Kangla Fort

A place of pride in Manipur, the Kangla Palace has stood firmly even today from the 17th century. Kangla comes from the word Meitei, which means dry land. The Palace of Kangla, commonly known as the Kangla Fort, lies on the banks of the Imphal River and can be aptly described as a fort city. Although much of it has now become ruins, it is not difficult to guess that it once had significant political and religious significance. The Palace of Kangla has also served as the abode of the Meitei kings, who ruled Manipur. Awesome brick walls form the prison of 1632 AD when Chinese prisoners were taken captive and kept here. After the Manipuri kings were defeated by the British in the Anglo Manipur War in 1891, the fort was captured by the security forces. Even after independence, the Assam Rifles occupied the fort, and in 2004 it was handed over to the state government.