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'Churachandpur' is the largest district in the Indian state of Manipur.
Historical Background
Lamka and "Lamka-ites" on the bank of Khuga (Tuitha)
Located southwest of Manipur (India), Churachandpur District covers an area of 4570 km². In fact, it is the largest district within the state of Manipur. The district mainly has hilly terrain except narrow strips of valley which support wet rice cultivation. Churachandpur town, locally known as 'Lamka', is the district headquarters. Lamka (literally meaning "converging roads") is the second-largest town of Manipur, next only to the state capital, Imphal. So, Lamka is called the "second town" of Manipur and remains the fasting-growing town in the state. The urbanites of Churachandpur town are sometimes called "CCpurians" or, more accurately, "Lamka-ites" (since CCpur connotes the entire district population).
True to its name, Lamka is the convergence point of the 'Tedim' road and Tipaimukh road (forming part of National Highway 150). Established by Zenhang Valte and Phungkhothang Guite in 1930, it was also called Hiangtam Lamka in earlier times. [1] That was because the British used Tedim road to suppress rebelling villages (during World War I or "'Zou' Gal" in local parlance) around Hiangtam village near the Indo-Burma border. Tedim road was expanded as a part of the British war efforts to connect Imphal with the Burmese town of Tedim during World War II. Tipaimukh road (NH 150) connects Manipur with neighbouring Mizoram. (The road is still under construction despite security problems).
Before WW II, the Lamka valley was a tiny, mosquito-infested village on the west bank of the Tuitha (Khuga) river. The indigenous tribes traditionally survived on jhum or shifting cultivation on the hills surrounding the Lamka valley. They simply avoided the malaria-prone Lamka valley till the introduction of wet rice cultivation sometime during the inter-War period. The neighboring Mizo (Lushai) tribes - probably from Champhai valley - were credited with the introduction of wet rice cultivation in the area. Here the shift from jhum hoe to paddy plough in the 1930s was nothing less than an agricultural revolution. For the first time, the availability of surplus food led to the birth of specialised services which sustain a tribal township in Southern Manipur. With this division of labour emerges a new tribal middle class -- merchants, shop-keepers, pharmacists, clerks, contractors, civil servants, clergy, teachers and bankers -- who populate the provincial town of Lamka. Since then this little hamlet called Lamka expanded towards the west bank of the Tuitha (Khuga) river. Note that "Tuitha" literally means "good river" in Lushai dialect. Henceforth, the river valley ceases to be the haunt of killer malaria, dreaded as a "malignant spirit" in the past. In recent years, urban sprawl put pressure on land, resulting in price hike. It led to the loss of agriculture land to housing sites in order to accommodate new urban settlers. This process will increase CCpur's dependence for food grain on outside supply. Given Manipur's fondness for bandhs and blockades, the prospect of increasing dependence on external food supply seems none too exciting.
Westward Expansion: Songpi or Old Churachand
The post-War period witnessed the rapid growth of Lamka village until it engulfed the old village of Songpi (also known as Old Churachand or Mission Compound) further west. The western village of Songpi was originally a separate village, 15 km west of Lamka village. Songpi (Old Churachand) and Lamka had different origins until they recently merged. For a long time, Songpi village was regarded as more important than Lamka village. When the Manipur hill areas were reorganized in 1919, Songpi was made one of the four sub-divisional headquarters. The following year, B.C. Gesper was posted at Songpi as the first SDO of the new administrative area. (See Chinkhopau 1995; Neihsial 1996).
In 1921, a ''lambu'' (colonial interpreter) renamed Songpi village as Churachandpur in honour of a Meitei prince from the Imphal valley. Mahajara Churachand visited Songpi village during a feast thrown for returning war veterans who had served in the Labour Corps in France during World War I. Later, Christian missionaries (NEIG Mission) set up their headquarters at Songpi village in 1930 (Nengzachin 1974:11). Thus, Songpi became Mission Compound or Old Churachand. The new name of Songpi village later extended to include the commercial town of Lamka, which sprung up around two market centres, Old Bazaar and New Bazaar. Whereas Lamka began as a bazaar at the confluence of roads, the western Songpi village was a Christian Mission Compound. The converging interests of tribal traders and entrepreneurs at Lamka, along with Christian missionaries (at Songpi), gave birth to the present vibrant Lamka town.
Churachandpur District in a Nutshell
| 'Area': | 4570 km² | Rank 1/9 |
| 'Literacy Rate' (2001) | 74.67% | Rank 3/9 |
| 'Literacy by Gender' | Male 84.98% | Female 64.40% |
| 'Population' (2001 Census) | 228,707 | Rank 5/9 |
| Population % to state population | 9.57% | (2001 Census) |
| 'Sex Ratio' | 993 (2001 Census) | 1004 (1961 Census) |
| 'Temperature' | 41oC Maximum | 0oC Minimum |
| 'Humidity' | 89% Maximum | 20% Minimum |
| 'Longitude' | 93.15oE | 94.0oE |
| 'Latitude ' | 24.0oN | 24.3oN |
| 'Altitude' | 914.4 metres | (District Hqrs.) |
| 'Population Density' | 50 (2001 Census) | Rank 6/9 |
| 'Telephone Code' | + 3874 | |
| 'Postal Code' | Churachandpur 795128 | Chiengkonpang 795158 |
Ordeals of a highly literate & cosmopolitan Hill Town
Due to its commercial origins, Lamka is the most multi-ethnic and cosmopolitan hill town in Manipur. During WW II, Churachandpur did not escape Japanese bombing; but it enjoyed about five decades of quiet and peaceful progress in the post-War period. Especially during the 1970s and '80s, Lamka was an "island of peace" which exerted a magnetic pull for many moneyed investors seeking good profit. Mizo entrepreneurs started business, Meitei ''imas'' came to sell delicacies from Imphal valley, Marwaris and Punjabis opened new shops, local entrepreneurs set up ''paan-dukans'', Nepali milk people pitched their tents, Biharis barbers arrived, and armies and bureaucrats from all parts of India added new colour to the human tapestry. The relative openess of CCpur explains the fast growth of the town in the 1970s and 80s. Along with the expansion of markets (Old and New Bazaars) came private investment in movie houses (Light House and Sanga cinema). Like valley militants, tribal chauvinists and religious zealots did strike back, and targeted especially mainstream cinema. It was a signal that the enemies of Open Society were on the rise.
To the dismay of Lamka, the worst was yet to come. The biggest challenge to the future of Lamka town was posed by the Zomi-Kuki ethnic clash (1997-98). As if nicely bored by over four decades of peace, the people of Churachandpur district engaged in preventable ethnic clash. For a short while, this conflict turned Lamka into a jungle of security gates and bunkers. Many mixed neighbourhoods truned into ethnic ghettos. It was easy enough to spark off an ethnic war in June 1997. Yet it was hard to put out the avenging fires by 1 October 1998, and still harder to stifle its aftermath of "gun culture" among the youth - victimised as well as brutalised by blood letting. As community leaders struggle to build mutual trust and confidence, Lamka town is fast recovering from the initial shocks of violence. But the end of conflict did not mean disarming militant groups. Under post-Conflict conditions, the armed groups keep themselves busy with several organizational splits and mergers. Yet some groups have been reduced to the status of petty criminal gangs. This does not help the law and order problem in Churachandpur.
On a positive note, Churachandpur district (and Lamka town in particular) boasts a high literacy rate of 74.67% (2001 Census), above the state literacy average of 68.87% and the Indian average of 64%. To a large extent, this reflects the contributions of faith-based initiatives (especially the Church and NGOs) and private ''edu-preneurs'', rather than the presence of several ineffective government schools in the district. Despite the apathy of the state Licence Raj, the enterprising people of Lamka possess a strong drive for success and adopting "best practice".
Educational Institutions of Mixed Quality
★ Lamka town has two government degree colleges - Churachandpur College and Lamka College. Bethany Christian College is the oldest among private colleges in Churachandpur. Mangminthang College of Arts & Commerce is a new private college. Due to the absence of good colleges, many students leave Manipur to seek admission mainly in private colleges elsewhere. Delhi and Shillong are popular educational destinations for students from Lamka. While this may be good investment for the future, it incurs huge financial drain for the local economy. On top of that, these pupils are not much welcomed even as edu-consumers by the host states where they study and spend money.
★ At Lamka, some private high schools offer quality education, but private venture in college education is a recent development. Meagre funding and poor management made Govt. colleges in Lamka an idle rite of passage than an education. Of late, much of the time and energy of students in Govt. colleges are spent in strikes, protests, vandalism and student politics. Public education is a "free" meal at the expense of the tax-payer, but it has been failing to satisfy the educational hunger of the community. Private education provides "value for money", yet the cost was beyond the means of the average family. Until public education gets more autonomy and freedom from political interference, the mess in the Govt. education system will continue to remain for some time.
★ The town has a number of ineffective government high schools (with the exception of Rengkai Government School). However, the town is well-served by competitive private schools with a reputation for "clean" examination practices at the High School Leaving stage. Some of the private schools which have made excellent contribution to the educational standards of Churachandpur districts are Donbosco School, St. Mary's School, St. Paul's Institute, Blue Star Academy, Rayburn School, Radhakrishnan Foundation School, Lalpuithluaii Foundation School and Young Learners School.
Khuga Dam: Artificial fresh water lake
Khuga Dam in 2006
The resumption of the 'Khuga dam' project kick-started a new economic process fueled by construction and related activities. This project, it appears, is partly responsible for the recent increase for demand and consumption of cement and steel (partly an index of economic health) within Lamka town for private housing construction. The Khuga dam has already created a beautiful artificial lake at the southern tip of Lamka town near Mata village. This multi-purpose project irrigates 15,000 hectares of land within 20 km of the dam site and will also supply 5 million gallons of drinking water and 1.75 MW of electricity for the town. The dam project began in 1983 with an estimated cost of Rs. 15 crores. It was set to be completed within four years; however, the project came to a standstill due to alleged financial irregularities. The ethnic conflict of 1997-98 also hampered further progress. When the project was resumed in 2002, the estimated cost had risen to over Rs. 280 crores. Till date, this multi-purpose project remains the biggest investment made by the Govt. of India within Churachandpur district. The structure of the earthen dam has been completed, but some components of this multipurpose project remain incomplete. June 2007 is the revised dateline for the completion of the project. The project received negative media attention and a lot of resentment due to inefficient handling of compensation to the displaced people around the dam site. The project's undue delay also complicates the problem of compensation.
Demographics: Lamka as a melting pot
Lamka town is an expanding town with a population of about 50,000 people. But these official figures are misleading as they include only a small inner part of Lamka as the "town area". As of the 2001 census, the total population of the district is 228,707. In the 2001 census, the sex ratio of Churachandpur district, at 993 females per 1000 males, is slightly better than the state average of 978. However, the sex ratio of the district had been declining for decades since 1951 when it was as high as 1048. Thereafter, it fell down to 1004 in 1961; 976 in 1971; and 931 in 1991, with a marginal improvement in the 2001 Census.
The district is inhabited by several tribes, mainly belonging to the Kuki-Zomi-Mizo group, with the Paite tribe being the largest community, followed by the Hmar, Thado and Zou tribes. Apart from these, there are the Vaiphei, Gangte, Simte, Mizo, TedimChin, and some Manipuri Meiteis. There are also other non-Manipuri ethnic groups like Nepalese, Biharis, Malwaris, and Punjabis. While the Nepalese excel in the milk industry, the Malwaris are well-known for their business acumen. Despite the commercial origin of Lamka town, the indigenous people have few entrepreneurs and traditionally worked in the government sector. In fact, the town has been over-represented in civil services at the national level.
Though Churachandpur (Lamka) is the second biggest town of Manipur, it has no urban status according to the latest official records. On 11 July 2006, A.K. Sinha, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of Autonomous District Council, CC Pur, declared some parts of the town as "census town". The list of localities included in the town census are Tuibuong, Bijang, Sielmat, Zenhang Lamka, Rengkai, Luooa Veng, Nehru Marg, New Lamka, Salem Veng, Hill town, Upper Lamka, Chapel Lane, Headquarter Veng, Chiengkonpang, D Phailian, Bungmual, Pearsonmun, Thingkangphai, Ngathal, Kawnpui, Mualkot, Gangpimual, Mission Veng, Lhangmem, Gangte Veng, Zenlang Veng, Pangzawl, and Lanva (28 in total). In the absence of any clear criteria for inclusion or exclusion, the whole exercise was arbitrary. There are certain localities at the very heart of the town which are excluded form the census town - auch as Zomi Colony, Hmar Veng, Simveng, Hiangzou, and Zoveng.
Connectivity by road and satellite
Lamka town is connected to the state capital Imphal city by Tedim road (also known as National Highway 150). The town is just over a 1 hour drive from Imphal airport (about 65 km).
Lamka town is well-served by telephone companies like Airtel and Aircel in addition to BSNL, which formerly monopolized the telecom service.
Places of tourist interest
★ Khuga dam near Mata village: It is one of the most beautiful artificial lakes of North-East India, comparable to Barapani (Umium) lake at Shillong. The dam site is just 7 km south of Lamka town; it has become a favourite picnic spot for local residents.
★ Indigenous arts & handicrafts: Bamboo or wooden art objects are available at several shops, including New Bazaar and Old Bazaar. A wide variety of tribal shawls is also available.
★ Tribal museums: There are two small tribal museums at Tuibuong and Redcross Road.
References
# Census of India 2001: Manipur Series 14 (Provisional Population Totals), Imphal: Directorate of Census Operations, Manipur.
# Chinkhopau (1995) Churachandpur District, Churachandpur: Published by Author.
# ''District Statistical Handbook'' - Churachandpur: District Statistical Officer.
# Gangte, Thangzam (undated) ''Churachandpur Chanchin'' (An Account of Churachandpur)
# Ginsum, H (undated) ''Lamka Vangkhua'' (Lamka Town).
# Kamkhenthang, Dr. H (1995) "Lamka Town vis-a-vis Churachandpur", ''Shan'' (daily), 21 December.
# Kamkhenthang (1998) "Lamka (Churachandpur)" in B.D. Ray, A.K. Neog & H.K. Mazhari (eds.) ''Urban Development in North-East India : Potentiality and Problems'', New Delhi: Vedams Books.
# Manipur State Archives, Imphal: ''Manipur State Durbar 1907-1947'' - Papers related to the Court of the President of Manipur State Durbar, Hill Misc. Case No. 28 of 1945-46, Phungkhothang Chief of Hiangtam Lamka; also Misc Case No. 504 of 1934 Phungkhothang Chief of Hiangtam Lamka.
# Neihsial, Dr. Tualchin (1996) ''This is Lamka: A Historical Account of the Fastest Growing Town of Manipur Hills'', Churachandpur, India: Zogam Book Centre & Library.
# Nengzachin (1974) "North East India General Mission Tanchin" in ''Jubilee Thusuah 1974'', Churachandpur: Evangelical Convention Church; pp. 1-18.
External links
★ Official website of Churachandpur District http://ccpur.nic.in/
★ Lamka town http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamka
★ Website related to Zomi, Lamka, news, articles and discussion forums http://www.zogam.com
★ The Zomi Social Network http://www.zogamonline.com
★ Zogam on-line news, including Hornbill Cable Video News (in Paite dialect) http://www.zogam.net
★ On-line news (in English and Hmar dialect) The hmar Web Portal
★ Tourist information http://www.bharatheritage.in/manipur/churachandpur.htm
★ News clippings Voice of the Northeast India, Sinlung Movement
★ Website related to Kuki people http://www.kukiforum.com/
★ Website related to Zomi culture http://www.zomistore.com/
★ The Paite tribe http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7798938964281962092&q=paite
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