MANIPUR STATE is the Kasse or Kathe of the Burmese. It is situated between lat. 23° 49' and 25° 41' N., and long. 93° 5' and 94° 32' E. The population of the valley and surrounding hill is ,estimated to be about 74,000 hillmen and 65,000 3fanipuris. It is bounded to the W. by Cachar and the Naga Hills, to the N. by the Naga Hills Agency and independent Naga tribes, to the E. by the Naga tribes and Burma, and to the S. by Kuki tribes. It has an area of 7600 square miles, of which 7000 square miles are mountainous lands; inhabited by various hill tribes; speaking at different languages.
Thu valley part of Manipur is the centre of the chain of valleys which connect India and Burma, having to its east and west those of Kubbo and Cachar. The valley is 2570 feet above the sea. Much of the valley is at all seasons covered with water. It seems indeed at one time to have formed a large lake, and the piece of water in the south, called the Logtak, appears to be the rapidly filling remnant of it. The valley seems originally to have been occupied by several tribes, the principal of which were named Koomul, Looting, 3loirang, and Mei-thei, all of whom came from different directions. For a time, the Koomul appear to have been the most powerful, and after its the Moirang tribe. The principal is now the Mei-thei, next the Phoong nai, after whom the Teng-kul, the Ayok-pa, the Kei, the Loco, and Muhammadan. The Mei-thei population is divided into four parts, called Punnah, which are designated in the order of their seniority,—Ka-phum, Lai-phum, Ahull-oop, and Nihar-oop. The Loee pay tribute, and is considered so inferior that the name Mei-thei is not given to it.
The .3fanipuri native. tribes on. the south of the valley of Assam are the 3fanipuri, Songpu, Ka pwi, Koreng, Marna', Chaniphung, and Luhuppu. They are bounded on the east by the Shan of the Kynduayn, and on the N., S., and W. by the Naga and Heuma. Indeed, it may be doubted whether there is any marked transition from the 3fanipuri tribes and dialects to those of the Southern Naga on the one side, and those of the Yuma range and the Blue Mountain on the other. The Meiung speak a language of Sanskrit
derivation. They are now in a servile condition, performing the ditties of grass-cutters to their conquerors. The Maibee are priestesses of an order said to have been instituted many hundreds of years ago by one of the royal princesses. The oldest family of Brahmans in Manipur is called Hungoi-bun, from Hun,goi, a frog, assigned as a nickname to the first Brahman, because he astonished the 3fanipuris by the frequency of his ablutions.
Tho Manipuris are distinguished for their enthusiastic love of horses, and skill in equitation over all the neighbouring tribes. Their breed of small horses is celebrated, but it is said they are fast dying out. The great national game of the Manipuri is hockey on horseback. The principal national festivals are the Hiyang, the Lumchail, and the Hanchong, at which the national game of hockey, with boat racing and foot racing, arc the I chief attractions.
The inhabitants of the hills around the valley of Manipur in the west are known under the general appellation of Naga and Kuki.
The marshes of the south, in the vicinity of tho Logtak, afford a retreat to serpents of a formid able size, and the whole valley of Manipur is much infested by them. Some of them are exceedingly active and bold, as the Tanglei. It is fond of ascending bamboos, along the branches of which it moves with great velocity, and if enraged, throws itself from an extraordinary height upon the object of its anger. Its bite is said to be mortal. This, added to its great activity and fierceness, Makes the Tanglei an object of dread.—Dallon's Ethnology; At'Culloch's Records.