Haven’t you heard of Sangai Festival 2022? Where have you been? Let’s check out everything you need to know about the Sangai Festival 2022 Manipur, including event details, how to reach each event location, and what to do to maximize your time there.
What is Sangai Festival and why?
Sangai Festival is a series of events and celebrations in between 21-30 Nov, organized by the Government of Manipur in partnership with many private sector parties to signify the importance of Sangai deer only available in the Keibul Lamjao National Park inside the Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India.
It is fair to say that it is the largest event in Manipur and people around the world come to Manipur to enjoy it. The events consist of an international polo competition on the Kangjeibung (the world’s oldest polo ground), many cultural events, and many other musical nights all over the state.
Before going any further, let’s watch the promo video of Sangai Festival 2022 to learn details about the Sangai Festival and a brief history of Manipur.
Sangai Festival 2022 – Venues And Events
Check out the below pdf to know the full list of Sangai Festival 2022 events and where it will be. I know as a tourist coming to enjoy, you must be asking which one to attend as you can’t attend all and only some will be interesting for you. Don’t worry, I will try to give the most usable information based on your interest so that you have maximum enjoyment. Keep reading to know what to and what not to attend based on your interest during the Sangai Festival 2022.
What to attend for young tourists during Sangai Festival 2022?
If you are a young tourist looking to enjoy during the Sangai Festival but not so looking forward to traditional showcases, then read this section carefully.
First of all, the events are packed with cultural and traditional dances from different tribes of Manipur and India. If that is not an interest to you, you can directly jump to items like trekking, boating, different food items, fashion parades, world cup live streaming, etc. Keep in mind that all these events will be held in different places.
Sangai Chef, Mega flower show at Hapta Kangjeibung
If you are coming to Manipur and haven’t tested the local cuisine, Sangai Chef will be the perfect place. First, it will be a cooking contest, just like Master Chef, and then they will prepare the food for the rest of the days, and visitors will have the chance to enjoy it as per the last event in 2018.
You can check out different types of flowers across the state in the same place. While attending the Hapta Kangjeibung, you even check out other events and traditional dances at the same time. Check out the promo video below.
How to reach Hapta Kangjeibung?
Hapta Kangjeibung is in the heart of Imphal City. If you are staying in a Hotel nearby, you can book a tuk-tuk (auto) and ask him to take you there. If your hotel is a little farther, and if you are comfortable going with a shared tuk-tuk, ask if they are going for Kangla, Konung Mamang, or Hapta Kangjeibung, etc.
Ask your hotel reception for a fair price, as the auto drivers may try to jack up the price since you are a tourist. If possible, let the receptionist talk about the price with the driver. Or, if you can pay what he wants (:)).
If you want to visit the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple, you can visit it, it is just the side of Hapta kangjeibung.
Men’s International Polo Tournament at Mapal Kangjeibung
Did you know that the sport of Polo originated in Manipur? Yes, the Brits exported the sport to the world after learning from Manipur. In Meiteilon, it is known as Sagol Kangjei, and the oldest Polo ground in the world is Mapal Kangjeibung, located in the heart of Imphal City. Even if you don’t have any idea about Polo, I recommend you watch at least one match. After all, you will be watching the Polo at the very origin of the sport. This will be a good chance to enjoy for you during the Sangai Festival 2022. The date and time are yet to be announced, but you will know soon.
How to reach Mapal Kangjeibung?
If you are using Google Maps, the location given on the Map is correct for Mapal Kangjeibung, and tuk-tuks are available. You don’t need to worry about the lack of transportation.
If you have time while waiting for the games, you can go inside the Kangla, the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Kangleipak. It is a 2 mins walk from Mapal Kangjeibung, and once inside, you will learn so much about the history of Manipur, its culture, and traditions.
While inside Kangla, be respectful and follow the rules. This place is considered very sacred by the people of Manipur. Not only as an ancient capital, everything, including but not limited to culture, religion, tradition, and history, is tied to Kangla. You can rent a bike (bicycle) to roam inside Kangla.
Live Fashion Parade By Robert Naorem At Khuga, Geljang Resort, Churachandpur
Robert Naorem is a famous fashion designer from Manipur who worked with so many Bollywood names and many international fashion events. His work mainly concentrates on traditional Manipuri dresses bringing them to the mainstream and letting people know about the culture.
As a part of this upcoming Sangai Festival 2022, Robert Naorem will organize a fashion with prominent showstoppers like Lara Dutta, and Miss Universe 2000. You can check out the video of Lara announcing her presence. It will be held on 26th Nov 2022 at Geljang Resort.
How to reach Geljang Resort?
Geljang Resort is one of the most popular resorts in Manipur. If you are traveling in a group, it is best you hire a taxi and go directly to the place. It will be a 2:30 hours journey from Imphal. If you are planning to stay in Churachandpur for some days, you should book the hotels earlier as all rooms might be fully booked already.
SangaiMMA during Sangai Festival 2022
A MMA competition is organizing for the first time in conjunction with Sangai Festival 2022. You should witness the fight with participants from all over India. Check out the promo video below. It will be held on the Khuman Lampak.
Paragliding, trekking, sailboat, windsurfing, and many other adventures
The most interesting part of the event list is on Pages 8 and 9. For an adventurous person like you, everything is there.
Trekking to Dzuko Valley
You will have the chance to trek to the Dzuko valley along with Mount Iso. You can schedule your time so that the trekking won’t affect your other plans with Sangai Festival 2022.
Different cuisines from different sections of Manipur
You can’t miss the mouth-watering foods available in Manipur, ranging from simple black rice to different styles of meats. You can get from pure vegetarian to unique cuisines. All you have to do is visit Sangai Chef and any other venues. Check out some of the videos below.
Sangai Festival 2022 for tourists exploring Manipur?
As you can see on the list of events, most of the events are full of cultural events with lots of exposure from the different tribes. If you are looking to explore deeper into the lifestyle, traditions, and culture, you should look forward to attending such events.
Pick any venue of your choice, and you will be shocked by the rich cultures and traditions the people of Manipur preserve, even the modern lifestyles that have been on the rise.
The best will be to mix both and enjoy it.
How to book Sangai Festival 2022 Tickets Online?
The government of Manipur has recently announced a website where you can book your tickets online. It is an easy way to confirm your tickets for various events. However, the online ticketing system for Sangai Festival 2022 is available for only three main venues, i.e., Moirang Khunou, Hapta Kangjeibung, and Ibudhou Marjing. For all others, I guess you have to go there directly. You can go to www.sangaiticket.com and book your tickets easily.
How to Imphal, Manipur from major cities?
Well, we have discussed how to enjoy the Sangai Festival, but we haven’t discussed how to reach Imphal. The city of Imphal is well connected to most of the major cities by Air and Land routes.
The Bir Tikendrajit International Airport, or Imphal International Airport, is well connected to Guwahati, Kolkata, Agartala, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, etc., with all major airline operators.
You can book your flights from all popular websites like Booking.com, MakeMyTrip.com, GoIbibo.com, ClearTrip, etc.
How to reach Imphal by road?
Direct bus and other smaller vehicle services are available from Silchar, Dimapur, Guwahati, etc. For bus services you can book your tickets using Network Bus services.
Once you reach Imphal, you need to book your stay. Check out hotels with Airbnb, MakeMyTrip, and other popular websites.
What else besides the Sangai Festival 2022 events?
Apart from the Sangai festival, you can enjoy your time in Manipur by visiting Loktak Lake, Ukhrul, Moreh (border town with Myanmar), etc.
You can also visit other historical places like Khongjom War Memorial, INA museum in Moirang. You can also visit Langol Tower to have a beautiful view of Manipur.
I wish you a very enjoyable time in Manipur during the Sangai Festival 2022. Don’t forget to share your experience in the comment section. Or you can write a full blog by sending an email in the contact us page.
