| Khuga River Tuitha River | |
|---|---|
   | |
| Location | |
| Country | India |
| State | Manipur |
| Districts | Churachandpur,Bishnupur |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • coordinates | 24°04′56″N93°38′52″E / 24.0821°N 93.6479°E /24.0821; 93.6479 |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 24°25′43″N93°50′16″E / 24.4285°N 93.8378°E /24.4285; 93.8378 |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Manipur River |
| River system | Chindwin |
| Waterbodies | Khuga Reservoir |
Khuga River,[a] also known as theTuitha River, is a river inManipur,India. It originates in theChurachandpur district and flows through the district for much of its course. It enters theImphal Valley nearTorbung, and flows east, joining theManipur River near Ithai. The Khuga River valley in the Churachandpur district is thickly populated, with theChurachandpur town and numerous villages.
The Khuga River originates in the southern part of theChurachandpur district, close to the border withChin State (Myanmar), and flows north into theImphal Valley south ofMoirang. The upper course of the river is traditionally called "Tuitha" inKuki-Chin languages.[3] But the name is also applied to a south-flowing head stream of the river originating near Mount Mulam.[4] British maps have noted this headstream as "Hilpi River". Another headstream flowing north from the southern borders joins this stream near Hiangtam Khul (24°04′56″N93°38′52″E / 24.0821°N 93.6479°E /24.0821; 93.6479 (Source of Khuga)), forming the Khuga River.[4]
The combined river flows due north, breaking into a wide plain near the Mata village, which is referred to as the "Lamka plain" (Lamkazaang).[5] Near Mata, a multi-purpose dam calledMata Dam (or Khuga Dam) has been constructed in 2010. It forms a long reservoir, submerging much of the upper valley.[6]After the dam, the Khuga river flows for about 16 km through the Lamka plain/Khuga valley before entering the Imphal Valley nearTorbung (in theBishnupur district).
NearTorbung, streams fromThangjing hills to the west, prominently the Torbung stream, join the Khuga River, as does the outlet stream of theLoktak Lake. The combined river flows east and joins theImphal River near Ithai to form theManipur River.[4]
Khuga River flows through a wide valley, which appears as if it is an extension of the Imphal Valley. The second largest town of Manipur,Churachandpur, locally known as Lamka, lies in the valley.[7]Numerous other villages also dot the valley, housing a large portion of the Churachandpur district's population. The region has been referred to as the "Lamka plain".[5]
TheTedim Road, running between the Imphal City and the town ofTedim in theChin State of Myanmar, partly runs through the Lamka plain / Khuga river valley. It leaves the valley near the village of S. Geltui, and follows a hill route to reachSingngat, after which, it enters theTuivai River valley up to the town ofBehiang on the southern border.
The Khuga River was relatively unknown to thehistory of Manipur. Its first mention is found inCheitharol Kumbaba (Manipuri court chronicles) in the year 1712, noting a murder at "Torbung, near Khuka".[8] After theBritish began to exert their influence in Manipur, they regarded the southwestern part of the present-day Manipur state vaguely as part of "Lushai hills". The Manipur kingdom extended only to the southern periphery of the Imphal Valley. It was referred to as the "Moirang frontier" in an administrative report in 1876.[9] TheGazetteer of Manipur, published in 1886, makes no mention of the Khuga River and uses the name "Turbung stream" for its lower course running in the Imphal Valley.[10]
Scholar Pum Khan Pau believes that the Khuga River valley might have been traversed by Manipuris for the first time in 1857, when MaharajaChandrakirti led an expedition toTedim (in the present dayChin State of Myanmar), then the central base of theKamhau-Sukte tribes. The Manipuri troops fled "in confusion" after facing the combined troops of Kamhau, Sukte and Sihzang tribes, and returned to the Imphal Valley via a previously "unknown route", which eventually formed the route of the present day Tedim Road along the Khuga River valley.[11]
In 1872, the Maharaja sent another expedition to the Chivu salt springs (near modernBehiang), ostensibly to support the BritishLushai Expedition. The Manipuri troops camped there for two months, and, during their return journey, arrested the Kamhau chief ofMualpi by nameGo Khaw Thang. Even though the British officials decried the expedition as "treachery", the Maharaja succeeded in marking his claimed territory.[12] In 1894, when the British delineated the border between Manipur andChin Hills, they rant it close to the Chivu salt springs.[13]
During theKuki Rebellion of 1917–1919, the British constructed a road toHiangtam, south of Singngat along the Khuga River valley. Hiangtam was described as a stronghold of the Kuki rebels, and the British needed a way to send troops and supplies. The junction point of the Hiangtam road and the Tipaimukh road came to be known as Hiangtam Lamka, which formed the core of the modern Lamka or Churachandpur town.[14]
DuringWorld War II, the British improved the Hiangtam road and extended it to Tedim for the defence of eastern frontier of India. The resulting road came to be known as the Tedim Road, running between the Imphal City and the town ofTedim. Seven decisive battles were fought along this road between the 17 Division of British India and the 33 Division of Japan. The Japanese reached Churachandpur on 8 April 1944, and four additional battles were fought within Manipur, including one nearTorbung. Eventually the Japanese were defeated atImphal and withdrew with heavy losses.[15]