Women movements in Colonial Manipur: the 1st Nupi lan and the 2nd Nupi lan

The women agitation of Manipur was of a peculiar character. It was a spontaneous movement directed against the economic policy of the colonial movement. Like other women movement which broke out in India and other countries of the world, it never asked for the upliftment of their status in the society. Due to this peculiar character the women movement of Manipur cannot be treated as alike with other women movement. The members of the participants in the women agitation of Manipur was instituted by the market’s women. As we know that the women play a great role in the economic activities of Manipur. So, any type of economic activities that occurred was a directly related to the women, particularly market women. The members of the market women of Manipur were also composed mainly by the peasant and working class people. Due to this, they were the direct sufferer from any type of economic adversity and eventually the first reaction against the authorities always came from them. Therefore like other women movement, the women movement of 1904 (First Nupi Lan or Women’s agitation) and 1939 (Second Nupi Lan or Women’s agitation) was not for the upliftment of their condition and so their character was totally different from the other movements.