Senapati district (Meitei pronunciation:/se.na.pə.ti/), is one of the 16 districts of the Indian state of Manipur. The present Senapati district was formed in December 2016, after spawning off the Sadar Hills region in the south into a separate Kangpokpi district.[4] The district headquarter is located in the town of Senapati, also known as Tahamzam.

Senapati district
Location in Manipur
Location in Manipur
Country India
StateManipur
HeadquartersSenapati (Tahamzam)
Tehsils1. Purul, 2. Paomata, 3. Mao-Maram,[1]
Government
 • Vidhan Sabha constituencies6: Saikul, Karong, Mao, Tadubi, Kangpokpi and Saitu
Area
 • Total
1,573 km2 (607 sq mi)
 • Rank8
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total
285,404
 • Density180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Demographics
 • Literacy74.13%[2]
 • Sex ratio923[2]
Language(s)
 • OfficialEnglish
 • RegionalMao
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationMN03[3]
Websitesenapati.nic.in

History

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2011 district map of Manipur; the Senapati district was divided into the present Senapati district and Kangpokpi district in 2016

The Senapati district began as the Mao Subdivision of the Manipur State after its merger with the Republic of India.[5] By 1961, it was enlarged into the "Mao and Sadar Hills" subdivision, by combining the sadar hills (central hills) adjoining the Imphal region.[6]

In 1969, Manipur was divided into five districts, with Mao and Sadar Hills becoming one of them. It was also called the "Manipur North" district, with a headquarters at Karong. It had three subdivisions: Mao West, Mao East and Sadar Hills.[7]

During the late 1950s and 1960s, the Kuki tribes living in the northern hills of Manipur faced large-scale displacement, as a result of the activism of the Naga National Council attempting to homogenise the population in those areas. The displaced Kuki tribes moved inwards into the state and occupied regions in the Sadar Hills subdivision. This gave the Sadar Hills subdivision a distinct character.[8]

The Sadar Hills Kuki Chiefs' Zonal Council resolved in 1970 to demand a separate district for Sadar Hills, and submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister K. C. Pant.[9] In 1971, shortly before Manipur became a full-fledged state, the Government of India enacted the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971, granting autonomous district councils (ADCs) for the hill regions. Two separate ADCs, for Sadar Hills and Manipur North, were established in 1972. However, due to opposition from the Nagas, Sadar Hills was not made into a separate district, and continued as part of Manipur North.[10]

In 1976, the district headquarters was shifted to the town of Senapati.[11] In 1981, there were three subdivisions in Manipur North: Mao-Maram, based at Tadubi, Sadar Hills West, based at Kangpokpi and Sadar Hills East, based at Saikul.[12] Efforts made by successive governments of Manipur to separate the Sadar Hills subdivisions into an independent district failed.[13] During the Kuki–Naga clashes of the 1990s, further displacement of Kukis occurred into the Sadar Hills region and perhaps also displacement of Nagas out of the region.

Finally, in 2016, the Okram Ibobi Singh government, in one of its last acts before the election, formed seven new districts by bifurcating existing districts, with Sadar Hills being one of them. It was named the Kangpokpi district with a headquarters at Kangpokpi.[14] The United Naga Council conducted a five-month blockade in the Naga districts of Manipur to protest the creation of the new districts and continues its opposition as of 2024.[15]

The remaining Naga-dominated district continues under the name Senapati district.

Geography

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View of Senapati

Senapati District is located between 93.29° and 94.15° East Longitude and 24.37° and 25.37° North Latitude and is in the northern part of Manipur state. The District is bounded on the south by Kangpokpi District, on the east by Ukhrul district, on the west by Tamenglong district and on the north by Kohima District and Phek district of Nagaland state. The district lies at an altitude between 1061 meter to 1788 meters above sea level.

The Dzuko Valley (Meitei: Dzuko Tampak),[16][17] is one of the tourist attractions in Manipur, renowned for natural sites, seasonal flowering plants and wild life,[18] including but not limited to the endemic Dzuko lily (Lilium chitrangadae), which is closely related to the Shirui lily (Lilium mackliniae) of the neighbouring Ukhrul district.[19][20]

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
1951 46,608—    
1961 70,792+51.9%
1971 102,291+44.5%
1981 153,091+49.7%
1991 208,406+36.1%
2001 283,621+36.1%
2011 479,148+68.9%
† 2011 Senapati district (includes the present Kangpokpi district)
Source: Census of India[21]

According to the 2011 census Senapati district has a population of 479,148[2] roughly equal to the nation of Belize.[22] This gives it a ranking of 565th in India (out of a total of 640).[2] The district has a population density of 109 inhabitants per square kilometre (280/sq mi).[2] Its population growth rate over two decades 1991-2011 was 129.9 percent, which works out to an average decadal growth rate of 51.6 percent over these two decades.[a] Senapati has a sex ratio of 939 females for every 1000 males and a literacy rate of 75%.[2] Its population composition as per the 2011 census is as below:

Population[24] Percentage

of Total Pop.

All Scheduled Tribes 419,210 87.5%
Kuki-Zo tribes[b] 110,314 23.0%
Naga tribes[c] 282,007 58.9%
Old Kuki/Naga[d] 19,244 4.0%
Religions in Senapati district (2011)[26]
Religion Percent
Christianity
95.31%
Hinduism
3.36%
Other or not stated
1.33%

Languages in Senapati district (2011)[27]

  Poumai (46.99%)
  Mao (29.89%)
  Maram (10.67%)
  Nepali (2.84%)
  Zemi (2.65%)
  Khezha (1.75%)
  Liangmai (1.55%)
  Zeliang (0.95%)
  Others (2.71%)

After the separation of the Kangpokpi district in 2016, the residual district has a population of 285,404 as per 2011 census, all of which lives in rural areas. it has a sex ratio of 923 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 0.10% and 92.74% of the population respectively.[2]

Religion

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Christianity is the majority, religion, practised by 95.31% of the population. Hinduism is the second-largest religion, practised by 3.36% of the population. Small numbers practice other religions, such as Islam, Buddhism, and Heraka. Nearly all tribals are Christians, with only a small minority of the Zeliang practising Heraka.

Languages

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At the time of the 2011 census, 46.99% of the population spoke Poumai, 29.89% Mao, 10.67% Maram, 2.84% Nepali, 2.65% Zemi, 1.75% Khezha, 1.55% Liangmai and 0.95% Zeliang as their first language.[27]

Villages

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Precise decadal numbers are not available since the enumerated data for 2001 census in the three northern subdivisions of the district was discarded as being inaccurate.[23]
  2. ^ The Kuki-Zo tribes include Gangte, Hmar, Paite, Simte, Sukte, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, and some smaller tribes designated as "Any Kuki" and "Any Lushai (Mizo)".
  3. ^ The Naga tribes include Angami, Kabui, Kacha Naga, Mao, Maram, Poumai, Sema and Tangkhul.
  4. ^ The Old Kuki tribes retaining the Kuki classification include: Aimol, Chiru, Kom, Koireng, Kharam, and Ralte. The tribes under the Naga umbrella include: Anal, Chothe, Koirao, Lamkang, Maring, Moyon, Monsang, Purum and Tarao.[25]

References

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  1. ^ "Official Website of Senapati District Manipur-District Profile". Archived from the original on 15 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "District Census Hand Book - Senapati" (PDF). Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  3. ^ "娱乐是一种态度".
  4. ^ "7 new districts formed in Manipur amid opposition by Nagas". India Today. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  5. ^ Manipur Administrative Atlas (2005), p. 12.
  6. ^ Manipur Administrative Atlas (2005), pp. 14–15.
  7. ^ Manipur Administrative Atlas (2005), pp. 16–17.
  8. ^ Haokip, Home and Belonging in Northeast India (2023), pp. 151, 153, Fig. 6.1.
  9. ^ Haokip, District status for Sadar Hills in Manipur (2012), p. 97.
  10. ^ Haokip, District status for Sadar Hills in Manipur (2012), pp. 95–96.
  11. ^ Haokip, District status for Sadar Hills in Manipur (2012), p. 96.
  12. ^ Manipur Administrative Atlas (2005), pp. 18–19.
  13. ^ Haokip, District status for Sadar Hills in Manipur (2012), pp. 97–98.
  14. ^ Esha Roy, Simply put: Seven new districts that set Manipur ablaze, The Indian Express, 20 December 2016.
  15. ^ Call off shutdown against new districts: Manipur govt to Naga apex body, The Hindu, 1 October 2024. ProQuest 3111734913
  16. ^ "Why Should There Be A Separate Land Law For The Hills of Manipur? » Imphal Review of Arts and Politics". imphalreviews.in. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023. There are many well-known valleys which make the hills like Khoupum Tampak, (Tampak means valley in Manipuri), Khuga Tampak, Sajik Tampak, Dzuko Tampak, Moreh and Jiribam besides other vast river basins like Barak River basin in the north.
  17. ^ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary". dsal.uchicago.edu (in Manipuri and English). University of Chicago. p. 75. Retrieved 23 March 2023. tampāk ꯇꯝꯄꯥꯛ /təm.pak/ n. valley. Morph: tam‑pāk [valley‑to be broad].
  18. ^ Nimai, R. K. (10 July 2019). NE Scholar : Emerging The Lost Civilization of The Manipur Valley. NE Brothers Pvt Limited. p. 40. The Dzükou/Dzüko Valley is a valley located at the border of the states of Manipur and Nagaland in northeast India. This valley is well known for its natural environment, seasonal flowers and flora and fauna.
  19. ^ "Dzukou Lily". www.flowersofindia.net. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Lilium mackliniae - Shirui Lily". www.flowersofindia.net. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  21. ^ "A-2 Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901". Censusindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
  22. ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Belize 321,115 July 2011 est.
  23. ^ Agrawal, Ankush; Kumar, Vikas (2020), Anomalies in Manipur’s Census, 1991-2011 (PDF), Azim Premji University
  24. ^ A-11 Appendix: District wise scheduled tribe population (Appendix), Manipur - 2011, Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Government of India, 2011
  25. ^ Kom, Ch. Sekholal (June 2015). "Ethno-nationalism: Competing Micro-nationalist Dissents in Manipur". Social Change. 45 (2): 289–307. doi:10.1177/0049085715574192. ISSN 0049-0857. S2CID 147919896.
  26. ^ "Table C-01 Population by religious community: Manipur". Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  27. ^ a b "Table C-16 Population by mother tongue: Manipur". Census of India. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.

Bibliography

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