Marginal Voices in Anti-Colonial Movements: Revisiting Ema Sara Bibi’s Role in Nupi Lan
Written by Dr Syed Ahmed, Associate Professor, Department of History, Dhanamanjuiri University
Remembering Sara Bibi and Others Who Took Part in the Nupi Lan of 1939
Nupi Lan will be celebrated on December 12. Our organization, Writers’ Union, Imphal, is preparing to observe Nupi Lan. In the past, I had participated in observation functions of Nupi Lan organized by UMMDO, a CSO. I was invited to their observations at Khabeisoi and Kwakta and delivered speeches on the history of Nupi Lan and its relevance in today’s society.
In connection with our upcoming programme, I recently visited Khergao Sabal Leikai in Imphal East District and met Sara Bibi’s family to know more about her. I had a conversation with Sara Bibi’s daughter-in-law, Muni Begum, 70 years old, married to Sara Bibi’s only son, Md. Sirajuddin (died in 2018). Later, a small boy took me to the graveyard of Sara Bibi, which lies a few meters from the house. The family had marked the grave of Sara Bibi with a pucca structure, but there was no plaque engraving the name, years, or other details.
Later, I met a woman of around 80 years named Khairun Bibi, a potphambi (vendor) at Khwairamband Bazar. She was introduced by one of the members of our organization, Md. Najeba, as a potphambi who was very close to Sara Bibi. I was told that Sara Bibi continued to sit at Khwairamband Bazar until her death. She sold hidakmana (dry tobacco leaves), and her potpham (place) was also close to Sara Bibi’s plot. Now, Sara Bibi’s plot is occupied by her daughters.
Khairun Bibi told me that she has been earning her living as a potphambi at Khwairamband Bazar for the last 50 years. Interestingly, she was originally from Phundrei. She married Md. Kheiruddin from Khergao Sabal Leikai. She bought the potpham from a local woman named Pitruma in the 1960s after paying her Rs. 200. She has been selling eggs since then.
Notably, as far as I know, the egg business was mostly carried out by Meitei Pangal women in and around Khwairamband Keithel until recently. One of my friend’s mothers from Keikhu had a large shop at Thangmeiband, near the flyover, where she sold eggs to potphambis and others at wholesale rates. I visited the shop often to meet my friend. The woman has since passed away, and the family has closed the shop.
Khairun Bibi narrated that Md. Alimuddin frequently visited the keithel, listened to their demands, and worked for its infrastructural development when he became Chief Minister. Licences were given to the potphambis.
That is why veteran communist politician, Dr. Nara, once mentioned in a speech delivered on the occasion of the observance of JNU PG University Foundation Day at Manipur University that when Md. Alimuddin’s MPP-led government fell, the potphambis of Khwairamband Bazar cried.
From the conversation with Khairun, I came to know that in the western Khwairamband market complex, there were several Meitei Pangal potphambis who sold eggs, hidakmana, vegetables, etc. Over the years, the majority of the Meitei Pangal potphambis sold their plots. Today, there are just a few of them. Khairun Bibi is the oldest.
It may be mentioned that several decades ago, just behind the market complex, there was a yen-yonpham (poultry market), where Meitei Pangals used to sell hens/cocks, chickens, ducks and ducklings, geese (kangnga), etc. Meetei Hindus did not engage in this business. Their religion did not allow them to eat meat or its products, nor to take up poultry farming. Even the book Imphal, written by Sir Geoffrey Evans and Antony Brett-James, which chronicles the Battle of Imphal (1944), part of WWII, mentions this particular market. The book was published in 1964.
Later, the poultry market was shifted to the gate of the Old District Hospital. I still remember the market, as my mother usually bought fowl from there. I also often accompanied her.
During the Congress regime, probably after the construction of the three new Khwairamband Market Complexes, the poultry market was shifted to the new market complex behind Khwairamband, possibly as a temporary arrangement. I recall that during that time, the yen-yonpham vendors came to meet my father. They requested my father, who was a legislator then, to address their issue to the Chief Minister. The State Government tried to provide a permanent place, but it did not materialize.
Sara Bibi was born at Khetri Thoubalkhong, in a family of Baseimayum sagei. She was married to Nur Ali Shah (died in 1984), a resident of Khergao Sabal Leikai. She passed away on November 19, 1996.
Sara Bibi and several other Meitei Pangal potphambis joined the women agitators in the Nupi Lan of December 1939. The Second Nupi Lan was an agitation against the imperialist policies of the British administrators. In fact, it broke out when local rice was exported to Indian states by non-local businessmen (Marwaris) with the support of the British rulers, leading to an acute shortage of rice for the local population. However, the agitation soon became a movement demanding administrative reforms and the setting up of a democratic political setup in Manipur, which was led by Hijam Irabot.
Highlighting the significance of the Nupi Lan, Sanamani Yambem (in Nupi Lan: Manipur Women’s Agitation, 1939 in Economic & Political Weekly, Feb. 21, 1976) writes:
The Nupi Lan, which started as an agitation by Manipuri women against the economic policies of the Maharaja and the Marwari monopolists, later changed its character to become a movement for constitutional and administrative reform in Manipur. The original demands of the women were confined to the banning of rice exports, but later their demands also included changes in the Durbar and the administrative set-up. The importance of the Nupi Lan lies in the fact that it prepared the ground for the leading role played by the women of Manipur in the emergence of a new Manipur after the end of the Second War.
List of Muslim Women Who Took Part in the Agitation of 1939:
Muslim women jailed for destroying the Kasturi Store:
1. Mrs. Sara Bibi, wife of Nur Ali, from Khergao Sabal Leikai
2. Mrs. Tombi Bibi, wife of Ibrahim
3. Mrs. Shajoubi Bibi, wife of Nurali, from Khetri Awang Leikai
Muslim women involved in the incident of 12 December 1939:
1. Mrs. Yaima Bibi, wife of Amubi, from Pangkhong
2. Mrs. Apambi Bibi, wife of Usmail, from Keikhu
3. Mrs. Amubi Bibi, wife of Thambou, from Khergao
4. Mrs. Nurjahan Bibi, wife of Hamid, from Khergao
5. Mrs. Tombi Bibi, wife of Amuba, from Khergao
6. Mrs. Amulala Bibi, wife of Sangai Haji, from Khergao
7. Mrs. Marem Bibi, wife of Sabgai Haji, from Khergao
8. Mrs. Heitol Bibi, daughter of Bibisan, from Khergao
9. Mrs. Hasi, wife of Jalan, from Khergao
10. Mrs. Jamila Bibi, wife of Toyai Bengoon Khongba, from Sabal Leikai
11. Mrs. Jamila Bibi, wife of Bashei Munshi, from Khergao
12. Mrs. Garam Bibi, wife of Suleiman, from Khergao
13. Mrs. Duli Achoubi Bibi, wife of Maulvi Asadullah, from Porompat
14. Mrs. Khambi Bibi, wife of Khamba, from Khetri Awang Leikai
15. Mrs. Meherani Bibi, daughter of Tonupa, from Khetri
16. Mrs. Leiren Bibi, wife of Kaji, from Sabal Leikai
17. Mrs. Thanil Bibi, wife of Muham, from Sabal Leikai
18. Mrs. Shara, wife of Chaoba, from Sabal Leikai
19. Mrs. Guljan Bibi, wife of Siddique Ali, from Khetri
20. Mrs. Tomba Bibi, wife of Babu, from Khergao
21. Mrs. Shajoubi Bibi, wife of Nur Ali, from Khetri Awang Leikai
22. Mrs. Safarjan Bibi, wife of Iboton, from Khetri
23. Mrs. Kunje Bibi, wife of a non-Manipuri
24. Mrs. Kulsum Bibi, wife of Chaoba
25. Mrs. Khodi Bibi, wife of Toyai, from Khergao
26. Mrs. Ibeyai Bibi, wife of Nejamun
27. Mrs. Bodon Tombi Bibi, wife of Gulap Mia
28. Mrs. Sanabi Bibi, wife of Sanatol
In December 1996, a letter to the editor of the newspaper Huiyen Lanpao questioned the participation of Meitei Pangal and Kabui women in the Nupi Lan of 1939. Another letter to the editor of *Poknapham* in January 1997 also argued that there was no participation of Pangal women in the Nupi Lan.
In response to these statements, Nasir Ali alias Tonjao Mia from Lilong Uku Makhong wrote in January 1997 that he was on duty as a police constable in front of the Telegram Office on December 12, 1939. He categorically stated that he saw the presence and participation of Meitei Pangal women among the women agitators. They demanded that the Assistant Political Agent (Shoto Saheb) inform the Maharaja to stop the export of rice through a telegram. The said letter reads:
Poknapham
January 14, 1997
Nupi Landa Pangal Nupi
Editor ebungo houkhiba December 31, 1996 enggi Huiyen Panpao amasung January 1, 1997 enggi Poknapham khabarsingda mathangsitna “Nupi Landa Pangal amasung Kabui Nupising karamba matamda youkhi” amadi “Nupi Landa youkhiba singgi matangda haina mingthonba chithi singda eriba warolsing du eihak thengnajare. Chithi sing asida Pangal nupi kana amatana Meitei nupisingna houriba ehoududa thoraktuna youkhide haiba asi aranba waphamni. Thoudok asigi matangda aihakna uhouba wapham kharadang miyamgi mangda thamjari.
Nupi Langi matam aduda (December 1939) aihak esagi chahi 22 rom sure amasung esamak matam aduda Manipur Police ta Thana (Police Constable) oina thabak tourammi. December 12 gi Telegram Office ki mamangda Shoto Sahep pu koisinduna leiba nupisingga sangin happa nongmei paiba siphaisingga enabada sanginna thinduna amadi butna phuduna nupi kayamuk asok-apan nangkhiba amadi sabigi thabakta Khomdram IP na kouba asinachingba thoudoksingdu emitna ujahoui.
Maramdi numit aduda aihaksu mapham aduda (Tar Officeki manakta) duty tai. Tar Office mamangda nupi mayamna Shoto Saheppu chatkhidanaba thatpagi thoudok asida Pangal nupi kayamarum youba emitna ujahoui. Maming mathadi khangjade. Makhoidu Khwairamband keithel phambi nupisingni. Numit adugi duty loiraga numidangwairam aikhoi 6 yum (Lilong) tamna lakpada SIngjamei Bazaar da Bande Mataram louduna leiramba nupi kangbu amana aikhoibu thatuna thanagi koyet angangbada nattana esa-easada setpa phurit khongarao faoba loina munduna louhoui.
December 12, 1939 gi nupi langi thoudokta Pangal nupi kayamuk numit aduda Tar Office ki mamangda Meitei nupisinggi marakta youhouba emitsina ujahoui. Numit aduda Pangal nupi amata youkhide haiba taragadi madu aranba, minambani haina miyamda haijari.
Adomgi,
Nasir Ali urf Tonjao Mia
Lilong Uku Makhong
Another Meitei Pangal, Ahmed Hasan of Khergao, also wrote in response to the Poknapham letter that appeared on January 20, 1997, expressing that Meitei Pangal women who were running businesses, including potphambis in the bazaar, had participated in the great agitation of 1939. Even a few Kabuis from Keishamthong Kabui Khun had written letters to Huiyen Lanpao stating their participation in the agitation at the Telegram Office on December 12, 1939.
The matter became an issue: the Meitei Pangal women agitators of the Nupi Lan, 1939, were not recognized by the State-Level Nupi Lan Observation Committee.
Since then, Meitei Pangal CSOs, particularly the United Manipur Muslim Women’s Development Organization (UMMWDO), have been observing Nupi Lan by paying tribute to those Pangal women who took part in the agitation of 1939.
Several representations have been made by UMMWDO to recognize the Meitei Pangal women agitators of Nupi Lan, but to this day, they have not been given official recognition.
In 2014, MLA L. Ibomcha Singh pleaded on the floor of the Assembly during Zero Hour for recognition of the Meitei Pangal women who took part in the Nupi Lan of 1939.
In October 2015, V.S. Ramting, Under Secretary (Home), wrote an official letter to the DGP, Manipur, requesting recognition of Meitei Pangal fighters, namely Mrs. Sara Bibi and Mrs. Khodi Bibi, who took part in the Second Nupi Lan of 1939.
In December 2017, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, N. Biren, on the occasion of the Observance of Nupi Lan, assured that Meitei Pangal women who participated in the Nupi Lan would be listed prominently from the following year (2018). However, the assurance was not fulfilled.
In January 2019, Sunanda Thokchom, Under Secretary (Art & Culture), Manipur, wrote another letter to the Director (Art & Culture) for the recognition and respect of the Meitei Pangal women who participated in the Nupi Lan of 1939.
In January 2019, Y. Dhanendra Singh, Branch Manager for the Deputy Commissioner, Imphal East District, wrote a letter to the SDO, Porompat, for the recognition and respect of the Meitei Pangal women who participated in the Nupi Lan of 1939.
In May 2019, Md. Abdul Kalam, Deputy Director, Manipur State Archives, wrote another letter to the Director, Art & Culture, for recognizing the Meitei Pangal women who participated in the Nupi Lan of 1939. The letter mentioned:
“Some relevant documents in this regard are found/available in this office. As per the said documents, the request of the United Manipur Muslim Women’s Development Organization, Imphal, may be considered by the Government.”
In December 2021, Pooja Elangbam, SDO, Porompat, sent another official letter addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, Imphal East District, for the recognition of the Meitei Pangal women who participated in the Nupi Lan of 1939.
In spite of all these official procedures, no concrete action has been taken so far.
I conclude this post with the hope that the Hon’ble Chief Minister looks into the matter and instructs the concerned authorities to recognize and give due honour to the Meitei Pangal agitators of the Nupi Lan of 1939.
Source:
P. Kayamuddin, Women’s Agitation and Muslim Women,
Also see: Article
(This piece was posted by the author last December before the observance of Nupi Lan on December 12, 2025. Originally shared as a Facebook post, it is being webcasted by Ichel News Network, considering the historical importance and value of the piece. The article aims to refute the claims made by some individuals that Ema Sara Bibi did not take part in the Nupi Lan of 1939.)