The (with diacritic, Kanglā), officially known as the Kangla Fort, is an old fortified palace at Imphal, in the Manipur state of India. It was formerly situated on both sides (western and eastern) of the bank of the Imphal River, now remaining only on the western side in ruined conditions. Kangla means "the prominent part of the dry land" in old Meetei. It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur.
Kangla (Imphal) was the ancient capital of pre-modern Manipur. The Kangla is a revered spot for the people of Manipur, reminding them of the days of their independence. It is a sacred place to the Meiteis.
The Kangla is being proposed to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for which there are discussions ongoing in the Indian Parliament.
History
The Kangla was the seat of administration of the Meitei rulers of the Ningthouja dynasty (33 CE to 1891 CE).
Museums
There are two museums inside Kangla Fort: the Kangla Museum and Archaeological Museum.
The Kangla Museum showcases mapmaking, the artistic and cultural heritage and Manipur, and the lifestyles of Meitei rotalty.
The Archaeological Museum includes Stone Age tools found in the Tharon and Kangkhui Caves and artefacts collected from the excavations of Sekta, Khangabok and the Kangla itself.
Gardens
The Kangla possesses a sobriquet, "Lungs of Imphal" as it is heavily forested, providing oxygen in the heart of the metropolis of Manipur. Unfortunately, due to construction activities in the last few years, some deforestation occurred inside the Kangla.
In the year 2019, the Kangla Herbal Garden was planted, in order to bring medicinal plants inside the Kangla. The botanical garden is the responsibility of the Lamphelpat-based branch of the North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat (NEIST). The Government of Manipur provided out of to NEIST to carry out the task. It planted around 131 different plants, (including around 20 medicinal plant species), includung, iheigru (Phyllanthus emblica), kihori (Phyllanthus acidus), agar (Aquilaria agallocha), neem (Azadirachta indica), tera (Mobax malabathricum), singairei (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) and leihao (Michelia champaca).
In June in 2019, around 700 indigenous fruit-bearing tree saplings were planted inside the , formerly known as "Biodiversity Park" as part of the Governmenkt Green Manipur initiative.
In September in 2019, the newspaper Sangai Express celebrated 20 years in print by adding around 120 trees, including mayokfa, agar, uningthou, teak, chahui and samba, planted by its editorial board and management team.
The Kangla Fort Board, under the leadership of Nongthombam Biren, the Chief Minister of Manipur plan to eventually plan some 10,000 trees inside the Kangla.
Places
Image(s) Name Description(s) Western Kangla Gate () The grand royal entrance gate to the Kangla from the western side Kanglasha () A pair of sculptures dedicated to the lion god Nongshaba. Kangla Museum () A museum that showcases the lifestyle of Meitei rulers of the Ningthouja dynasty as well as the ancient Meitei artistic and cultural heritage and maps of ) Kangla Uttra Shanglen () A religious office building of Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion), built in the traditional Meitei architectural style. The most significant and the holiest element is the chirong (literally, "horns"), which is the V-shaped design adorned on the roof of the building. Sanggai Yumpham () A fortified royal residence inside the Kangla. Inner Polo Ground () Ningthouja dynasty polo field located to the south west of the citadel inside the Kangla Manūng Thāngapāt () Manung Thangapat is the Inner Moat of the Kangla Fort, encircling and protecting the Sanggai Yumpham as a second line of defense. Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh () The grand bronze sculpture of King Nara Singh riding on a Manipuri pony. The tomb of King Bodhchandra () The site where the mortal remains of Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh (Manglen of Ningthou Bodhchandra or Samadhi of Maharaja Bodhchandra), the last ruler of sovereign state of Manipur Kingdom, was consigned to flames on 9 December 1955. Chīngkhei Īkon () or Chingkhei Pukhri. A sacred pond in the northeastern corner of the Sanggai Yumpham. Kangla Boatyard () The boatyard houses traditional Meitei royal boats (hiyang hiren) and commoners' boats (tanna hee). Pakhangba Temple, Kangla () A temple dedicated to the god Pakhangba of Sanamahism. Archaeological Museum, Kangla () A museum housing Stone Age tools and historical stone inscriptions, coins and other artefacts of the Ningthouja dynasty. Site for Meitei Heritage Park A Heritage Park dedicated to the Meitei people, the largest ethnicity of Manipur. It is also known as Meitei Heritage Park.
See also Kangla Nongpok Torban Museums in Kangla
References
External links
Kangla Fort at Imphal Free Press The ancient capital of Manipur : E-Pao.Net Rediscovering a heritage- By SUSHANTA TALUKDAR Kangla Fort Beautiful Photos - KanglaOnline.com