Arun Kumar | January 27, 2017 | Manipur
In this chirpy market, there is a woman busy weighing a kilo of fish in one corner, while at another, a woman is knitting and selling fresh woollen clothes. At another part of this famous bazaar, customers are hurriedly buying fresh fruits and vegetables from women clad in traditional bright-coloured clothing called phaneks and innaphis. The market, the Ima Keithel, is one tourist spot that you will find on almost every list of ‘Places to Visit’ in Manipur’s capital city Imphal.
Literally translating into ‘mother’s market’, this all-women market is one of a kind. It is a 500-year-old bazaar with multiple stalls run exclusively by women. The stalls sell things ranging from food items including spices and herbs to earthen pots, metal, stoneware, utensils, jewellery and bamboo. Stalls selling local cuisine are also abundant. These cheerful, friendly women, in between setting their stalls and tackling customers, also find time to discuss social and political issues of the state. All the women here are running their own businesses and not a single man is found selling anything here. Known to be a part of the Manipuri tradition, Ima Keithel is a sign of women’s equality and independence.
(The photo story appears in the January 16-31, 2017 issue)
Mumbai’s real estate market keeps growing, yet homeownership remains out of reach for much of its population. Three experts – urban researcher Hussain Indorewala, urban planner Vidyadhar Phatak and developer Kamlesh Thakur of NAREDCO Maharashtra, agree that simply constructing more apartments
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said he was unfamiliar with the Wall Street Journal report suggesting Elon Musk had decided to throttle Starlink services in Ukraine, but rejected claims that Washington had ordered the restrictions to pressure Kyiv. “There was no
Breast cancer has become a public-health challenge in India. The greatest opportunity is to find cancers earlier. Artificial intelligence (AI) is opening a new era in breast cancer detection. AI systems can analyse mammograms and other breast-imaging studies, identify subtle abnormalities and assist radi
Indian agriculture is experiencing significant climate volatility, while the world economy seems to be in a highly volatile situation. Economic indices from various countries show that they need to recalibrate their strategies to withstand economic headwinds. In such a challenging situation, a country li
India’s southwest monsoon ended with a 13% rainfall deficit in 2026, its weakest performance in a decade, raising concerns over agricultural production, water security and the upcoming rabi season. With El Niño expected to persist into early 2027, experts warn that declining soil moisture, dep
For over a decade, India’s e-commerce story has rested on a simple premise: platforms connect buyers and sellers, while data fuels efficiency, personalisation, and scale. However, as the market matured, its structure has revealed a growing imbalance. E-commerce platforms, especially marketplace ent
