Art & Culture of Manipur – Manipur GK Notes 2021 (Part 1)

Hello guys!

Today we are here with another charming and beautiful state of India- Manipur. Manipur is a land of unparalleled natural beauty with an oval-shaped lush valley surrounded by a range of evergreen blue hills with surplus amount of fauna and flora. Manipur is home to majestic mountains, fabulous lakes, natural caves, immense natural beauty and many other attractions.

Which state is known as the Jewel of India? In which state of India, World’s only floating National Park is situated?Where is Asia’s biggest all women-run market?

In this write-up, we are going to cover the social and cultural, geographical and political aspects of the state. Now let’s get started.

Manipur is located in the northeastern part of the country which is known as a peace-loving state with the most welcoming people. Manipur attained full-fledged statehood on 21 January 1972. Manipuri is considered a sensitive border state and is famous for its rich culture and traditions, scenic landscapes, natural beauty, and mouthwatering cuisines. 

Let’s have a glance over the State Symbols of Manipur.

STATE SYMBOLS OF MANIPUR Manipur GK Notes:

Let’s study the foremost aspect of the state i.e. social and cultural aspects of Manipur.

Art & CULTURE of Manipur:

Manipur is described as the Jewel of India. Manipur is a mosaic state of traditions and cultural patterns which is best represented by its dance forms. The state is surrounded by blue hills with an oval-shaped valley at the centre, rich in art and tradition, and surcharged with nature’s pristine glory. Manipur lies on a melting pot of culture.  

• Polo and field hockey are popular sports played in the state. Manipur is the birthplace of the Modern game Polo where the game is known as Sagol Kangjei or Pulu.
• Manipur has given birth to an indigenous form of classical dance known as Manipuri. Manipuri was long an isolated dance art form which was introduced to the rest of India by the poet Rabindranath Tagore in 1917.
•  The Lai-Haraoba festival is generally celebrated between April and May, after the harvest season.
• Manipuri language is the official language of the state as well as the native language among the various ethnic groups in the state. It is the only language of the state to be included under the 8th scheduled languages of the Indian constitution.
• The Manipuris make their food mainly steamed or boiled rather than frying it. The food is not only tasty, but the aroma is more than heavenly. The people of the state are lovers of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Some of the most famous cuisines made in Manipur are Chamthong or Kangshoi,Eromba, Kang-ngou or kaang-hou, Anganba, Morok Metpa, Sana thongba, Mangal ooti, Paknam, Nga-thongba.
• Manipur has always been a place of devotion and belief in Lord Krishna and, therefore, it houses several temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. Some famous temples of the state are Shri Govindaji Temple, Krishna Temple, Sanamahi Temple, Nityananda and Narasimha Temple, Radha-krishna Chandra Iskcon Temple, etc.

Let’s proceed further and study about the geographical aspects of the state.

GEOGRAPHY :

Manipur is situated in the northeastern part of the country. The name Manipur means “the Jewel of India”. Manipur is the 23rd largest state of India. The state is a hilly region with natural green hills and landscape. It is perfectly located on the slopes of the Himalayas making it one of the most beautiful sites in the country.

• Total Area: 22,347 km²
• Total Population: 28,55,794

Latitude extension: 23°83’N – 25°68’N 

Longitudinal extension: 93°03’E – 94°78’E

• The state has two major physiographic regions: the Manipur River valley and a large surrounding tract of mountainous country. The state is full of lush greenery everywhere and is famous for its splendid plateaus, hill ranges and beautiful valleys that are full of flowers.  
• Natural vegetation occupies nearly 64% of the total geographical area of the state and consists of short and tall grasses, reeds and bamboos, and trees.
• The state is bordered by the Indian states of Nagaland to its north, Mizoram to its south, Assam to its west, and shares an international border with Myanmar to its east.
• Broadly, there are four types of forests found in the state: Tropical Semi-evergreen, Dry Temperate Forest, Sub-Tropical Pine, and Tropical Moist Deciduous.
• The hill ranges of the state are connected by spurs and ridges, run generally north-south. These ranges consist of the Naga Hills to the north, the East Manipur Hills along the eastern Myanmar border, the Mizo and Chin Hills to the south, and the West Manipur Hills to the west. 
• The state has four major river basins: the Barak River Basin (Barak Valley) to the west, the Manipur River Basin in central Manipur, the Yu River Basin in the east, and a portion of the Lanye River Basin in the north.

Climate :

The climate of Manipur is largely influenced by the topography of this hilly region. Lying 790 meters above sea level, Manipur is wedged among hills on all sides. The climate is temperate in the valley and cold in the hills. In summer the average high temperature is about 32–34 °C, while in the winter temperatures can drop up to about 1–2 °C. Rainfall is abundant, with about 1,650 mm of precipitation occurring annually.

Soil type:

The soil cover can be divided into two broad types in the state namely: the red ferruginous soil in the hill area and the alluvium in the valley. The valley soils generally contain loam, small rock fragments, sand, and sandy clay, and are varied. On the plains, especially flood plains and deltas, the soil is quite thick. The topsoil on the steep slopes is very thin.  The soil on the steep hill slopes is subject to high erosion, resulting in gullies and barren rock slopes. The normal pH value of the soil found in Manipur is from 5.4 to 6.8.

Let’s take look at the Political structure of the state.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Like other states in India, the governor which is appointed by the president of India is considered as the constitutional head of the state. The governor functions on the advice of the elected chief minister and the Council of Ministers. The legislature of the state is Unicameral. Representatives are elected for a five-year term to the state. The state’s High Court is located in Imphal which heads the state judiciary. Manipur is divided into 16 administrative districts. The state has one autonomous council.

Representation of Manipur in Parliament:

Assembly seats (unicameral): 60

Rajya Sabha: 1

Lok Sabha: 2

First Governor of Manipur: B. K. Nehru

First Chief Minister of Manipur: Marembam Koering Singh

Here comes SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MANIPUR:

• Keibul Lamjao National Park in ‘Phumidis’ floating island, Manipur is World’s only floating National Park.

• Ima kiethel is Asia’s biggest all women-run market is 500 year old market. It has approximately 4000 women traders who sell a wide range of wares.
• Hindi films are not released or screened in Manipur after the rebel group banned the use of Hindi language, television shows and films in 2000.
• Foreign as well as domestic tourists need special permission to go to Manipur.
• According to legends, the people of Manipur are Gandharvas which are singers and dancers. In the Vedic texts, the region is also referred to as “GANDHARV-DESA”.

Hope this write-up made most of your facts clear about Manipur. In our upcoming write-up, we will be discussing about other important aspects of Manipur.

Which state played a vital role in the Second World War? What are the economic aspects of Manipur? Who was the first ruler of Manipur?

In our next article, the factors corresponding to these questions will be answered surely. If you don’t want to miss it, click here – Know your State ‘Manipur’ – Part 2. We hope it will help you in the preparation of your competitive exams such SSC 10+2, SSC CGL, CDS, NDA, etc.

Thank You