city; capital of Manipur and administrative headquarters of Manipur central district; lying in the Manipur river valley, at an altitude of 760 m. Imphal was the seat of the kings of Manipur before the region fell under British rule. In 1944, it was the site of a significant tactical victory for the Anglo-Indian forces over the Japanese on the Burmese front of World War II. The city is a major trade centre, noted for its weaving, brassware, bronzeware, and other cottage industries. Imphal is considered to be a planned city with three distinct identifiable zones: (a) municipal area, (b) cantonment area, and (c) other areas. Imphal College, Imphal Training Centre, Dhana Manjari College, and a technical school are located here. Imphal is connected with the Northeastern Railway at Dimapur, Assam, and with Myanmar, by hard-surface roads. It has an airfield with regular service to Kolkata (650 km west-southwest) and Guwahati. The population is mainly Manipuri. Imphal is the administrative, educational, and cultural centre of the state. Khwairam Bazar is located at the centre of this city. Its largest shopping complex is run exclusively by women and is well known for handlooms and handicrafts. Shree Govindji is a beautiful golden temple for Hindu Vaishnavites. The museum located near the Polo Ground is famous for its collection of costumes, war implements, and documents. The Shahid Minar located at Tikendrejit Park has been built in memory of the martyrs who laid down their lives fighting with the British at the close of the nineteenth century. Population (2001) 394,876.