Nupi Keithel: The Mothers’ Movement of Manipur
In Manipur, Nupi Keithel is popularly known as Ima Market. 500-Year-Old Market with over 5000 Traders, all women. An unique symbol of Manipur’s history, Ima Keithel (which translates to ‘mother’s market’) is believed to be the largest all-women market in Asia, and possibly the world.
The use of ima (mother) instead of women is significant and not without reason; it signifies that the women vendors here are all married, or had been at one point in their lives. Here women could organize themselves and put up a united front in times of economic, political or social crisis.
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan – Views on Religious Harmony
The thorny issue of blasphemy repeatedly surfaced in 19th and 20th-century India, and Sir Syed and Azad, known proponents of contrary political ideologies, tried to promote religious harmony.
For Sir Syed, blasphemy does not call for violent and loud protest and requires nothing short of a rational rejoinder. It means one responds to books with books, words with words. Banning or burning books offers no solution (“kitab ka jawab kitab hai kitab jalana nahi”).
One must not try to settle the issue by himself. Anything aimed at denouncing or despising other religions must not find its way; the government must enact stringent laws.
