Project on asia largest women market
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Located in the capital city of Manipur, Imphal, Ima Keithel is a more than 500-year-old market that is run and managed entirely by as many as 5000 women, making it the largest and one-of-a-kind all women’s market in Asia.
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Literally translating to ‘Mother’s Market’, the market started in the 16th century with a handful of stalls run by women, and over the years, it grew exponentially into a bustling market of thousands of female traders selling everything from household items to handicrafts and textiles. It’s the heart of all the commercial and socio-economic activity in the city that not only satisfies the needs of the visitors and traders, also boosts the local economy.
The birth of All Women’s Market
In 1533 AD, a labour system called Lallup-Kaba was forcefully imposed in Manipur. According to this forced labour system, the male members of the Meitie community, who inhabited the area were sent to work in faraway lands or fight wars, leaving the women behind in the villages. To support their household, the women in the villages took the responsibility in their own hands – cultivated their paddy fields, weaved textiles and created several items that were sold in improvised markets. And, this led to the birth of Ima Keithel.
Ima Keithel is Asia’s largest all-women market © OXLAEY.com / Flickr

Ima Keithel was a major source of sustenance for the households in the villages. Besides, it was one of the primary markets that helped stimulate the local economy. But in 1891, the market suffered from the stringent economic and political reforms enforced by the British who had complete control over the Manipur. Measures, such as the export of locally-grown rice to other countries, high taxation on water, etc. were imposed, which adversely affected the market and socio-economic fabric of the