 "Rajkumar Budisana")
An image of two cheerful women, sitting atop a pile of charcoal, with their faces slightly sooty appears on my Facebook timeline. With my curiosity piqued, I click on the image and realise that these are the women charcoal sellers of Manipur. "Our makeup is charcoal dust. The darker, the better. An indicator of how happy our family will be by the end of the day": the accompanying text quotes Guna, who has been selling charcoal packs for the past 20 years.
Several such stories can be found on the page of Souls of Manipur, an Imphal-based photo collective that has been chronicling untold stories of the state's ordinary people. Scroll down and you will find photo stories about a maker of laiphadibi, or traditional dolls, which have been young girls' companions for decades. There's another one about the first all-female orchestra, which has performed at over 30 weddings in six months.
At a time when the only stories from the state in mainstream media are related to blockades, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and violence, it's heartening to get a micro picture of the everyday lives of the common people - stories of bravery and inspiration that everyone can connect with.
Started by three siblings - Ronel, Robin and Rabina Seram - in September last year, Souls of Manipur has touched quite a chord with the community living both in the state and outside. "We are losing out on some of the gems and nuggets of wisdom, which are such an integral part of the community. That's where this work becomes significant," says Delhi-based Kishore Seram, founder and editor, Discover India's Northeast, the first magazine dedicated to the eight states.
The two brothers, Ronel and Robin, have been photographing people during their travels for years now. But they decided to give it an organised form last year. The evocative text accompanying the images is written by their sister, 27-year-old Rabina, who is based in Bengaluru and has recently completed a degree in mass communication. "We didn't go out consciously looking for stories. We stumbled upon a lot of these while trekking around," says 30-year-old Ronel, who also runs a film and photography firm, Epic Films, with Robin in Imphal.
Sometimes shot on their mobile phones and at other times on a professional camera, the brothers ensure that the stories are recorded to maintain accuracy.
Today, their Facebook page has 5,224 subscribers and one of the most popular stories on it is that of the woman autorickshaw driver, 48-year-old Laibi Oinam . The brothers spotted her at a traffic light and tracked her down. Initially, she was reticent about sharing her story, but opened up with time. "Women auto drivers are such a rarity in these parts. She told us that her husband was ill and the family was in financial doldrums. She had no other skill apart from driving and hence took it up," they share. The story has touched everyone who has read it. "What I liked was that they portrayed her as an individual and an equal, rather than patronising her as a woman," says Imphal-based Pavel Sagolsem, who works with NGOs on gender issues.
This alternative gaze into the state appeals to those from the community living in other cities, who feel that issues in the state are always not related to politics or the army. Rather, they stem from ideologies and mindsets. "I have been out of Manipur for the past 21 years now. When I see the news, I feel scared for friends back home. But the stories told by Souls of Manipur give us hope," says Koiremba Singh, professor of international relations, Christ University, Bengaluru.
Rajkumar Budisana, 84, has been to sports meets in China and Indonesia for games ranging from lawn tennis to athletics. He begins his workout sessions at 5 am every day. “When I was in China, people called me ‘Manipur Lion’,” he says
Laibi Oinam, 48, used to work with her husband in a brick kiln until he contracted diabetes. The couple bought an auto to rent it out. However, bad experiences with five drivers over two years made Oinam realise that she would have to take up the job. It’s been six years now since Oinam started driving and she feels that she may go insane if she stops for long
(From left) Nancy Kangabam (bass), Roxy (vocals), Goldie Sapam (drums), Anjali Aribam (lead guitar). This hard rock band, Maniac, was formed in 2013 to express its contempt of gender inequality
In 2012, Sarita decided to take up her husband’s profession of bodybuilding . This mother of two then entered the first-ever women’s bodybuilding competition in Manipur and emerged as the second runner-up. Since then she has won my national and international titles and will be heading to Uzbekistan in September to compete in the under-49 kg category in the Ms Asia competition.
(From front) Guna, Rase, Hemolata and Indrani (From front) Guna, Rase, Hemolata and Indrani. From 6 am to 8 pm every day, these women sell charcoal packs priced between Rs 20 and Rs 600. “We are considered as the angels that bring warmth to homes in the deadly winter, and devils for environment police at the same time,” says Guna.
