Women vendors take out a religious procession in Imphal on Thursday. Picture by Bullu Rajkumar
Imphal, Nov 19 : Women vendors danced with joy here today as the process of shifting them from temporary shades to the three new women’s markets was set in motion.
The scene was in stark contrast to the one seven years ago when they had put up a strong protest againt the Okram Ibobi Singh government’s plan to dismantle the old markets.
The women’s markets, which were constructed anew, were inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on November 12 with fanfare.
The vendors are yet to shift to the new markets but they started the process by shifting the keithel lairemba (god of the market) and keithel lairembi (goddess of the market) in all the three market complexes with rituals. As a practice, the vendors seek the blessings of the god and the goddess before starting their day’s trading.
Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, works minister K. Ranjit Singh and irrigation and flood control minister N. Biren Singh attended the function. Handing over the market places to the vendors, Ibobi Singh said they could shift anytime on an auspicious day. He said the complexes would have all the basic amenities like uninterrupted water and power supply, canteen facilities and medical services, and appealed to the vendors to keep the places neat and clean.
When the government had planned to demolish the markets, the vendors had put up a strong protest, arguing that the move would destroy a place of historical importance. They kept round-the-clock vigil from July 13, 2003, to prevent the government from pulling down the markets. The government finally prevailed upon them and the three old buildings were pulled down on November 24, 2004.
Today, some of the vendors danced in joy as the rituals progressed. As a mark of celebration, two Shumang Leela performances were staged at the markets this evening.
“We are very happy today. We are grateful to the state government and the Centre for constructing the market places. Earlier, we were apprehensive that the new complexes would not maintain the status of the women’s market but we are happy that the government has done so,” Radheshana Devi, a leader of the vendors, said.
The three women’s markets have women vendors only. Altogether 4,000 vendors can trade at the three complexes. However, only licensed vendors will be allowed to shift there.
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