Flashpoint Thangjing Hill: Kuki Blockade Sparks Outrage as Meiteis Barred from Pilgrimage

She urged the groups issuing threats to withdraw them immediately and foster a spirit of peaceful coexistence among all communities in Manipur.

The sacred Thangjing Hill has emerged as a fresh flashpoint in the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur. A revered pilgrimage site for the Meiteis, Thangjing Hill falls within the Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district, making it a site of intense controversy and tension.

With no visible headway towards a political resolution to the Manipur crisis, Kuki groups have barred Meiteis from visiting the sacred site for the traditional pilgrimage this month (April). On Sunday, roads leading to the hill were blocked by Kuki groups, who asserted that Meiteis would not be allowed to “trespass into Kuki territory” until their demand for a separate administration is addressed.

On April 9, at least six Kuki-Zo organisations issued a joint statement warning Meiteis to refrain from attempting the pilgrimage. They cautioned that any such move would be seen as a “direct challenge” to the Kuki-Zo people.

The warning was swiftly condemned by Meitei civil society organisations and community leaders, who accused the Kuki groups of attempting to incite further violence and provoke unrest. The All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO) stated that such threats were a violation of religious freedom in a secular nation like India.

Former Manipur Chief Minister and Congress leader, Okram Ibobi Singh, appealed to the Kuki-Zo community to reconsider their decision, stating that all communities in Manipur must learn to coexist peacefully. “We have to live together. I urge our Kuki brethren to rethink their stand,” Ibobi said.

AMUCO President Nando Luwang urged the government to act against those preventing Meiteis from undertaking their pilgrimage. “India is a secular country. The government must ensure the safety of devotees, just like it does during the Amarnath Yatra,” he said. Luwang also condemned recent acts of desecration where miscreants reportedly kicked and defiled the flags representing the seven Meitei clans. He called upon both the Manipur and Central governments to take swift action against the culprits.

Luwang further accused Kuki-Zo leaders who recently refused to attend a joint peace meeting organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of attempting to distort Manipur’s historical narrative and presenting false agendas against the Meiteis.

“AMUCO is always ready to participate in any dialogue sincerely initiated by the MHA that can help restore permanent peace and normalcy in the state,” Luwang added.

Khumanlambam Elizabeth, a representative of the Meitei Heritage Society, also condemned the threats. Speaking to Northeast Live, she said, “In a country like India, such threats to religious practices are extremely unfortunate and unconstitutional. Thangjing Hill is sacred to the Meitei community, and rituals are performed there annually in April. Actions like these pose a threat not only to the Meiteis but to India’s multicultural ethos.”

She urged the groups issuing threats to withdraw them immediately and foster a spirit of peaceful coexistence among all communities in Manipur.

Notably, Thangjing Hill has remained out of bounds for Meitei pilgrims since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.

The controversy surrounding Thangjing Hill is not new. In May 2023, during the early stages of the ethnic conflict, the hill was renamed “Thangting Hill” by Kuki groups. The move sparked outrage among Meiteis after photographs surfaced showing a gate marked “Thangting Camp,” reportedly belonging to the Kuki National Front-Military Council (KNF-MC), a Kuki-Zo militant outfit under a Suspension of Operations agreement with the Centre.

Meitei devotees were forced to forgo the pilgrimage last year due to the violence, but with President’s Rule now in place in the state, there have been renewed calls to resume the annual tradition.

The Manipur Forest Department, in a statement issued in February 2024, clarified that the Thangjing Hill range had been declared a protected forest as early as September 1966. Additionally, in 2022, the Manipur government designated Thangjing Hill as a protected site under the Manipur Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1976.

The History and Significance of Thangjing Hill

Thangjing, a deity of pre-Hindu origin, is regarded as a living god by the people of ancient Moirang. The Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba records that Moirang was originally an amalgamation of various groups with distinct traditional beliefs. It was during the reign of King Fang Fang Ponglenhanpa (52 BC – 28 AD) that these diverse beliefs were unified under the supreme worship of Thangjing. Since then, the history of Moirang has been inseparably linked with the divine powers and sacred presence of Thangjing.

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