A textile manufacturing unit in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh has started manufacturing a scarf imitating the traditional ‘Leirum Phee’ of Manipur. Leirum Phee designed as Lengyan (muffler) is highly esteemed by the Manipuris. Just like the “gamusa” in Assam, this piece of cloth holds a cultural & emotional significance in the state.
The mass production of the lengyan has raised ojections from weavers and people in Manipur.
The makers of the Barabanki textile unit informed that they were inspired by the dress code of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the nation. In his address on 14th April to announce the Lockdown 2.0, Modi was seen wearing a Leirum Phee as a face cover.
“I saw the PM wearing the ‘gamcha’ while addressing the nation. I copied the design & started manufacturing at my unit. This ‘gamcha’ is in high demand but we are unable to supply it outside Barabanki due to COVID-19 induced lockdown”, Obaid Ansari, unit’s owner in Shahvpur village.
Photo source: ANI
Objecting the mass production, K Lamlee Kamei, director, Handloom & Textiles department, Manipur, has written a letter to the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, pointing out the cultural and economic significance of the cloth.
In the letter Kamei wrote that the traditional ‘Leirum Phee’ designed as official ‘Lengyan’ (muffler) has cultural, historical, and emotional importance for the people from Manipur. He added that the directorate has started the process of acquiring a geographical indication (GI) tag for ‘phee’, which means cloth in Manipur’s Meitei language, but the Covid-19 outbreak has hindered the process.
The ‘Leirum Phee’ was officially used in the first India ASEAN Motor Car Rally in 2004, the letter said.
This is not the first time when Modi had adorned a leirum phee lengyan. He wore it on the celebration of 73rd Independence Day in 2019 at Red Fort, New Delhi.
