In order to revive the art and craft and spread awareness among the residents about the same Longpi, which is a village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district has lent its name to black earthenware crafted by the Tangkhul community without using a potter’s wheel.
Manipur plans craft map:
The Geographical Indication tagged and the ultra-fine Manipuri half sari called ‘moirang phee’ is similarly named after Moirang village from where it originated.
Additionally, Thangjam Leikai in the Imphal East district derived its name from ‘thang’, meaning knife, making it the State’s go-to locality for kitchen knives, garden implements and other agricultural tools.
Thoubal district’s USP:
The Unique Selling Proposition of Thoubal district is a range of products made from ‘kauna’, a firm-stemmed grass that grows naturally in the shallow lakes, canals and marshy lands.
These and other art forms have been mapped by the Mission for Economic Empowerment of Traditional Artisans and Craftsmen (MEETAC), Manipur, and the National Institute of Design.
About craft map:
According to sources, the craft map, based on a field survey by a team of experts in 2018-19, is probably the first of its kind. The idea behind it was to provide equal, concentrated attention to all art forms.
The craft map which was prepared more than a year ago goes into details of Manipur’s handloom and handicraft traditions. The attention to this map was drawn after Konsam Ibomcha Singh received the 2022 Padma Shri for doll-making craft along with Lourembam Bino Devi, who was similarly honoured for preserving the State’s ‘leeba’ applique textile art for more than five decades.
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