Tribal hand woven fabrics of Manipur
- Part 13 -

By: Mutua Bahadur *

Purum

The maximum number of different kinds of cloth for the Purum (Chothe) is 18 while that of the Purum (Kom) is 13. The cloths which belong to the Purum (Chothe) are-

i) Women's fanek: Ekuok Punbil (Fig. 106) which has black borders and stripes in white and blue, Ahopunsan, Khentral which has black borders and stripes in red, white and black, Lamlangphanek which has stripes in red and a darkened colour with black margin and next to the black margin is red band which has ordinary extra warp designs, Sandolik (Fig. 107) and Sipersibup.

Sandolik is a black bordered cloth with stripes in red, black, green and yellow but Sipersibup has black border and stripes in black and red.

ii) Men's cloth: Kotana (Fig. 100), Uikechong (Fig. 105), Thalkuiam (Fig. 102), Ampun hengkung sapa, Rangngam Busun (Fig. 103), Thamachet (Fig. 101), Purum Pal (Fig. 97), Laidil (Fig. 104), Pheeseng (Fig. 98), Paluplamhor (Fig.99), Awamphi and Tungkap or Leirum. Kontana has extra weft designs throughout the whole body. The whole body of Uikechong has extra weft designs of Uikechong (dog's footprint).

The Rangngam Busun motifs means 'lunch pack' of a hero called Rangngam. Thamachet pattern means a piece of moon and it is crafted throughout the body of the cloth. Laidil, Purum Pal, Pheeseng and Paluplamhor also have designs throughout the whole body. Awamphi or Leiyengphi (Fig 158) is decorated with a pattern symbolising 'the stripe of a tiger' throughout the whole cloth.

Thalkuiam pattern means arrowhead and these are created in the border on which are designs signifying Hengkungsapa (wooden pigswill). All other cloths of Purum (Chothe) have only extra weft designs and the only one having extra warp ordinary design is the red and white striped men's shawl called Tungkap or Leirum.

The cloths used by the Purum (Kom) are the women's shawl, Aipui Ruko; bachelor's cloth, Ponjaldum; man's turban, Ponthal Lukom and Amchal Lukom; women's shawl, Sairem Ponlang; waist band or women's shawl, Mukhamjar; wrapper used by a mother to carry a child on her back, Koram (Fig. 112) and Nahong. Women's fanek include Khamtang (Fig.109), Chalakok-in (Fig.110), Saipuikhup (Fig. 114), Ponvolchel (Fig. 108) and a wrapper for dead to bury, Jamsil. Purum (Kom) also use a cloth known as Puandum which is imported from other tribes.

On the blue base of Aipui Ruko (Fig. 115), extra weft of red and white are used to weave the design of Aipui Ruko ( ventral side of crab), Murulwom (ventral portion of snake), Aitangpar (flower of Curcuna zedoaria). Ponjaldum is a black cloth with no designs and is used by bachelors. The cloth used as turban by the Purum man is known as Ponthal Lukom (Fig. 117) and it has extra weft designs in red, yellow, green and white on the blue base.

Amchal Lukom (Fig. 116) is a white cloth with extra weft designs. The white border of Sairem Ponlang (Fig. 113) has extra weft designs denoting Sairem (elephant's foot), Thai (arrowhead). Mukhamjar (Fig. 111) is also a white cloth having red extra weft design of Romaipan (bamboo flower).

Koram is a white cloth having red and black colour extra weft design of Raikhoam (Loudraobi, a spirit) in the border. This cloth is gifted by a mother to her daughter on the occasion of her first childbirth to bear the child on her back. Ponvolchel has stripes of blue upon white and red border but it bears no design, Saipuikhup is almost black though the marginal area has designs in red and yellow.

116. Section of Purum turban - Amchal lukom Extra weft design. Size:31x202 cm.
117. Section of Purum turban - Ponthal lukom. Extra weft design. Size: 216x204 cm.

See a gallery photo of Tribal hand woven fabrics of Manipur here.

To be continued ....

Mutua Bahadur

* Mutua Bahadur contributes to e-pao.net regularly. This article was webcasted on February 13, 2013.