Women have played major roles in the politics of Manipur. Not that there have been many politicians, but women groups do have a say in many matters. This can be dated back to 1931, when a very important event took place called the Nupi Lan. Nupi Lan marked an important event in the history of Manipur. Nupi Lan means the women’s war, Nupi meaning women and Lan meaning war, when women stood up in an uprising against what was called chak tangba (inflation of food ie rice). The war or uprising started at the said Ema Keithel (A market run by women), when women protested against exports of Rice to Assam to feed the British when Rice itself became scarce in Manipur. But since the British were paying, more local prices shot up making it very expensive in Manipur thereby causing a lot of
problems for the local populace. People remember the brave women who fought in Nupi Lan with state holiday every December the 12th.

I do not know of any other war or uprising solely by women other than for a cause solely feminist [Like the Bra Burning]. We have also heard of Women Warriors in Jhansi Ki Rani or Joan of Arc, but Nupi Lan, was an uprising by women solely for a social cause.

People in Manipur call elderly women by the loving word “Ema” meaning Mother and the uprising was led by mostly elderly women. And I believe seeds of the empowerment of women in Manipur was sown during the Nupi Lan. Everybody could learn a lesson from this historic event that equal participation of sexes can only but uplift a society. Note that, Manipur is not a matriarchal society and the men are not lazy and have a history of being fierce warriors. But women have been very effective in many an event. In Manipur, women don’t beg or fight for their rights and respects, they earn it just like men do and the men are fiercely protective about their women and vice versa. The idea of modern feminism is so irrelevant when we look at movements like these.