30/04/2026
In Manipur, many women spend the day running businesses at Ima Keithel, the all-women market, and the night walking the streets with torches.
They are called Meira Paibi.
What began as women protecting their neighbourhoods from alcoholism and violence grew into a larger people’s movement against abuse, fear, and conflict.
For decades, while Manipur has gone through unrest and uncertainty, these women have kept markets running and communities standing.
Some places survive because of the people who refuse to give up.