Role of flowers in the whole ensemble of Meitei/ Meetei Women

Women use flowers on the upper part of the ear and buns of hair to beautify themselves. They help in arousing the amorous feelings of the men. The use of flowers by women can be seen in the paintings of Ningthoujam Bhadra which were executed in the early part of the 20^th century. The manuscripts, ‘Leirol’ describes the origin, form and color of flowers. Girls, when they take part in the festival of lai haraoba adorn their ears with flowers; red colored flowers are preferably used. Red flowers, as the girls do, are the favorites of married women also. They are used to add more beauty by using them on the ear and buns of hair. Both girls and women use sweet-smelling leihao numbering more than one among and on the hair.

Once it was a usual practice for youth to beg for leihao from those girls whom they were after. This happens when the girls are wearing them on the head. If there is a favorite among the young men, the girl will offer the leihao along with a stand of her hair. The young men will enjoy the experience by smelling the flower. Nachom, a small posy, is prepared by placing different flowers around a thin piece of bamboo that measures around 6 centimeters and the flowers are tied down with a length of thread. They are worn around ears by girls and women. The inner desires of the weavers are expressed through these nachom. Love and its answers are conveyed by the use of the form, color and its characteristic. Some of the flowers used in preparing a nachom are takhellei, chigonglei, petruklei and kundalei. A young man may gift a carefully arranged nachom to a girl that he loves. If the girl puts it on the right ear, it indicates that she may not be able to give a proper response and she has already got someone that she is in favor of. The placing of the nachom on the left ear gives the message that she is not in love with anybody. The girl may not use the nachom on the ear and she can return it by rearranging the nachom with the inclusion of chigonglei and petruklei. This signifies that she is in no position to love him. The return of the nachom that has kundalei encircled by lots of chigonglei leaves shows that they may face lots of enmity. Nowadays, the uses of flowers, as a means of express the desires and yearning of both girl and the young man is no longer in fashion.

Reference - Manipuri Costumes Through the Ages (Manipur, Bangladesh, Myanmar)  by Mutua Bahadur

 Note - The Images are mine.

Model- Sangreela Maisnam