Imphal Polo Sport Loktak Lake Handloom Manipur Heritage

Imphal district in the Manipur Valley contains Loktak Lake — the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and a Ramsar wetland — famous for its floating islands (phumdis) of organic matter where the Keibul Lamjao National Park floats, the only floating national park in the world and last refuge of the endangered Sangai (brow-antlered deer, Cervus eldi eldi). Imphal is the birthplace of polo — the Manipuri game of sagol kangjei played by horseback teams on the Mapal Kangjeibung polo ground (400+ years old, possibly the world's oldest polo ground still in use). The Meitei weavers of Manipur produce moirangphee, phanek (wraparound skirt), and wangkhei phee fabrics on traditional loin-loom with distinctive geometric patterns — Manipur handloom is the state's most significant cottage industry.