NydiaChiodo9 at 09:39, 15 March 2026

2026-03-15T09:39:35Z

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{{redirect|Mothers' Market|the grocery store chain in Southern California|Mother%27s Market %26 Kitchen}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox retail market
| retail_market_name = Ima Market
| image = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Imphal, Manipur (62).jpeg
| photo2a = Imphal, Manipur (84).jpeg
| photo2b = Ima Market, imphal.jpeg
| photo3a = Manipuri woman selling glutinous rice at Eema Bazaar, Imphal, Manipur.JPG
| size = 280
| spacing = 1
| position = centre
| border = 0
| color = white
}}
| image_width =
| caption = Different scenes of the Ima Market
| location = [[Imphal]]
| coordinates = {{coord|24.808|93.935|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe_zoom = 13
| address = ? Street, Imphal, [[Imphal West district]], Manipur, 795001
| opening_date =
| closing_date =
| developer = Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD)
| manager = Ima Keithel Union
| owner = [[Government of Manipur]]
| architect =
| environment_type =
| goods_sold =
| normal_market_days =
| number_of_tenants = ~5000 women<ref>{{cite web | last=Desk | first=India Today Information | title=Manipur's Ima Keithel: The largest women-run market in the world with 5,000 stalls | website=India Today | date=2024-09-11 | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/manipurs-ima-keithel-the-largest-women-run-market-in-the-world-2597656-2024-09-11 | access-date=2026-03-15}}</ref>
| floor_area =
| parking =
| website =
| belowstyle =
| footnotes =
}}

The '''Ima Market''' ({{langx|mni|Ima Keithel}}; literally, Mothers' Market), also known as the '''Nupi Keithel''' ({{langx|en|Women's Market}}) or the '''Khwairamband Keithel''' ({{langx|en|Khwairamband Market}}<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ypgDwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+markets+khwairamband+three&pg=PA248|title=Development and Disaster Management: A Study of the Northeastern States of India|last1=Singh|first1=Amita|last2=Punia|first2=Milap|last3=Haran|first3=Nivedita P.|last4=Singh|first4=Thiyam Bharat|date=15 June 2018|publisher=Springer |isbn=978-981-10-8485-0|language=en}}</ref>), is a women-only market in the middle of [[Imphal]] in the Indian state of [[Manipur]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=India's Mother's Market run by women|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-32793952|access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=4 January 2016|title=Manipur's historic women's only market damaged in earthquake|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/manipur-s-historic-women-s-only-market-damaged-earthquake-37306|access-date=24 September 2021|website=The News Minute|language=en}}</ref><ref>–{{Cite news |title=India's Mother's Market run by women |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-32793952}} –{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Om |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eENU_a8c79MC&q=ima+keithel+market+khwairamband+only+women+world&pg=PA974 |title=Encyclopaedia of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh |date=2006 |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |isbn=978-81-8205-389-2 |language=en |quote='Ima Keithel' at Khwairamband Bazar is the only market in the world where, as the name suggests, all the stalls are run by women.}} –{{Cite book |last=Shivhare |first=Vishal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vjzcDAAAQBAJ&q=ima+market+nupi+keithel+only+women+world&pg=PT37 |title=Vyapar Shastra |date=17 August 2016 |publisher=Jaico Publishing House |isbn=978-81-8495-898-0 |language=en |quote=Ima Keithel Market, Imphal, Manipur Ima market or Nupi Keithel, in Imphal, Manipur, is the only all-women marketplace in the world.}} –{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Dr Th Suresh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kbu_AwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+market+only+women+world&pg=PA4 |title=The Endless Kabaw Valley: British Created Visious Cycle of Manipur, Burma and India |date=2 June 2014 |publisher=Quills Ink |isbn=978-93-84318-00-0 |language=en |quote=The world famous Ima Keithel, the only unique women ́s market in the world, situated at the heart of the capital : It was established in 1636 AD by king Khagemba as a part of his ...}} –{{Cite web |date=4 January 2016 |title=Manipur's historic women's only market damaged in earthquake |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/manipur-s-historic-women-s-only-market-damaged-earthquake-37306 |website=The News Minute |language=en}} –{{Cite book |last=Sahu (IAS) |first=Barun Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t8W-DwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+market+women+exclusively&pg=PP123 |title=AN INQUIRY INTO VIGILANCE AND CORRUPTION |date=1 January 2020 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=978-93-5322-856-9 |language=en}} –{{Cite book |last1=Patra |first1=Jayanta Kumar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j1mnDwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+market+exclusively+run+women&pg=PT108 |title=Ethnopharmacology and Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants |last2=Das |first2=Gitishree |last3=Kumar |first3=Sanjeet |last4=Thatoi |first4=Hrudayanath |date=5 August 2019 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-0-429-67537-9 |language=en |quote=The Ima market or Ima keithel is a unique marketplace exclusively run by women.}} –{{Cite book |last=Deshpande |first=Abhijeet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lblDDwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel++all+vendors+women&pg=PT100 |title=Backpacking North East India: A Curious Journey |date=19 December 2017 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-946556-80-6 |language=en}}</ref> The market hosts around 5,000–6,000 women [[vendor]]s who sell a variety of products,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.incredibleindia.org/content/incredible-india-v2/en/destinations/imphal/ima-keithel--ima-market--khwairamband-bazar.html|title=Incredible India {{!}} Ima Keithel/ Ima Market/ Khwairamband Bazar|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Incredible India]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2 February 2020}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://scroll.in/article/801410/the-earthquake-has-damaged-a-nerve-centre-of-life-in-manipur-the-ima-keithel-or-mothers-market|title=The earthquake has damaged a nerve centre of life in Manipur: the Ima Keithel or Mother's Market|last=Chakravarty|first=Ipsita|date=6 January 2016|website=[[Scroll.in]]|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> such as vegetables, fruits, textiles, toys, fish, spices and utensils.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/ima-keithel-asias-largest-all-womens-market/|title=Ima Keithel: Asia's Largest All Women's Market|last=Binayak|first=Poonam|date=5 January 2018|website=Culture Trip|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It is the largest all–women market in Asia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nenow.in/north-east-news/manipur/3-storey-market-building-coming-up-at-pureiromba-keithel-in-imphal.html|title=3-storey market building coming up at Pureiromba Keithel in Imphal|last=|first=|date=30 December 2019|website=Northeast Now|language=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> and a popular tourist attraction in the state of [[Manipur]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/ima-keithal-women-s-market-in-imphal-001889.html|title=Ima Keithal : World's Only Women's Market|last=Vinayak|first=Akshatha|date=14 May 2018|website=Native Planet|language=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721033629/http://www.nativeplanet.com/travel-guide/ima-keithal-women-s-market-in-imphal-001889.html|archive-date=21 July 2016|access-date=}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Further|History of Manipur|Manipur Kingdom}}
The market was established in the 16th century following the imposition of the labour system, ''lallup-kaba'' in 1533 CE. The ''lallup-kaba'' was a [[forced labour]] system in [[Manipur Kingdom]] which required male members of the [[Meitei people|Meitei ethnicity]] to work in distant lands or to serve in the army. As a consequence of the system, women had to support their households by cultivating their fields or weaving textiles and then selling the products on improvised markets. The improvised markets led to the formation of the organized Ima Keithel.<ref name=":0" /> The Ima Keithel was the primary permanent market in [[Manipur]] until the 20th century.

In 1891, the [[British Raj|British colonial administration]] attempted to impose economic and political reform in [[Manipur Kingdom]], which disrupted the functioning of the market.<ref name=":0" /> The reforms involved large scale seizure and export of food corps from Manipur without consideration for local requirements which caused starvation at times of [[Mautam]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=education.Science_and_Technology.Mautam_phenomenon_in_NE_States|title=Mautam phenomenon in NE States|last=|first=|date=|website=e-pao.net|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810025254/http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=education.Science_and_Technology.Mautam_phenomenon_in_NE_States|archive-date=10 August 2019|access-date=}}</ref> It led to agitations by the women of the Ima Keithel and in response, the British attempted to sell off the assets and properties of Ima Keithel to foreigners and external buyers. This, among other causes, resulted in the [[Nupi Lan]] or the women's war, which eventually seized with the [[Japanese invasion of India]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/73948/ima-keithal-all-women-market-imphal-manipur/|title=Exploring Ima Keithal, a 500-Year-Old Market with over 5000 Traders - All Women!|last=Pal|first=Sanchari|date=3 November 2016|website=[[The Better India]]|language=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731225129/http://www.thebetterindia.com/73948/ima-keithal-all-women-market-imphal-manipur/|archive-date=31 July 2017|access-date=}}</ref>

Following [[Independence of India|independence]], the market regained prominence as a commercial center and a hub of socio-political discussions.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In 2010, the market was moved into the Khawairamband Bazaar complex constructed by the [[Municipal Corporation (India)|Municipal Corporation]] of [[Imphal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://twocircles.net/2010nov12/khwairamband_bazaar_symbol_women_empowerment.html|title=Khwairamband Bazaar: a symbol of women empowerment|last=Begum|first=Anjuman Ara|date=12 November 2010|website=[[Two Circles]]|language=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> The complex had sustained damaged in the [[2016 Imphal earthquake]], which effected the livelihood of around 800 vendors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfamindia.org/featuredstories/women-vendors-manipurs-ima-market-are-angry-after-earthquake-heres-why|title=Women vendors in Manipur's Ima market are angry after the earthquake. Here's why {{!}} Oxfam India|last=|first=|date=6 January 2016|website=[[Oxfam|Oxfam India]]|language=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Market ==
The Ima Keithel is located in the Khawairamband Bazaar Complex reconstructed on the site of Purana Bazaar in central Imphal. It is located west of [[Kangla Fort]] and on the Bir Tikendrajit Road in the Thangal Bazar locality.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=news_section.opinions.Construction_of_Ima_Keithel_at_Khwairamband_By_Oinam_Nabakishore|title=Construction of Ima Keithel at Khwairamband By Oinam Nabakishore|last=Singh|first=Oinam Nabakishore|date=|website=e-pao.net|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809235155/http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=news_section.opinions.Construction_of_Ima_Keithel_at_Khwairamband_By_Oinam_Nabakishore|archive-date=9 August 2019|access-date=2 February 2020}}</ref> The complex consists of three large buildings with [[pagoda]] styled roofs.<ref name=":7" /> The market is split into two sections on either side of the road.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://imphalwest.nic.in/tourist-place/womens-market-or-ima-keithel/|title=Ima Keithel|last=|first=|date=|website=imphalwest.nic.in|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> Two buildings are located to the north of the main road and one to the south. ''Leimarel Shidabi Ima'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ima Keithel |url=http://indianculture.gov.in/snippets/ima-keithel |access-date=27 September 2023 |website=INDIAN CULTURE |language=en}}</ref> or Purana Bazar, is the oldest and largest structure in the complex and ''Emoinu Ima Keithel'', or Laxmi Bazar is the smallest structure in the complex, both are located to the north of main road. ''Phouoibi Ima Keithel, or the New Market, mainly sells handloom items, especially Meitei traditional clothes, that includes various phaneks, sarees, and inaphi, is located to the south of the road.'' The buildings are segregated into textile housing sections and household groceries sections. There is also a section of stalls under a large tin and [[Tarpaulin|tarp]] arrangement market to the east of the main buildings.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/imphal/attractions/ima-keithel/a/poi-sig/1293695/1317337|title=Ima Keithel {{!}} Imphal, India Attractions|last=|first=|date=|website=[[Lonely Planet]]|language=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2 February 2020}}</ref> In order to set up stalls in the main buildings of the market, an annual municipal fees is levied. The fee of a {{convert|16|sqft|m2}} stall was [[Indian rupee|₹]]140,000 per [[annum]] at the time of construction in 2010.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/76VDJ00TS0jTDTMLyy12gK/In-the-name-of-the-mother.html|title=In the name of the mother|last=Bag|first=Shamik|date=25 June 2010|website=[[Livemint]]|language=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite book|last=Lisam|first=Khomdan Singh|title=Encyclopaedia Of Manipur|publisher=Kalpaz Publications|year=2011|isbn=978-81-7835-864-2|volume=3|location=India|pages=583–584}}</ref> There is a licensing system in place for vendors with stalls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2014/02/pictures-india-market-mothers-201425153944212606.html|title=India's 'market of mothers'|last=Das|first=Bijoyeta|date=7 March 2014|website=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> The market houses around 5000–6000 women vendors at any given day.<ref name=":3" /> As of 2017, the vendors at the market make an annual profit between ₹73,000 and ₹200,000. The annual turnover of the market was estimated to be between ₹40–50{{nbsp}}[[Crore]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northeastguide.in/featured-post/asias-largest-women-run-market-manipur-perfect-example-women-empowerment/|title=Ima Keithel - Asia's Largest Women Run Market in Manipur|last=|first=|date=8 March 2017|website=NorthEast Guide|language=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202123031/https://www.northeastguide.in/featured-post/asias-largest-women-run-market-manipur-perfect-example-women-empowerment/|archive-date=2 February 2020|access-date=|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 November 2022 |title=Ima Keithel: Know About Imphal's 500 YO World's Largest All-Women Market |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/trending/social-relevance/ima-keithel-history-of-asia-largest-all-women-run-market-in-imphal-584543.html |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=IndiaTimes |language=en-IN}}</ref>

== Management ==
The market is managed by a [[Labour Union|union]] of all the vendors of the market. It maintains a custom of only allowing women who have been married at least once to set up stalls. The women vendors include those who are divorced or have been widowed in the [[insurgency in Manipur]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" /> To be able to sell in the market, a new woman vendor needs to be referred by a retiring vendor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Story |date=24 April 2023 |title=Ima Keithel: The world's largest women-run market |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/imphal-india-mothers-market-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The vendors are primarily in the age of 45–70 years.<ref name=":6" /> The union also runs a [[credit]] system for lending to women traders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/things-to-do/wonder-women-of-india-running-the-show-in-a-500-year-old-market/as64999687.cms|title=Wonder women of India running the show in a 500-year-old market|last=Dey|first=Panchali|date=26 July 2018|website=[[Times of India]]|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref>

Inside the market, male shopkeepers and vendors are not allowed to sell anything.<ref name="Rastogi">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mdmYDwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+mother%27s+market+male+members+punishable+offence&pg=PT92|title=Early Sunrise, Early Sunset: Tales of a Solo Woman Traveler Across North East and East India|last=Rastogi|first=Priyanka|date=13 May 2019|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=978-1-5437-0523-2|language=en}}</ref> The [[Government of Manipur]] also announced that the male shopkeepers and vendors will be punished if their shops and vendors are found inside the market.<ref name="Rastogi"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-32793952/mother-s-market-the-indian-bazaar-run-entirely-by-women|title=India's Mother's Market run by women|last=|first=|date=19 May 2015|website=[[BBC News]]|language=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121071432/http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-32793952/mother-s-market-the-indian-bazaar-run-entirely-by-women|archive-date=21 January 2018|access-date=}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/manipur%E2%80%99s-historic-women%E2%80%99s-only-market-damaged-earthquake-37306|title=Manipur's historic women's only market damaged in earthquake|last=|first=|date=4 January 2016|website=[[The News Minute]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308134207/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/manipur%E2%80%99s-historic-women%E2%80%99s-only-market-damaged-earthquake-37306|archive-date=8 March 2021|access-date=|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Currently, Ima Mema Laishram and Ima Y Ibeyaima are the convenors of Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace. Asem Nirmala is the General Secretary of Khwairamband Ima Keithel Lukmai Sellup.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Damp squib of a session : Womenfolk |url=https://www.thesangaiexpress.com/Encyc/2023/8/31/By-Our-Staff-ReporterIMPHAL-Aug-30-Womenfolk-of-Khwairamband-Ima-Keithel-Lukmai-Sellup-and-Khwairamband-I.html |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=www.thesangaiexpress.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Compliments ==
[[Minister of External Affairs (India)|Minister of External Affairs of India]], [[S. Jaishankar|S Jaishankar]] called Ima market a ''"great example of nari shakti (women's power) powering economic growth."''<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2022 |title=What is Imphal's Ima market, which minister Jaishankar called 'a great example of Nari Shakti' |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-imphals-ima-market-which-minister-jaishankar-called-a-great-example-of-nari-shakti-8293307/ |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

In February 2023, delegates of B20 from the [[G20]] forum visited the Ima Market. One of the delegates said, ''"I will tell the world that there is a beautiful market run by women that sells authentic handicrafts, clothes and others."''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ima Keithel - a symbol of women empowerment in India: B20 delegates |url=https://www.ifp.co.in/manipur/ima-keithel-a-symbol-of-women-empowerment-in-india-b20-delegates |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=Imphal Free Press |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Three-day Imphal event of B20 conference of the G20 dialogue forum concludes |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1900552 |access-date=25 September 2023 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Meira Paibi]]

{{Portal|Organized labour}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Meitei architecture]]
[[Category:Meitei culture]]
[[Category:16th-century establishments in India]]
[[Category:Retail markets in India]]
[[Category:Bazaars in India]]
[[Category:Shopping districts and streets in India]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Manipur]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Manipur]]
[[Category:Imphal]]
[[Category:Women in Meitei culture]]

Ima Market - Revision history

NydiaChiodo9 at 09:39, 15 March 2026