My City, My Life: A study of the beautification process of Kangla
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 01 2009: Kangla, the centre of Manipuri history and the mecca of the indigenous religious faith, is today's subject of our weekly story on My City, My Life.

Since the day Kangla was handed over to the State Government, the fort and the erstwhile capital of the kingdom of Manipur has undergone a significant change.

Flowers being nurtured inside Kangla as part of the beuatification drive of the historic place

After a prolonged period occupation by the Assam Rifles, Kangla was finally handed over to the State Government in a historical function attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on November 20, 2004. From that moment, the State Government has taken up the noble and momentous responsibility of restoring Kangla to its past glory.

The SPF Government promptly constituted the Kangla Fort Board and embarked upon a landmark journey to reconstruct all the dilapidated and demolished buildings, monuments and other structures that existed before the British occupation with Art and Culture Department as nodal agency.

The State Government is meticulously and scrupulously executing the Kangla development concept plan made by Prof Nalini Thakur.

In addition to its historical importance, aesthetic and spiritual values associated with it, the free Kangla is now the most spectacular landmark of Imphal city.

But on the flip side of the Government's grand Kangla restoration/reconstruction initiative, Kangla is also a storehouse for many Government departments, like transformers and wires of Power Department.

Repairing works of the barracks earlier occupied by AR soldiers is going on at a relaxed pace.

Maintenance work is also not satisfactory.

What is more disturbing is the use of the road connecting the southern gate to the northern gate inside Kangla by office-goers and other commuters.

To many, this amounts to demeaning Kangla, which is also the holiest place to a large number of Manipuris, particularly Meiteis.

Many observed that using the road inside Kangla as a public thoroughfare defiles the pristine and holy atmosphere of Kangla.

Power, Works, Horticulture Departments, Police Housing Corporation, Environment and Ecology Wing are involved in the reconstruction/restoration work of Kangla while Art and Culture Department is the nodal agency.

Further, the India International Council of Monuments and Science has been working to rebuild historical structures of the past which had been either crumbled or demolished.

Several structures which have faded into oblivion with the passage of time are being rebuilt.

Some of these structures include Shree Shree Govindajee temple, Ibudhou Pakhangba temple, Brindabanchandra temple, citadel wall, Kangla Sha, inner moat etc.

Newly added buildings include Kangla museum, parking lot for visitors and modern gardens with pristine beauty and historical ambience.

True to its historical significance, Kangla is now the lone recreation park for the whole Imphal.

After passing through piles of garbage and clogged drains in several parts of Imphal city (as reported earlier in the same column), one would certainly get refreshed and rejuvenated once he/she enters the sprawling complex of Kangla.

In addition to the historical structures of immense cultural and tradition values and closely related with the ethos of the Manipuri people, Kangla now offers lush green lawns and beautiful gardens, befitting a perfect recreation centre.

Talking about the development work in Kangla, Art and Culture Commissioner P Bharat said that the primary concept of developing Kangla is to make it a distinct archeological park for the State.

In addition to the various beautification works being taken up in Kangla, Power Department is also working to install a decorative lighting system.

Another project depicting Kangla during different historical periods in picture is in the pipeline.

For this project named �Kangla Through Ages�, the Central Government will provide sound and lighting system, Bharat said.

It is also reported that construction of Kangla Uttra will be taken up soon.

On being asked about some people using the road inside Kangla as a thoroughfare, the Commissioner clarified that no one except VIPs, has been given permission to use the road as a thoroughfare.