate. And while roaming around the city, the gate is hard to miss. Kangla Fort remains of the most popular tourist places in the city and recently keeping in mind the flourishing tourism, the Government has started arranging Night Markets and concerts in the fort complex on weekends. There are a number of places to visit in Imphal city. I have been getting quite a few questions about the places to visit in Imphal city itself and if you have the same query the blog below will help you get an idea about them. https://herlittlespace.com/2019/04/10/the-best-places-to-visit-in-imphal-city/ Now that Manipur has gradually become a tourist-friendly place, I see quite a lot of people planning on visiting this beautiful little state in the Northeast. I too get messages asking for an itinerary or the ideal time to visit and various other questions regarding the place and after every query, there is always a "Please suggest a few nice and cozy places to eat. We would like to spend an evening in some beautiful eatery with a good vibe and good food" I can totally relate to these questions and all I can think of are cozy and fancy little cafes. And if you are a cafe lover like me, Manipur won't disappoint you. And to help you find some of these beautiful cafes easily I wrote a blog a few days ago and a lot of travelers messaged me saying they found it really helpful. Music to my ears! So, if you are visiting Manipur and you have such an evening planned for yourself this blog might help you choose a place. I have also mentioned the places where you can find authentic Manipuri thalis in this blog, so do check this out! https://herlittlespace.com/2019/06/06/these-beautiful-cafes-in-manipur-are-all-about-coziness-and-good-food/ From Imphal, the nearest and one of the most amazing places to visit in Manipur is the Indo-Myanmar Border town Moreh. The road to Moreh is one of the most beautiful in terms of scenic beauty. You also pass the very stunning Tengnoupal Village which was my home for two and a half years. So in the next blog in this series find out all about Moreh and Tamu(the border town of Myanmar), Namphalong market, places to stay and what to eat! Read the full article