Second Great Women’s Agitation, 1939-40

    10-Dec-2019
Dr Budha Kamei
“When the life of the people is at stake, the administrative encroach upon individual liberties by invading human dignities, the womenfolk in Manipur do not remain as silent spectators. History is the witness that they rise up in unity against such situations.”
The Nupi Lan is an epoch-making event that broke out on 12 December, 1939. It not only represents one of the popular agitation which fought against an extremely exploitative form of socio-economic and political system created by the combined feudalistic-colonial rule but also was a movement influenced and to a certain extent supported by the emerging educated elite for political reforms in Manipur.  Some say that it marked a dividing line between the oppressive economic and administrative policies followed by the Maharaja and the Political Agent, and a new Manipur which emerged out of the Nupi Lan. The event also showed that political consciousness had grown among the Manipuris. The present article is a humble attempt to examine the Nupi Lan of 1939-40; its origin and significance in the history of Manipur.
Right from historical period, the Manipuri women always played a very important role in Manipur society. Unlike in other contemporary Hindu society, the Manipuri women held a key position in social and economic activities of the state. In Imphal, the state capital, there was a market, Khwairamban Bazar or Sana Keithel located in the British reserve area. It was the centre of economic activities of the state. Most of the traders had their godowns and shops at the Sadar (The term Sadar is coined by the British for administrative and convenience, which stands for Selected Area Development Administrative Region). Maxwell bazaars were located in this complex. Inside the market complex there were a large number of vendors dealing in varieties of local products such as rice, fresh vegetables, tobacco, dry fish, salt, oil, baskets, cloth etc.(Brown 2001:90). Over two thousand women occupied regular stalls while an even larger number sit outside the sheds as occasional hawkers. No man except the hill men and white men/Europeans were allowed to enter the market and indeed all the buying and selling was conducted by women (Dun 1975:64). R. Brown wrote that “A certain number of the Raja’s house servants, called Haomacha, (hill men) ten in number, daily visit this bazaar, and take from the women enough food to meet the Maharaja’s need for a day” (2001:91).There was another weekly market, state police bazaar which was located near the State military police line, the present campus of Manipur State Road Transport Corporation. It was however, opened only when the Khwairamban bazaar was closed. The market was closely associated with the political life of this State. These tradeswomen of bazaar were known for their relatively less sophisticated but fearless and frank nature. Because of their constant exposure to various socio-economic and cultural cross currents they became a well informed and conscious group, in times of crisis they always used to respond to the problem. In other words, to them this market place served as the venue of social and political interaction. Therefore, the high status accorded to the womenfolk by the society is regarded as one of the greatest prides of Manipur. But the Khwairamban bazar was controlled by the outside traders and local businessmen, and therefore, women were always interested in developing an alternative business centre (Singh 1998:137).
Rice is the staple crop of Asia not exception in Manipur. In Manipur, rice provided a means of livelihood not merely to the farmers but also to the womenfolk. The major industry in which the women also take part was the rice trading business. Their involvement in this trade was enormous that they participated right from the time of the transplantation up to the selling of the final product. E. W Dun wrote, “It would be difficult to find a more industrious woman in India than the Manipuri”(1981:17). Such an advantages position enjoyed by them was seriously disturbed after the introduction of the colonial system of administration. It is a fact that the only objective of the colonial administration was to strengthen their economic position by exploiting the traditional system of the people. This practice was adopted by the British in every colonial state (Singh 2002:138).
The insensitivity of colonial officials in Manipur to the people’s sentiments could not but invite protests and challenges.  In 1904, just fourteen years after the annexation of Manipur by the British, Colonel Maxwell the then Political Agent and Superintendent of the state attempted to reintroduce the Lallup system, force labour which was abolished by the Indian Government in 1892 and forced the male folk of Imphal to reconstruct the burnt down Bungalows of Captain Nuttal the tutor to the Raja Churachand and Mr. Dunlop the Assistant political agent. He also asked to rebuild the Bungalows with teak wood from Kabaw valley of Burma (Devi 2005: 62). It was a wrong step taken by the Political Agent.  As saviour of the people from danger, the womenfolk of Imphal rose up in protest against the injustice demand of force labour. The agitations and demonstrations of the women had to be dispersed by the use of force but ultimately, the order of rebuild was withdrawn. The womenfolk of Imphal urban area thus achieved what their male folk could not do. The most prominent leaders of this agitation were: Smt. Irengbam Ongbi Sanajaobi Devi of Naga Mapal, Lamabam Leikai; Smt. Leishangthem Kwathabi Devi of Thangmeiband; Smt. Irungbam Ningol Leimapokpam Ongbi Dhabali Devi of Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal and Smt. Laishram Ningol Juboti Devi of Naga Mapal (Dena 2008:55-57). This incident was viewed by colonial rulers on a wrong line and they concluded that the Rajkumars who had been deprived by their right and privileges under the British rule, were the authors of the movement.  J. B. Fuller, Chief Commissioner of Assam expressed unhappiness over this incident arising out of action of Political Agent. Maxwell was transferred from the Political Agency (Kamei 2012:86).  The agitation was better known as the First Nupi Lan in the history of Manipur. “The movement of 1904 was a great landmark in the history of Manipur. Although the duration of the agitation was very short, yet it produced a very good impact on the political and economic life of the state and also paved a way for the future and anti-imperialist movements in the state” (Singh 2002:118). In 1925, it was again womenfolk of Manipur that started widespread agitations against the rise of water tax. Here, it may be pointed out that the tradeswomen of the Khwairamban bazar led all these agitations, similar to those were to take a leading role in the women’s agitation of 1939-40.
After Anglo-Manipur war of 1891, Manipur came under direct British rule and it continued up to 1907 when the administration was handed over to Churanchand Singh the Maharaja of Manipur.  After the Kuki rebellion of 1917-19, British administration got two main elements which were: 1) The Maharaja was responsible for the administration of the state and was assisted by a Durbar, the president of the Durbar, an I.C.S officer of which was selected by the Governor of Assam. The Durbar had at least three Manipuri members. The Maharaja could veto any resolution of the Durbar; but his orders vetoing a resolution of the Durbar had to be submitted to the Political Agent. The Political Agent could refer any matter to the Governor of Assam. 2) The Durbar was the highest original and Appellate court both in civil and criminal cases.
(To be contd)