Chungkham Rani Devi
- Weaver, designer, entreprenuer -

Thingnam Anjulika Samom *

A Rani-phee design at the "Manipur Fashion Week" on May 4 2012 at Hotel Classic, Imphal :: Pix - Bunti Phurailatpam

Seated on a mora on her verandah a meiphu filled with red-hot coals besides her, she issued instructions and advice non-stop, even as the stream of buyers and trainee weavers continued.

'Everyone knows where I live,' she told me when asked her address over the phone. Meeting her was a pleasant encounter - the warmth and hospitality she expressed was matched by the exuberance and innocence she exuded while showing off some of her creations.

Yes, 'Rani-Phi' - The cloth of Rani, is a vital part of every Meitei woman's wardrobe and in fact, her life. So, much so that every woman worth her name knows about 'Rani-Phi' and where the maker of this cloth, Chungkham Rani lives.

For the few uninitiated, Chungkham Rani lives at Wangkhei Lourembam Leikai. The youngest of eleven siblings - seven sisters and four sons - Rani was born to Chungkham Tolen, a farmer and carpenter by trade and Thabal, a weaver, on 1st March, 1932.

Being born in an area which has given its name to the famous 'Wangkhei Phi', the inborn skill and artistic inclination was no doubt cultivated at a very early age.

'My mother used to make Wangkhei Phi on the loom, and I used to watch her and play besides her. Slowly, I also began to try my hands at the loom under the able instructions of my mother. She soon brought a small eyong for me and taught me everything she knew', Rani recalls.

'I was only about 11 years or so at that time', she adds. Rani's elder sisters too were gifted weavers and embroiderers in their own rights.

'Around 14 years of age, Rani married Wangkheimayum Iboyaima, a contractor. Immersed as she was into the relentless routines and duties of married life she continued to work on her eyong to produce the traditional Wangkhei Phi and Moirang Phi.

The marriage was however short-lived as her husband lost the fight against the dreaded cancer. After 14 years of marriage and at the tender age of 27 years, Rani became a widow. She was also without a child.

Dismissing all advice of re-marriages, Rani returned to her maternal house and instead wore all her shattered dreams with magical colours and skilful designs into the clothes she produced on her loom. Very soon she spent all her days and nights pouring her love and dedication into the 'phi' on her loom.

'I saw all those beautiful women flowers, birds and different designs on cloth manufactured outside the state and I was so inspired. I thought how beautiful our own phi would be if I could weave designs like those into them' she said.

At that time only the traditionally used designs like Taj Mahal, Thangjing Makhai, Kabok Chaibi, Waikhu Matha etc were being woven in the Wangkhei Phi.

'One of the first design I wove in was a pair of swans, a lotus and two lotus leaves', she said, recalling the painstaking ritual of experimentation, errors and toil she had put in before tasting success.

She was helped in her work by a nephew, and artist, who had painted the design on the threads kept ready for weaving, so that Rani could easily weave the design. 'Before that, we used to consult graphic paintings on paper while weaving, this did give a semblance of the design, the finished product left much to be desired', she said.

Rani then began experimenting with silk threads, dyes and designs - sometimes consulting her better educated brothers, nephews and nieces and at other times consulting professionals. Though illiterate herself she made sure that the best threads, dye and designs are used for her phi.

'When I initially started using silk threads, five clothes manufactured outside the state and not the coarse Muga we get in Manipur, I made only five phis as the first set, unsure whether they would sell.

But they were very much liked and soon the demand grew so much that I alone couldn't handle it', she recalls. This new brand of silk phi was to be called 'Engineer Phi', the cloth of the engineers, so exclusive and priceless they were.

Soon, women started making a believe for Engineer-phi regarding it as priceless collectable heirloom much like the Kanjeevarum sarees of south India. The Engineer-phi came to be known as Rani-Phi.

And on these new range of phi, Rani also revived old and traditional designs like the

• Namthang Khuthat,
• Luhong Phijin,
• Ningkham Mayek,
• Thambal Chepki,
• Kanap Phibal,
• Salai Mayek,
• Yensin Mayek Phantup,
• Lanngam phi,
• Thakan Mayek,
• Khamen Chatppa,
• Samjin Mayek and
• Leina.

• Wakhong,
• Thambal,
• Kannga,
• Chingthrao,
• Siroi Lily,
• Yerum Lei,
• Ador Gulap,
• Takhellei,
• Leihao,
• Juba Kusum,
• Sambalei Mapal,
• Angoor,
• Mairen,
• Sajik Chaba Saji,
• Nongyin etc.

Imphal, May 15 2012: Chungkham Rani Devi, who was better known as Wangkhei Rani for her design of Raniphee, passed away at her Wangkhei Lourembam Leikai early morning today. She was 80 . In recognition of contribution to the wealth of textile industries in Manipur, Rani had been decorated with National Merit Award, State Award, Silpa Bhushan, etc.

The officers and other staffs of Directorate of Commerce and Industries have condoled the death of Rani. The youngest of eleven siblings - seven sisters and four sons - Rani was born to Chungkham Tolen, a farmer and carpenter by trade and Thabal, a weaver, on 1st March, 1932 .