Hijagang

The Hijagang (Meitei pronunciation: hī-ja-gāng) is a boathouse inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal, India. It houses four traditional Meitei watercraft, including two hiyang hirens (Royal racing boats) and two tanna his (commoners' racing boats).[lower-alpha 1][1] According to Meitei religious beliefs, the hiyang hirens are used by the male ancestral deity (Meitei: Ibudhou) and female ancestral deity (Meitei: Ibendhou) and are sacred to the Meiteis, the major ethnic group of Manipur.[2][4]

Hijagang
Two hiyang hiren watercraft flanked by two tanna hi inside the Hijagang in the Kangla Fort and an eastern view of the Hijagang.
Alternative namesHiyang Hiren Thampham
General information
Architectural styleMeitei architecture
LocationKangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur
AddressKangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur
Town or cityImphal
Country India
Construction started2010[1]
Opened2013[1]
Inaugurated2013[1][2][3][4]
ClientGovernment of Manipur
OwnerGovernment of Manipur
Governing bodyKangla Fort Board, Government of Manipur
Affiliation Meitei religion (Sanamahism)
Known forhiyang hirens and tanna his[1][2][4]

Construction and inauguration

The construction of the Hijagang watercraft storage building started in the year 2010 and completed in the year 2013.[1]

On 21 August 2013, with the performances of necessary religious rites and rituals by the Amaibas (Meitei for 'priests') and the Amaibis (Meitei for 'priestesses') in the early morning, the Hijagang was inaugurated by Okram Ibobi Singh, the then Chief Minister of Manipur, who was also the then President of "Kangla Fort Board".[1][2][3][4]

Featuring watercrafts

Crafting processes and inaugural

According to RK Nimai, the then Commissioner of the Department of Arts and Culture, Government of Manipur, the two kinds of watercrafts were made from special kind of trees brought from Khamsom village in Senapati district of Manipur. The crafting processes were initiated in Khamsom in the year 2007.[1] Later, the woods for crafting the Hiyang Hirens were brought to the Kangla on 6 June 2007, with the work of sculpturing getting commenced 2 days later. The watercrafts were made by a four-member team under the leadership of craftsman L. Thoiba.[2] Later, the watercrafts were inaugurated on 19 February 2010 (3 years before the completion of the building construction).[1]

Crafting materials used

The hiyang hiren are made of uningthou[5][6] and the tanna hi of tairen.[7][1][2]

Lengths, widths and heights
Types of Watercrafts Length Width Height Reference(s)
Hiyang Hiren of Ibudhou 64.2 feet 36 inches 63 inches [2]
Hiyang Hiren of Ibendhou 60 feet 35 inches 57 inches [2]
1st "Tanna Hee" 52 feet 31.5 inches [2]
2nd "Tanna Hee" 51 feet 31 inches [2]

See also

Notes
  1. Terms like canoe and dugout are also used besides watercraft and boat to refer to the "Hiyang Hiren"s and the "Tanna Hi"s.

References
  1. "'Hijagang' inaugurated: 22nd aug13 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  2. "Kangla boat-yard: 22nd aug13 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. Press, Imphal Free. "'Hijagang' inauguration on August 21 – KanglaOnline". Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  4. Rastogi, Priyanka (13 May 2019). Early Sunrise, Early Sunset: Tales of a Solo Woman Traveler Across North East and East India. Partridge Publishing. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-5437-0523-2.
  5. Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Meaning of "Uningthou")". dsal.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  6. Tamang, Jyoti Prakash (2 March 2020). Ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of India: Science History and Culture. Springer Nature. p. 353. ISBN 978-981-15-1486-9.
  7. Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Meaning of "Tairen")". dsal.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
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