| Kaiphundai | |||||||||||
| Pushpin Map: | India Manipur#India | ||||||||||
| Pushpin Label Position: | right | ||||||||||
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Manipur, India | ||||||||||
| Coordinates: | 24.7897°N 93.2237°W | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Type: | Country | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Name: | India | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Type1: | State | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Name1: | Manipur | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Type2: | District | ||||||||||
| Subdivision Name2: | Tamenglong | ||||||||||
| Unit Pref: | Metric | ||||||||||
| Elevation M: | 330 | ||||||||||
| Population Total: | 626 | ||||||||||
| Population As Of: | 2011 | ||||||||||
| Demographics Type1: | Language(s) | ||||||||||
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official | ||||||||||
| Demographics1 Info1: | Meitei | ||||||||||
| Demographics1 Title2: | Spoken | ||||||||||
| Demographics1 Info2: | Thadou | ||||||||||
| Timezone1: | IST | ||||||||||
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 | ||||||||||
| Module: |
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Kaiphundai, also called New Kaiphundai or "Kaiphundai Naga", is a village in Tamenglong district, Manipur, India, close to its border with Jiribam district. The village is on top of the Vangaitang range, at an elevation of . An older village that is now referred to as Old Kaiphundai or "Kaiphundai Kuki" is at a lower elevation of on the same range.[1] Both the villages are along the National Highway 37 (Silchar–Imphal Highway) and are part of the 'Tamenglong West' subdivision (also called Tousem subdivision).
The Vangaitang range to the east of the Jiribam district is traditionally inhabited by the Kuki-Zo tribes, mainly Hmars but also some Thadou Kukis. In 1907, the Jiribam plain was opened for settlement by the Government of Manipur, and it came to be settled by Meiteis and Bengali speakers from the neighbouring Cachar district.
What was called the "Cachar Road" or the "Kala Naga route" during the British Raj (now National Highway 37), runs close to the Jiri River through the Jiribam plain, and then crosses the Vangaitang and Kala Naga ranges starting from Phaitol. A line of tribal villages stretch along the road, with a village called "Kaiphundai" mid-way through the climb. (See map.) It is now called "Old Kaiphundai". A New Kaiphundai village was established at the top of the range after the present alignment of the National Highway was built. It was listed in the 1971 census.[2]
The Tamenglong district administration refers to the Old Kaiphundai village as "Kaiphundai Kuki" and the New Kaiphundai village as "Kaiphundai Naga", indicating the ethnicity of the respective inhabitants.[3]
There has traditionally been a track or bridle path on the ridge line of the Vangaitang range. (See the 1944 map.) After the establishment of New Kaiphundai, a motorable road was laid between New Kaiphundai and Tousem, the subdivision headquarters of the 'Tamenglong West' subdivision (also called the Tousem subdivision). In 2007, there were demands from the local people for the improvement of the road, including the conduct of a shutdown of NH-37.[4]
In the 1990s, Jiribam district was extended to cover a portion of the northern stretch of the Jiri River. This required a stretch of territory around NH-37 to be included in the Jiribam district. The current geographical maps show Jiribam district stretching up to New Kaiphundai and a portion of the Tousem Road.[5] Tousem Area Students' Organisation has objected to the purported district border noting that nine villages of Tamenglong were being included in the Jiribam district.[6]
According to the 2011 census, the New Kaiphundai village has a population of 370 people living in 77 households. Old Kaiphundai has a population of 227 people living in 50 households.