MANIPUR, a native State on the north-east frontier of India, in political subordination to the governor of Assam. Area, 8,62o square miles. Pop. 445,606. It is bounded on the north by the Naga country and the hills overlooking the Assam valley, on the west by Cachar district, on the east by Upper Burma, and on the south by the Lushai hills. The State consists of a wide valley, with an area of about 65o sq.m., and a large sur rounding tract of mountainous country. The hill ranges generally run north and south, with occasional connecting spurs and ridges of lower elevation between. Their greatest altitude is in the north, where they reach to upwards of 8,000 ft. above sea-level. The principal geographical feature in the valley is the Loktak lake, over 25 sq.m. in area, but said to be gradually growing smaller. The valley is watered by numerous rivers, the Barak being the most important. The hills are densely clothed with tree jungle and large forest timber. Rice and forest produce are the principal ex ports. The road from Manipur to the Assam-Bengal railway at Dimapur is the principal trade route.
Although their general facial characteristics are Mongolian, there is a great diversity of feature among the Manipuris, some of them showing a regularity approaching the Aryan type. In the valley the people are chiefly Hindus, that religion being of recent introduction. Their own name for themselves is Meithei, and their language is a branch of the Kuki-Chin family. One of their peculiarities is the high position enjoyed by women, who conduct most of the trade of the valley. The aboriginal hillmen belong to one of the two great divisions of Nagas and Kukis, and are sub divided into innumerable clans and sections. The State is noted for the excellence of its breed of ponies. The English game of polo was introduced from Manipur, where it forms a great national pastime.
The first relations of the British with Manipur date from 1762, when the rajah solicited British aid to repel a Burmese invasion and a treaty was entered into. Little further communication took place until 1824, on the outbreak of the first Burmese War. British assistance was again invoked by the rajah, and the Bur mese Were finally expelled from both the Assam and the Manipur valleys. Disputed successions have always been a cause of trouble and in 1891 of a tragedy. In 1890 a brother of the rajah, the
senapati, or commander-in-chief, dethroned the rajah, and in stalled the jubraj or heir-apparent as rajah. In 1891 the chief commissioner of Assam (Quinton) marched to Manipur with 400 Gurkhas, in order to recognize the new ruler, and remove the senapati. An attempt was made to arrest the senapati, but after some sharp fighting he escaped. The Manipuris then attacked the British residency with an overwhelming force. An armistice having been declared, Quinton with the Political Resident (Grim wood) and three other officers went to the fort, under promise of safe conduct, to negotiate. They were all treacherously murdered. The attack on the Residency was resumed and the defenders, thinking it untenable, retreated to Cachar, taking Mrs. Grimwood and the wounded with them. A month later a military expedition occupied Manipur. The senapati was captured, tried and hanged and the new rajah transported for life. It was decided to preserve the existence of the State, and a child of the ruling family, named Chura Chand, of the age of five, was nominated rajah.
During his minority the administration was conducted under British supervision. The opportunity was seized to abolish slav ery and unpaid forced labour, to open up the State by roads and to introduce other reforms. In 1907 the government of the State was handed over to the rajah and Darbar, or council, with a member of the Indian civil service as vice-president. Subse quently the administration of the State was transferred to the rajah from the Darbar, of which the vice-president became presi dent. During the World War a corps of 2,000 labourers was raised in Manipur and sent to France. When an attempt was made to raise a second corps in 1917, the Kukis broke out in re bellion, which was not suppressed until the cold weather of 1918 19 by a large force of Assam Rifles and Burma military police. A new system of administration was adopted after this, three subdivisions being established, each under an officer lent by the Assam Government. The revenue of the State is estimated at Rs. 7,91,00o. The capital is Imphal, which is really a collection of villages. Pop. (1931) 85,804 See Mrs. Ethel St. Clair Grimwood, My Three Years in Manipur (1891) ; Manipur State Gazetteer (Calcutta, 19°5) ; T. C. Hodson, The Meitheis (1908).