See Manipur’s All-Women Market – Over 4000 Shopkeepers and Not One Man Among Them

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Literally translating to ‘Mother’s Market’, Ima Keithel is Asia’s largest all-women market, where all the stalls are run exclusively by women. Located in the heart of Imphal, in the Indian state of Manipur, the 500-year-old vibrant bazaar has 4,000-odd local women trading with thousands of customers each day. The market also serves as a meeting ground for discussions on important social and political issues of the state.

The market’s origin dates back centuries, to a time when Manipur was ruled by kings. During this time, a tradition called ‘Lallup’ was followed, requiring male members of the local Meitei community to serve the king whenever summoned. So the women of the household would take the responsibility of farming and commerce. This instilled an entrepreneurial spirit in them, which has been passed all the way down to the present generation of female traders. Interestingly, to this day, only married women are permitted to trade at the market.

Over the years, the market has come under frequent attack by various invading forces who tried to control local trade and commerce and undermine the independence of the Manipuri women. But these strong women managed to survive exploitative policies during the British rule, by launching ‘Nupi Lal’ (Women’s Wars) in 1904 and 1939. Even after India achieved independence in 1947, the female workforce of Ima Keithel was constantly under threat of displacement, but they managed to hold the fort in the face of adversity. The only time the market was completely shut down was during World War II, when Imphal became a bloody battleground for the British and Japanese forces.

Even as recent as 2003, the local government planned to take down the market and replace it with a modern supermarket, but the association of women traders protested the decision and eventually had their way. Today, Ima Keithel is housed in four new buildings that were recently constructed by the government. The place is a melting pot of diversity – with traders hailing from various ethnic groups and religions, and tourists from various parts of the world.

O’Central.