Location

Thangjing Hill, Churachandpur district, Manipur

Significance

Sacred site for Meiteis; shrine of Ibudhou Thangjing, guardian deity of mountains

Pilgrimage

Annual pilgrimage by Meiteis in April

Kuki-Zo Objection

Meiteis allegedly crossing buffer zone into Kuki-Zo dominated areas

Main Concern

Kuki-Zo demand political settlement before allowing cross-community access

Recent Protest

Kuki-Zo groups staged demonstration at Thangjing hill opposing Meitei pilgrimage

Political Response

Former CM Okram Ibobi Singh & AMUCO appealed for peace & protection of pilgrims

Legal Status

Declared protected under Manipur Ancient Monuments & Archaeological Sites Act, 1976

Gazette Notification

Gazette No. 376 dated 14/11/2022 by Government of Manipur

Tension Catalyst

Perceived territorial encroachment & identity assertion amidst ongoing ethnic violence

Broader Ethnic Context

Ongoing Kuki-Meitei conflict since 2023 over land rights, reservation & autonomy

Ethnic Identity

Predominantly Hindu/Meitei Sanamahi

Tribal Christian population

Religious Link to Site

Worship of Ibudhou Thangjing deity

No religious affiliation with site

Settlement

Valley dwellers, Imphal-based

Hill-dwellers, Churachandpur & hill areas

Grievances

Blockade of pilgrimage to sacred site

Perceived territorial trespass & political neglect

Manipur Ancient Monuments Act (1976)

Thangjing Hill is a protected site under Section 4

Buffer Zones Post-2023 Clashes

Zones established between Kuki-Zo & Meitei areas to avoid confrontation

Scheduled Tribe Status Issue

Meitei demand for ST status is a key trigger in ethnic tension

Social

Deepening ethnic rift, risk of violence recurrence

Religious

Tensions over sacred geography & religious freedoms

Political

Undermining efforts toward reconciliation & peace in Manipur

Legal

Conflict between protected status of site vs community territorial claims

Security

Threat of local clashes; central intervention may be needed to maintain law & order

Location

Churachandpur district, Manipur, India

Coordinates

Approx. 24.2°N, 93.5°E

Religious Significance

Sacred hill to Meitei community dedicated to deity Ibudhou Thangjing

Deity Worshipped

Ibudhou Thangjing considered guardian of hill/mountains

Protected Status

Declared protected under Manipur Ancient & Historical Monuments Act, 1976 (2022 Gazette)

Ethnic Jurisdiction Claim

Claimed as Kuki-Zo territorial land by Kuki-Zo community

Cultural Events

Annual pilgrimage by Meiteis in April

Current Dispute

Kuki-Zo groups opposing Meitei pilgrimage citing political settlement pending

Strategic Relevance

Lies near buffer zones between Meitei-dominated valley & Kuki-Zo inhabited hills

Tuila River

Tributary of Khuga River (Tuitha)

Northward from Churachandpur Hills

West of Thangjing Hill

Flows through Kuki-Zo dominated areas; vital for local agriculture; forms part of buffer zone in conflict region.

Leimatak River

Tributary of Barak River

South-West to North-East

Flows along south & southeast of Thangjing Hill

Runs near hydroelectric projects; source of hydropower & irrigation; sometimes overlaps with Kuki-Meitei administrative borders.

Khuga (Tuitha) River

Major river in Churachandpur

South to North

Southwest of hill

Major river for Kuki-Zo settlements; used in land demarcations & cultural identity.

Iril River

Major river

North-East to South-East

East of Moirang/Thangjing

Drains parts of Imphal plain; relevant for water resource planning.

Nambul River

Tributary of Imphal River

North to South

Northeast of hill

Passes through urban Imphal; links Loktak Lake.

Moirang River

Local stream/tributary

Flows into Loktak Lake

East of Thangjing Hill

Part of Meitei sacred landscape; supports valley rice cultivation.

Leimatak Hydel Stream

Controlled stream

Offshoot of Leimatak River

Southeast of hill

Associated with Leimatak Hydro Electric Project in Tamenglong/Churachandpur area.

Loktak Wetland Drainage

Natural basin

Collects multiple river flows

10–15 km from hill

Includes sacred sites (Sendra, Phumdis), ecologically sensitive area with Meitei-Kuki-Zo links.

Turel (generic)

Seasonal hill streams

Varies (monsoon dependent)

All around Thangjing slopes

Used in rituals during Lai Haraoba; connected to Meitei animistic traditions.

Full Title

Ibudhou Thangjing Apokpa (Lord Father Thangjing, Ancestor Deity)

Pantheon

One of four original Umang Lais (forest deities) of Sanamahism pre-Hindu Meitei religion

Historical Worship Centre

Moirang an ancient Meitei principality located in present day Bishnupur district Manipur

Sacred Landscape

Thangjing Hill believed to be deity abode; worship rituals are performed atop hill during annual pilgrimages

Festivals in Honour

Moirang Lai Haraoba a month-long traditional festival celebrating creation stories & glory of Ibudhou Thangjing

Mythological Role

Regarded as protector of southern boundary of Ancient Kangleipak; plays a key role in Meitei cosmogony & clan mythology

Symbolism in Sanamahism

Thangjing represents divine link between land, forest & lineage sacred geography & ancestral power

Oral Traditions & Texts

Featured prominently in Moirang Kangleirol epic ballads of Moirang including famous love story of Khamba-Thoibi

Ritual Practices

Includes offerings of rice, fruits, flowers, ritual music using Pena, dances by Maibi priestesses & storytelling ceremonies

Temple Architecture

Traditional Meitei style with bamboo & wood sometimes laterite; located in isolated natural settings like hilltops

Modern Worship Form

Revived under Sanamahi resurgence movements resisting homogenisation by Vaishnavism & external cultural influences

Community Role

Central to cultural revival & ethnic assertion of Meiteis especially in opposition to perceived marginalisation

Sacred Status Declaration

Recognised under Manipur Ancient & Historical Monuments & Archaeological Sites & Remains Act, 1976

Contemporary Political Significance

Site of ethnic-religious conflict between Meiteis & Kuki-Zo as it lies within a buffer zone in Churachandpur district

Contending Narratives

Meiteis view it as a sacred pilgrimage to a historic deity while Kuki-Zo tribes view it as an intrusion into their ethnic territory

Government Position

Urged protection of shrine as a cultural asset; political leaders like Okram Ibobi Singh called for peaceful co-existence

NGO Positions

AMUCO & Meitei Heritage Foundation urge central protection of site citing threats of provocation & desecration

Geospatial Importance

Located on edge of Churachandpur-Bishnupur boundary within a region highly sensitive due to buffer zones from 2023 ethnic violence

Tourism Potential

Identified for ethnic heritage tourism by some civil society actors though such plans remain controversial due to community sensitivities

Ethnic Group

Predominantly Vaishnavite Hindus

Chin-Kuki-Mizo group (ethnolinguistic cluster)

Language

Meiteilon (Manipuri)

Kuki-Chin languages

Geographic Distribution

Imphal Valley, Manipur

Hill districts like Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl

Religious Beliefs

Hinduism (Vaishnavism), Sanamahi religion

Christianity (Protestant denominations mainly)

Scheduled Tribe Status

Not classified as ST (demands for inclusion ongoing)

Classified as Scheduled Tribe

Cultural Institutions

Lai Haraoba, Ras Lila, traditional dances

Kuki Harvest Festival, Sielkal Lungphun

Political Demands

ST status, valley-based dominance

Separate administration, autonomy, sometimes statehood

Historical Conflicts

1990s ethnic riots with Nagas & Kukis

Clashes with Meiteis in 1997, 2023 conflict

Social Organization

Highly centralized in Imphal

Village-based chieftain system

Thangjing, Manipur

Meitei vs. Kuki-Zo

Religious pilgrimage vs. territorial claim

Political settlement for Kuki-Zo; protection of Meitei pilgrimage

Ethnic-religious, land rights, state inaction

Bodoland, Assam

Bodos vs. non-Bodos

Autonomy, identity, migration issues

Autonomous Council, sometimes statehood

Autonomy demand, violent history, tribal land issues

Gorkhaland, WB

Gorkhas vs. West Bengal govt

Ethnic identity, linguistic assertion

Separate state

Hills vs. plains dynamic, ethnic assertion

Karen Hills, Myanmar

Karen Christians vs. Myanmar Govt

Ethnic repression, cultural rights

Federal autonomy, cultural protection

Christian-majority hill tribe vs. dominant state

Chittagong Hill Tracts

Chakmas vs. Bangladesh Govt

Land rights, Buddhist identity, forced settlement

Greater autonomy, land restitution

Hill vs. plain dynamic, Indigenous vs. state issue

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Ethnic conflicts in North-Eastern states have often revolved around sacred geography, identity & territorial jurisdiction. Examine with reference to Thangjing Hill controversy in Manipur.