Ima Keithel
The 500-year-old market run entirely by women
In the centre of Imphal, Ima Keithel — the 'mother's market' — is one of the largest markets in the world run exclusively by women, a tradition said to be around 500 years old. Some four to five thousand ima (mothers), by custom married women, trade from serried rows of stalls across several buildings, selling everything from vegetables, fish and spices to handloom textiles, pottery and household goods.
More than a market, it is a social and even political institution: the imas have historically been a powerful collective voice in Manipuri society, at the forefront of movements against injustice. To walk its aisles amid the colour, noise and warmth is to see the beating heart of Meitei life, and one of the most distinctive urban experiences in India.
What to see & do
- Thousands of women traders across the market halls
- Manipuri handloom, especially the fine local textiles
- Local produce, fermented fish (ngari) and street food
- Kangla Fort, a short walk away in the city centre
Getting to Ima Keithel
| How to reach | In the heart of Imphal, minutes from Kangla Fort. |
| Best time | Mornings, October to March, when trading is liveliest. |
| Permit | Inner Line Permit required for Manipur; check advisories. |
| Good to know | Come in the morning, buy some handloom directly from the imas, and pair it with Kangla Fort next door. |
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