| Maphou | |
| Other Name: | (Lenghou Kho) |
| Settlement Type: | village |
| Pushpin Map: | India Manipur |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Manipur, India |
| Coordinates: | 24.818°N 94.14°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Manipur |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kangpokpi |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Total: | 471 |
| Population As Of: | 2001 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Meiteilon (Manipuri) |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Registration Plate: | MN |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Nearest city |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Imphal |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Lok Sabha constituency |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Saikul |
| Blank3 Name Sec1: | Vidhan Sabha constituency |
| Blank3 Info Sec1: | Saikul |
| Group: | Maphou Kuki Village |
| Population: | 471 (2001 census) |
| Languages: | Kuki, Hangmi/Milhiem Kuki, Manipuri, English |
| Religions: | Christianity, Baptist |
| Related: | Other Chin-Kuki |
Maphou is a village in the Saikul subdivision of the Kangpokpi district in Manipur, India.[1] Most residents are members of the Kuki ethnic group.
Maphou is located in the Tomching Chingsang Hills range and is situated on the bank of the Thoubal River. It is located from the city of Imphal. It is surrounded by villages belonging to the Tangkhul tribe.
Maphou was established before the independence of India, by the forefathers of Lenghou Lupho. In 1945 Lenghou Lupho converted to Christianity and founded the first Christian Church in 1945. The present village chief is Haokhomang Lupho(Ex-Chairman, Thoubal Area Kuki Inpi, the great grandson of Lenghou Lupho. Chairman Thoubal multipurpose project committee.
As the village was established after the Lenghou family converted to Christianity, the Christian church was one of the first buildings in the village. The first church leader was Ngamkholhun Lupho. In the 1980s a second church was built. The two congregations were Newlife and Kuki Baptist Convention (KBC). After 1990 a single church was formed under the banner of the Maphou Local Baptist Church.
The golden jubilee of the church was in 1996 but the celebration was not held until 2000, due to the ethnic clashes that were occurring at that time. The theme of the jubilee celebration was a quotation from Mathew 16:18: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."
The villagers belong to the Milhiem (also known as Milhem and Miriem) group of the Kuki ethnic group.[2] According to the unpublished booklet Misao Inkon, Pu Shinghil. Pa Minluto, their progenitor, Hangmi, is the son of Vumchom. The terms Milhiem, Mirem, Meriem, Miria and Milhem are synonymous with Hangmi.[3] Their language is a member of the Kukish branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family, with whom they share history, culture and traditions. Recently, some concerns were raised regarding the ability for citizens of Maphou to preserve their identity and culture if intertribal marriages are allowed with the neighbouring Tangkhul tribe villages and Meitei community villages.
The Kuki–Naga ethnic clash of 1990s had a great impact on the village, with damage to property, and some villagers losing their lives. Due to these ethnic clashes there has been some migration of villagers to safer places.
Ngamjapoa Lupho (Ex-Chairman Thoubal Area kuki Inpi, Ex president Kuki Baptist Convention) was killed in the ethnic violence by militant members of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN IM) in 1998. He was a prominent chief who was the seventh son of the founder of the village. He was killed by an ambush while on his way to Imphal in his personal jeep along with six other villagers.
Maphou Village Authority is the group in charge of local government. The village chief is the chairman of the village authority.
Maphou Local Baptist church is active in town. Maphou Youth Development Organisation (MYDO) and the Nisha Band (a women's organisation) help improve village life.
There is a primary health centre (Maphou PHC),.[4] The Maphou UJB school[5] is run in a partnership between the village authority and the Government. The village is home to the Angawadi Centre. New Maphou Kuki Sewing Training Centre.[6]
The Thoubal Multipurpose Project, Maphou Dam[7] is located in the village. This is a project intended to generate electricity and to supply water for irrigation and drinking, and is expected to be completed by 2011.[8] The work on the Earth Dam is being carried out by the Hyderabad-based Progressive Company while the work on the spillway is the responsibility of Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Limited, New Delhi.
The proposed height of the dam is 66 feet and 107.4 metre long and has the projected capacity to generate 7.5 Megawatts of power with three components each generating 2.5 Megawatts.[9]
Apart from supplying 10 million gallons of water per day, the dam will have the capacity to irrigate 33,449 hectares of arable land in a year. Work on the project started in 1980.
Office of Irrigation and flood control department (IFCD) and quarter are situated in Maphou village .
Police outpost has been set up. along with Border security force, Indian reserve battalion, and Assam rifle are among the security present in the Village.