History of Manipur

In  the Mahabharata, and Dharani Sanghita, Manipur is mentioned as the meeting place of Arjuna and Chitrangada. Babhrubahana is the son of Chitrangada, belonged to Kshatrya of Chandra Bangsa, ruled Manipur after Chitrabahana. Besides, there are numerous genealogy prevailing in Manipur relating the lands as reclaimed from water by Lord Siva�s Trisul, while another lined makes it the place illuminated by the jewel on the crown of Shesh Nag for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati to play Rasleela after sunset.

 Manipur represents population of two ethnic groups, the people who inhabit the hills called the Nagas and those who inhabit the valley called the Meiteis.  Tang was the 14th generation ruler of a tribe known as Qi who inhabited the central part of the present day China. He founded the Shang Dynasty (1523-1027 BC); therefore, also known as Tang-Shang dynasty by the ancient Meiteis.

 The hills are also inhabited by the group called the Kukis. Imphal is the political capital of Manipur. The earliest recorded history dates to 900AD. In the course of its history there have been several invasions from Myanmar (Burma) which borders with Manipur and numerous clashes with the Nagas. In 1826, Manipur was brought into India by the treaty of Yandavo by Raja Jai Singh with the British at the end of the Indo-Burmese war. This followed a dispute in accession to the throne. With the intervention of the British the dispute was settled. In 1891 Churachand was nominated the Raja and it came under British rule as a princely state. During World War II Imphal was occupied by the Japanese. After Indian independence Manipur became a Union Territory and subsequently achieved statehood in January 21,1972.