Haobam Satyabati Devi

Imphal, April 17: If Shakespeare had a sister, just as talented and imaginative as him, she would still be minding the stew and mending socks and never be the court laureate, wrote Virginia Woolf in 1929.

Seventy-nine years later, Woolf’s Manipuri sisters could not agree more. They are celebrating the publication of the first anthology of Manipuri women’s short stories in English — Malem (The Earth) — but can’t stop lamenting about their invisibility from the world canon.

“When you are a housewife, you are more worried about availability of potable water and power supply. Could you possibly concentrate on your writings?” asked Haobam Satyabati, a Khaidem Pramodini gold medal-winning writer and one of the contributors to Malem.

Malem has 31 short stories by 21 women members of Leikol, a literary organisation that published the anthology.

“Though work by male writers is acknowledged in literary circles outside the state, works by women authors are little known. So our organisation decided to translate them into English so that readers outside the state can read us,” said Satyabati.

Padmashree Maharajkumari Binodini Devi, who is the founder president of the organisation, Chongtham Jamini Devi, the current chairperson of Manipur Women’s Commission and young, well-known writer Nee Devi are contributors to the collection.

“Leikol believes that voices of Manipuri women writers will find their echo beyond the frontiers of Manipur as, I need hardly reiterate, translation breaks the geographical, cultural, political, religious and social barriers,” said Ch Jamini Devi, the editor of Malem.

The issues addressed by the writers range from infidelity, insurgency to domestic nitty-gritties and wildlife.

Satyabati’s Price, for instance, narrates how a wife teaches a lesson to her philanderer husband by frolicking with other men. If a husband does not stop womanising, he will have to pay the price by tolerating his wife’s infidelity.

Malem is the second book by women writers of Manipur. The first book was Leikolgi Nachom, published in 2003. It received the Best Book Award from the Manipur State Central Library that year.

Leikol’s endeavour, however, is not confined only to upholding women writers of Manipur.

“Leikol’s aim is to develop Manipuri language and literature. Besides, our organisation is researching on literature, women issues, culture and organises conferences and seminars on women issues,” said Binodini Devi.