I had an opportunity to explore this blissful Northeastern state for my project work on “Amazing North East.” This is an ideal place for the nature lovers, located amidst the breathtaking blue hills. We had stayed at a local homestay to get the real feel of the culture. The village mostly had bamboo huts which were amazingly designed to survive the natural calamities. People were quite cooperative and affectionate. The host was our guide for the whole duration.

We started off with Imphal, the capital of Manipur. It is a beautiful city located at the center of the Manipur valley that has a spectacular view that is surrounded by hills, plains and dense forest on all sides. This lush greenery makes this place heaven on earth. This city reflects the rich tradition of the State.

Loktak lake is a must visit for its picturesque view. This is the largest fresh water lake in the entire North East. This place is about an hour’s drive from Imphal. The best way to enjoy this place is to first travel to the Sandra Park on a small hill top from where you can get a soul-captivating view of the city. There is a café over there which provides some lip- smacking delicacies, which are a must try. The bio diversity lake, Keibul Lamjao is the only floating wildlife sanctuary in the world. The lake has small islands like grasslands where people stay. These islands house a specific deer breed called the dancing deer and you also find colouful migratory birds here. This place is a nature’s wonder.

Another wonderful place is the Nillai Tea Estate located on the eastern hill called Nilai Kaphung in Talui village. This garden provides with a panoramic view of the entire village. The cultivation is spread on thousands of yards of picturesque steepe slopes. This provides the people of the village with a living and this spot is quite famous for picnics.

Our next destination was the Imphal War Cemetary, this place will remind you of the brave-hearts who had sacrificed their lives defending their Motherland. This place has a serene ambience and is a beautiful heritage monument for the soldiers of war. This memorial garden is very well maintained and is worth paying a visit.

Our last destination was the Kangla Fort, a great place for a walk. The place is very calm, clean and well maintained. The architectural work is brilliant here. This place has a museum which is a must visit , you get to see some huge boats there, which are used for boat races and there is an amazingly beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Pakhangba. The spot is of both historical and archaeological importance in Imphal.

We had an amazing experience with the local cuisine which was made of herbal plants available there. Although the food was pretty spicy but they make use of minimal oil. The dish which I loved the most was Singju, a salad prepared from banana stem, lotus stem & coriander leaves.

Manipur let your soul sway in harmony with nature.