Ima Market Manipur,INDIA

  The World's Only All Women Market and Asia's Largest Women's  Run Market, Manipur INDIA.

Ima Keithel stands as a beacon of women’s empowerment in the face of untold hardship brought on by years of armed conflict.                        This 500 year old market “Ima Keithel” in Imphal Manipur is Asia’s Largest Women Run Market where a man can buy but can never sell.In Manipuri, Ima means mother and Keithel means market.This market which is run by only married woman has 4000 shopkeepers.It is run by only married woman as because the Manipuri men spent months on the battlefield and the woman took it upon themselves to sustain the families .Manipur is magnificent.And that is not mere alliteration.For most, this state is synonymous with insurgency, AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), Irom Sharmila and Mary Kom, not necessarily in that order.But among the numerous other reasons that make Manipur truly memorable is a unique market in its capital city of Imphal.

 

Ima Keithel, means mother’s market is perhaps the oldest and only one of its kind in Asia.It is a market wholly operated by women.Historically, it is difficult to say when this market was established, though many say it came into being sometime in the 16th century.Traditionally women in Manipur have always been at the forefront, The Ima Keithel is proof of how significant and crucial a role women in this society play.

In this one-of-a-kind market you’ll find women entrepreneurs selling fish, vegetables, bamboo and metal craft, dry fish, traditional phaneks (sarongs) and innephis (stoles/dupattas),indigenous herbs, bangles etc.
There are approximately 4000 women traders who sell their wares here every day.