The Sentinel Fort of Manipur
BOOKMARK
Right at the centre of the fast growing capital of Manipur, Imphal, is a fort that has been continuously occupied since 33 CE, for nearly 2000 years. The Kangla Fort which is in ruins now, is central to the history of Manipur.
Manipur got its name as the ‘land of the jewel’ only in the 18th century. Prior to this, it was known as Kangleipak and was ruled by the Meiteis, a community that continues to dominate this state today.
The Kangla fort was the political heart of Manipur from the 33CE to 1891 CE, when the British took control and made it their military headquarters. Interestingly till 2004, a small part of the fort continued to operate as the base of the paramilitary force, Assam Rifles.
The earliest reference to the Kangla Fort comes from a court chronicle ‘Cheitharol Kumbaba’. While little is known about who wrote it or when, this chronicle claims to record Meitei history from the founding of the ruling dynasty in 33 CE. It mentions that the Kangla Fort was the seat of a Meiteis clan, Ningthouja, whose ruler Pakhangba became the first King of the Meiteis. But there is no archaeological evidence of the era and the dates could be an exaggeration. Excavations at the citadel of the fort have however, unearthed pottery from a much later date.
Based on studies, it is clear that the Kangla Palace and its fortification evolved over a period of time. In fact in the 5th century CE, one of the rulers of Meiteis, Shangben Laiba even laid out a detailed list o ...
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