All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU) observed the remembrance of 21 years of its visit to Andaman at Mount Manipur erstwhile Mount Harriet on March 22.
To commemorate this day as a part of yearlong golden jubilee celebration of AMWJU, a team of journalist predominantly women journalists left Imphal on March 16 for the trip. The team had reached the place after travelling all the way by both air and ship on March 21 and observed the remembrance ceremony.
As a part of the function rich tribute was paid to 23 unsung heroes of Manipur including the then Maharaja Kulachandra who were deported to Andaman Island from Manipur as political prisoners in connection with Anglo Manipuri War, 1891.
Addressing media at the sidelines of function, vice president of AMWJU, Raj Nongthombam said that a team of AMWJU had embarked Andaman Islands in the year 2003. The visit had led to discover that the 23 unsung heroes of Manipur including the then Maharaja Kulachandra who were taken as political prisoner by Britisher were not actually kept in Cellular Jail. They were house arrest at Mount Manipur which was formerly Known as Mount Harriet.
“In 2003 a team of journalists had visit to Andaman to enquire and trace the history of 23 unsung heroes of Manipur who were deported during Anglo-Manipuri war 1891 from Manipur as political prisoners. We were informed that instead of keeping them in Cellular Jail, they were house arrest at Mount Manipur earlier known as Mount Harriet. The team also informed that Cellular Jail was constructed and functional only after 1906,” he recalled.
Raj continued and said that further research was carried out by department of Art & Culture, Government of Manipur after this discovery. In 2013 again, along with official of art and culture department and some journalists from Manipur had revisited Andaman for more investigation.
After thorough investigation with Manipur and Andaman Government, union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 17, 2021 officially renamed Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur in recognition of the contribution of those unsung heroes from Manipur, he added.
Expressing his gratitude to concerned authority for bringing the development in Mount Manipur, he said that changes have been witnessed after Mount Harriet was renamed as Mount Manipur. Some developmental work have taken up in foothills as it is written as Manipur Parvat National Park at the entrance and road were constructed. The team expect that more development will surely taken place in days to come.
He also said that to commemorate the trip made by AMWJU two decades back to Andaman, the press tour mainly for women journalists is organised.
The team hiked the Mount Manipur led by AMWJU President Bijoy Kakchingtabam, the team also planted indigenous saplings of Manipur including stink bean tree (Yongchak) and Jasmine (Kundo lei) especially brought from Manipur at the park.
They also visited the remnants of the quarter believed to have accommodated Maharaj Kulachandra Singh and other heroes who were deported along with him.
Altogether 28 members of All Manipur Working Journalists Union including 18 women journalists and two officials from DIPR, Government of Manipur left Imphal for the Andaman Island on March 16.
The writer is an award winning reporter
