Manipur is a north eastern state in India. Mostly covered with the Himalayas it still possess a lot of untraversed land. People lives with their traditional lifestyles enriching the world with the same. Its capital city is Imphal is very much modernized but the tradition and culture of the state can be seen throughout the state and is enriching for its visitors. There are many vibrant tourist attractions like the Imphal city itself and Loktak lake etc. But we shall here look into some its amazing traditions, cultures and festivals to know more about Manipur.

Classical and Folk Arts - 

Manipuri Dance: One of India's eight classical dance forms - famous of fluid, graceful movements and themes of divine love.

Pung Cholom: A vigorous acrobatic drum dance where performers play the traditional pung (drum) while leaping and spinning.

Thang-Ta: An ancient Meitei martial art incorporating swords and spears which heavily influences traditional choreography.

Festivals and Beliefs -

Lai Haraoba: An ancient spring festival celebrating forest and ancestral deities (Umang Lai) through ritualistic dance-drama.

Yaoshang: A lively five day festival celebrated in spring featuring traditional music and folk dances.

Sanamahism: The indigenous animistic religion practiced by the Meitei people before the widespread adoption of Vaishnavism.

Society and Heritage -

Ima Keithel: A historic all-women's market in Imphal run entirely by thousands of female vendors, symbolizing powerful women's empowerment.

Polo (Sagol Kangjei): Manipur is widely credited by historians with introducing modern Polo to the British.

So these are the major cultures, traditions and festivals in Manipur. So whenever you visit Manipur never forget to experience these as a part of the lifestyle that the Manipuri's live.

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Written by Shouvik Sarkar