Kangla Fort
Kangla
The dry land where Manipur's kings were crowned
About this place
Kangla is the ancestral seat of the Meitei kings and the spiritual centre of the Manipuri world. Spread over 237 acres on the eastern bank of the Imphal river, the walled complex holds the Uttra coronation ground, the rebuilt Kangla Sha (twin white dragon-lion guardians), the sacred Pakhangba shrine, moats, and the Govindajee temple site. Walking the grass avenues between the moats is the single best way to understand why Manipur thinks of itself as an old kingdom rather than a young state.
The history
Kangla served as the royal capital from at least the reign of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba (33 CE) through the 19th century. The British destroyed much of it after the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 and used it as an Assam Rifles garrison for over a century; the fort was formally handed back to the people of Manipur on 20 November 2004.
How to reach
In the heart of Imphal, 1 km east of Khwairamband Bazar. Any auto-rickshaw from BT Road or Thangal Bazar costs ₹40–60; from Imphal airport it is 9 km by cab.
Local tips
- Hire one of the licensed guides at the western gate: the shrines make little sense without the Pakhangba story.
- Photography of Assam Rifles installations along the perimeter is still restricted; stick to the heritage zone.
- Combine with Ima Keithel and Shaheed Minar, all within a 2 km walk.
Gallery
On the map
Kangla Road, Imphal · 24.8073°N, 93.9385°E
Kangla Fort
Kangla Road, Imphal
24.8073°N, 93.9385°E
Nearby places
Within an easy detour of Kangla Fort.
MarketImphal West
Ima Keithel (Khwairamband Bazar)
Ima Keithel
Khwairamband Bazar, BT Road, Imphal
The world's largest market run entirely by women
- Distance from Imphal
- 500 m from Imphal
- Time to allow
- 2 hrs
Entry: Free entry
TempleImphal East
Shree Govindajee Temple
Sana Konung, Imphal East
Twin gold domes beside the old royal palace
- Distance from Imphal
- 2.0 km from Imphal
- Time to allow
- 1 hr
Entry: Free entry
Step-freeMemorialImphal West
Shaheed Minar
Bir Tikendrajit Park, BT Road, Imphal
The martyrs' column at the heart of Imphal
- Distance from Imphal
- 800 m from Imphal
- Time to allow
- 48 min
Entry: Free entry
Photo: ayandip nandi / Google Maps
MuseumImphal West
Kangla Museum
RW3R+9JV, Kangla, Imphal, Manipur 795001, India
Inside Kangla. Worth a sub-entry under the Kangla Fort record rather than its own listing.
- Distance from Imphal
- 2.0 km from Imphal
- Time to allow
- 2 hrs
Entry: Entry details on page