Kauna Grass Craft in Ima Market in Imphal

The Ima Market was established sometime in the 16th Century and has a history that elevates it as a symbol of women’s empowerment and participation in the history of Manipur.

During British occupation they valiantly gathered to fight the administration’s orders to export their local rice. Their movement called Nupi Lan is well remembered as a powerful force that stood up when the menfolk were forcibly sent to fight wars outside.

It remained a strong consolidation of women who enjoy coming out to vend their wares and exchange news.

Ima market was earlier just a large raised cemented platform with tin roofing. Women would sell local produce and handwoven items of clothing.

The government built an expansive set of buildings in which over 5000 women come out to sell everything possible from beads to vegetables to mosquito nets and prayer items.

Oddly, women prefer to occupy only the ground floor of the huge market spaces or else spread out onto the pavements, leaving the upper floor to this man recharging his mobile phone, undisturbed.

Ima market is entirely occupied by women vendors who start their days by paying obeisance to their local deities at one end of the market premises.

Many educated women from middle class families have stalls at Ima market so that they can enjoy the company and partake in mainstream activities.

A kauna basket seller joins thousands in the huge hall full of women vendors.

Old ladies from respectable families who do not need to work, prefer to come to Ima Market in the evenings to become vendors.

Kauna baskets displayed in plenty, for sale on the steps of Ima Market in Imphal.

Women vendors sell almost anything a woman would need.

Here a vendor sells accessories and embellishments for garments, costume jewelry and other decorative glitter.

Kauna mats called phak, in a variety of sizes and designs for home, work and ceremonial use, are rolled up for sale at Ima market in Imphal.

Large grass shopping baskets are bought to carry purchases made at the market.

Local apples sold in abundance at the Ima market in Imphal.

Everything is fresh, organic produce brought by women in the families of small farmers.

The sale of fresh and dried foodstuffs, lotus stem, mushrooms, leafy greens and even ready- to-eat snacks are available at very low prices on the streets around the Ima Market.

Everyone flocks there for their evening shopping for the household.

Sales are entirely handled by women who seem to control the all the open air small vendor markets in Manipur.

The shop of the Akhom Handicrafts establishment is in front of the store-cum-showroom, grass storage area and some small residences of weavers In Kongda in Imphal East

Bags and baskets ready for sale to tourists in Imphal at the Akhom Handicrafts shop.

Earlier, kauna grass was used to make baskets and mats only for home use.

With increased outreach, tourists, more business and trade between the Manipur and other parts of India, commercialization has brought about increased production, benefiting farmers and weavers, especially women.

On one of the main streets of Imphal two proprietors selling kauna grass and basket items converse amidst there large variety of items for sale.

A finely woven, ornamental kauna grass stool awaits a customer at a small shop set up by Akhom Handicrafts in Kongda, Imphal East.

Most of these grass and locally made bamboo baskets are sold for household use to store fruit, grain, vegetables or displaying gifts at ceremonial occasions.

Stacks of baskets are ready to be sent to a vendor at a trade fair.

Customers sit under kauna grass baskets making up their mind and conversing with the shopkeeper whose establishment is on one of the main streets of Imphal.

Read more about Kauna grass craft here:
-Environment
-Process