It is perhaps ironic that although I hail from Manipur and have been residing in New Delhi for several years, my first visit to Manipur Bhavan occurred only on 20 November 2007. This delay itself may reflect a broader disconnect that many people from the Northeast experience while living in the national capital - physically present in Delhi, yet often distanced from the institutional spaces meant to represent their home states. I arrived at Manipur Bhavan around 9:00 a.m. for an official engagement. As one would reasonably expect from a state government establishment in the heart of the capital, I anticipated an orderly reception process.
