AT Photo
Khangkhui Khullen, Sept 13: Khangkhui Khullen, a remote village in Manipur's Ukhrul district which borders Myanmar has adequate tourism potential considering its flora and fauna, natural beauty and historical importance.
In a chat with this reporter at the picturesque Khangkhui village, about 100 km northeast of Imphal via Ukhrul,Chairman Shimreiyo Shimray of Khangkhui said, "Many tourists visits our village round the year as the village houses old stone age caves known as Khangkhui caves, picturesque mountain peaks-Khorung and Harva Khangai for viewpoints and historical importance."
The stone age caves are locally called Khangkhui caves,located about 1km from the habitation area of the village while the two important peaks Khorung and Harva Khangai located about 3 km south-east and east of the village have around 200 households.
"We want development of tourist infrastructures at Khorung, an attractive mountain peak where the beautiful seasonal flowers grow round the year," says Chairman Sami Ignatius of the Tourism Development Organisation of the village. "We also want development of Harva Khangai as it is the first battlefield of Allied forces and Japanese on Indian soil during World War II."
Khorung is also not only popular for being a popular view point but also for its rhododendron during February/March and caulokaempferia in July every year.
On the other hand at Harva Khangai, the first battle between Allied forces and Japanese war occurred simultaneously when the Japanese who were at Khorung were under attack on March 11,1944, Sami said. "The remains of military trenches,war equipment and artifacts are still here in the village,"he said.
Regarding the infrastructure development at the Old Stone Age caves, he said the development of footsteps around the cave yet to cover the third and lower cave.Solar lighting facilities are also inadequate.
"So we want to appeal for the development of the village as development in the village is the development of the state as a whole,"he added.
During the state level Shirui festival which is usually held in May month-many people come to see the caves.Once the tourist lodge is completed,the tourists can come and stay here,the chairman Shireiyo said.
It may be noted that the state Chief Minister N Biren Singh had announced plans to develop a tourist lodge and a community hall during the first shirui festival in 2017.Now, the construction of a 9 room tourist lodge and a community hall is almost completed and waiting for inauguration.
However the village Secretary Silas Tuikhar is requesting the concerned authority to complete the incomplete tourist lodge and community hall with quality before inauguration. "We also want improvement of the road (constructed under PMGSY)leading to our village with quality,"he said.
