Status of Manipuri Meitei Pangal (Muslim) women & challenges ahead
- Part 1 -

Henna Tarannum Khan, M S Khan and M Ahmed *

Manipuri Meitei Pangal (Muslim) women Shopping for Id-ul-Fitr at Khwairamband Ima Keithel on July 17 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

The courage of Manipuri women is well known all over the world. The contribution she has made in every field through the ages is being recorded and we are proud of this. Be it the Nupilal or the Meirapaibi movement the quantity of contribution our ladies are making to the society is not less than that of the men. The Meitei lady has tradition of being the bread earners of the family.

The same may not be true for every family. In case of Meitei pangal (Muslims), women do not earn the living to that extent like the women of other communities in Manipur. But Muslim women help for the household duties/chores in their respective homes. Inspite of their contributions in their families the status of Manipuri women particularly Muslims is considered to be very low.

Both the status of men and women is sought to be at the same level for a developed society. To study and discuss the present status of Manipuri Muslim women and finding ways and means for their improvement is highly needed. We collectively need to devise policy, program with due deliberations especially for Muslim women taking into account the acceptable ways of religion.

Islamic religion does not discourage women education; it does not advocate that women should remain indoors only. Rather Islam advocates clear cut role of an educated and responsible mother. It is high time women themselves should find out what are the acceptable ways and how to take the responsibility in nation building the part that is expected from them. Society in general should encourage and facilitate such initiative by women groups. The status of Muslim women in Manipur can be discussed in three broad categories. The categories are Educational Social and Economic status.

The aim of this article is to study the present status of Manipuri Muslim Women and bring out the challenges ahead.

Educational Status:

The importance of education for developing a society need not be elaborated. To create an educated society the role of women and requirement of their education is well known. If the future mother of the society is not educated, how can we think of an educated society? Thus for a well educated Manipuri Muslim society the education of Muslim women is an important part of this write-up.

This point cannot be neglected at all. Let us see, what is the present status of education among the Manipuri women?

Table 1: The comparative educational status (%) (MOBC, Manipur, 2004)
SL.No    Category        Percentage
(a)     Muslim Female        41.6%
(b)     Female (state as a whole)        60.5%
(c)     Muslim Male        75.0%
(d)     Male (State as a whole)        80.3%

Factors Responsible For Low Percentage of Education among Muslim Women

There are several factors for the lack of education among the Manipuri Muslim Women. The main reasons are-

(a) Wrong perception: There used to be wrong perception in respect of modern education among the Muslims throughout India in the early 16th and 17th century. It was Sir Syed Ahmed Khan who mobilized Indian Muslims for modern education. Numbers of religious scholars were against his movement of modern education.

The same perception that Muslim women should remain at home just to become an obedient housewife and to look after the household activities were prevalent in Manipur till early twentieth century. There were admission problems of girls in the modern schools. In one instance one brother went to court against one particular school in 1970 for not allowing his sister's admission. There were only two girl students in pre-university course when Lilong Haoreibi College the only college in Muslim concentrated area of Manipur was established.

Thus there is perception that education by girl students will go against the purda system. It was believed that free mixing of girls with boys will affect the religion and there is no requirement for a girl to earn higher educational degrees as she does not require going out of the house. This thinking leads to casual attitude towards girls' education.

Generally the education of girls was restricted to enable her read and write only. Most of the girls drop out at the matriculation level of education. Nowadays there is a slight change in the old thinking. There is a realization in the importance of girls' education.

The role of a mother in the future of a child and the future of a society is well understood. The influence of a mother to a child is more pronounced than the influence of a father. Thus, for a better well educated society we need to acquire well educated mothers. Although, the old perception has been changed the educational preference of girls comparing boys in Muslim Society of Manipur is still less.

Education is not only for going out of the home and leading a public life. Education is for earning knowledge. The knowledge can be used in every walk of life. Without or proper education of a mother how can we expect an educated child. The foundations of child are built up in his early days at home. The role of mothers and their influence to their children is very seriously taken.

How can we expect a good foundation of the child from an illiterate mother? Thus the casual attitude towards education of women and the wrong perception that education of girls is against the principles of Islam. Education of women should be totally improved to make an educated Manipuri Muslim Society and progressive Manipur society as a whole.

(b) Child labour: Secondly, the girls are always given to carry out household activities in her early childhood. Right from early stage in her childhood a girl was used to tell that she should be responsible for household work, thus, she is engaged in the household task. Her brother could be playing or studying but she will be negotiated to do household jobs.

Helping her mother in her daily household work in appropriate time when she is not studying is not bad, but what is bad is she has to give up her study time for doing household works. If a girl can wash her dish why cannot her brother too do the same?

Every member of the family can equally share the household jobs. Who has defined/assigned the drudgery work for the girl? Thus, the education of a girl child is affected due to this irresponsible tradition.

Another very disturbing truth is about employing these little angels as vegetable hawkers at some markets of Manipur. Early in the morning while her brother is on his study table, these lesser human beings are negotiating the price of vegetables in the market. It is total exploitation of the girl children by their parents as a child labour.

If we look into their family closer we will find the fathers of these girls wasting their time in local tea shops gossiping away to glory. Why cannot the father take the responsibility of selling vegetables and let their daughter be in the study table as her brother.

Therefore, employing a girl child for household activity and as vegetable hawker in the critical time of study should be stopped.

to be contd...