Weaving heritage of the Manipur people is near extinction

Manipuris are one of the minority ethnic groups living in the Northeastern corner of Bangladesh. They have been living in many different corners of the Sylhet region since about 300 years ago, and the Manipuris of Bangladesh have developed a distinct folk culture and traditions, different from their Indian counterparts.

The Manipuri women have a reputation regarding the diversified types of clothes they weave, which is quite distinctive and is well regarded among the handicraft connoisseurs of the country. 

However, this tradition is slowly going out of style among the Manipuri people nowadays, as they are not getting adequate government backing to continue their craft.

There was a time when this craft was quite ubiquitous among the Manipuri people, and the sound of weaving was heard from almost every Manipuri household. 

However, these days are long gone, and if the government and other organisations make no intervention, the craft will not likely last long.

There are many stories related to the history of these clothes. It's estimated that in the 12th century, in the Mongrai region of the state of Manipur, India, cloth weaving achieved a certain aesthetic standard under the patronage of Manipuri princess Thoibi, and it had such superior quality that it is still preserved in the Manipur museum.

According to the weavers, the decline of this trade is due to many reasons, as the cost of raw materials required for weaving has been increasing with time, along with the proliferation of different types of machine-based weaving procedures. 

Along with all these, there is a real inadequacy of capital, which also largely leads to this issue. Many modern designs also cannot be incorporated into the craft to maintain the archaic designs' distinctiveness, which is not helping the cause either.

Many Manipuri females have been involved in the profession for several generations, and there is still no trend of buying other clothes in their households. 

However, they have complained that they do not get adequate support from the government in this regard. 

In the Kamalganj and Srimangal districts of Sylhet, there is still a vibrant weaving culture among the Manipuris. Without proper patronage, it is not going to sustain itself.

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