India’s Mysterious Stonehenge: Prehistoric Complex Of Gigantic Standing Stones Of Willong Is An Enigma

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The fascinating and mysterious complex of standing stones – similar to those of the famous Stonehenge – is located at Willong Khullen, a small village in Manipur, in the North-Eastern part of India.

Menhirs at Willong Khullen. Willong is the second largest village of Marams, according to the 1992 figures. Image credit: Boychou -  CC BY-SA 3.0

What was the meaning behind gathering all of these structures to these hills?

Why was it so important to place them exactly there? Were they used for religious ceremonies or/and as funeral stones?

Were they considered sacred or used as astronomical observations or both?

This massive stone material is not reported to be available near Willong and its surroundings. One local legend narrates that the area’s ancestors erected the gigantic structures, and each of the stones has a unique story to tell.

Unfortunately, this intriguing and very ancient megalithic complex is not particularly well-known to the people from outside except for the residents living in the vicinity of Willong. They have lived continuously with the stones.

Locals say that their number is uncountable because there is a spirit that deliberately confuses you midway while counting them. Some who attempted to count the stones reported that their total number is approximately 135 pillars.

The standing stones are located on the slopes and vary in size; the tallest is as high as 7 meters (23 feet) and is approximately a meter thick.

Menhirs at Willong Khullen. Willong. Image credit: Boychou - own work -   CC BY-SA 3.0

They are a source of many legends preserved and transmitted orally from one generation to another.

Among the people’s ancient beliefs, there is also a legend that the stones have their own name, and they ‘talk’ to each other at night.

In the male’s voice, each stone called one another with names such as ‘Kala,’ ‘Kanga,’ ‘Hila,’ etc.

Villagers explained that only a man of exceptional strength and power could think of erecting a stone at the site. One such giant stone is standing separately on the outskirt of the village. Over many generations, people have believed that God sent it to mark the uniqueness of Willong village, located on a steep slope on the hills.

People’s practices and beliefs connected to ancestor worship are often forgotten. At Willong, today, only a few elders know about the history of these gigantic stones, but soon, all the folk songs and tales related to them might be forgotten – forever.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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