A Feminist Reading of Panthoipi Khongkul

Abstract

The voices of women are often marginalised and silenced. In modern feminism, Kate Millett's Sexual Politics (1970) used the term “patriarchy” (rule of the father) to describe the cause of women's oppression. Panthoipi Khongkul is a myth narrative of Manipur, a state in Northeast India, detailing the rebellion of a legendary woman, Panthoipi, against the patriarchal society of the early Manipuri. The text details how Panthoipi bravely defied the social customs and chose to be united forever in bliss with her paramour. The myth narrative deals with the desire of a woman represented by Panthoipi to ascertain her dignity and identity in a patriarchal society. This chapter seeks to examine the feminist perspective of how “woman” has been represented in Panthoipi Khongkul in the context of the early patriarchal Manipuri society. It further explores on how the feminist reading of Panthoipi Khongkul will assist in striving to achieve equality of sexes.