The Palace of Kangla is an old palace at Kangla in India. It means dry land in old meiteilon or manipuri language. It was the tradition seat of the past meitei rulers of Manipur. The British referred to it as the Manipur Fort. It is famous in the history of Manipur. In the evening of March 24, 1891 British Gorkha troops attacked Juvraj (Prince) Tikendrajit's residence in the Palace Compound, killing many innocent civilians including women and children who were watching a Ras Lila dance. The Manipuris struck back and the British was put on the defensive. In the ensuing chaos, five British officers including Mr. Grimwood. the then Political Agent and Mr. J.W. Quinton, the Chief Commissioner of Assam,were executed by a mob. This resulted in the Anglo-Manipuri War in 1891. The British forces finally defeated the Manipuri forces and hoisted the Union Jack in Kangla on 27 April 1892. It was occupied by the British, declaring it as the cantonment area or the ‘British Reserve’ till they left Manipur in 1947. It is presently occupied by the Assam Rifles, a Indian paramilitary force, one major source of discontent of the local people.
