Col. W. McCulloch in his report to Government of India dated February 28, 1867, reported that the Raja was the absolute proprietor of the soil in Manipur, utilising it as he liked. No one was prohibited from cultivating, rather on the contrary, for every male who came for duty was entitled to cultivate one "purree" of land, paying a rent for the same. The state rent was nominally 2 baskets of rice in the husks, the basketful weighing 50 or 60 pounds; but usually 12 or 13 baskets were taken. However, considering that the worst "purree" of land yielded 100 baskets and the best from 160 to 200 baskets, 13 baskets was not a high rent, but was a matter of grievance as long as the "purree" of the cultivator’s land was of standard measure, which was very seldom the case. A "purree" of land was estimated around 3 acres. Besides Col. W. McCulloch, Dr. R. Brown had also confirmed this rental system of cultivation in his reports, also stating that the king was the absolute proprietor of the land of Manipur. Thus, measuring baskets that were traditionally used for measuring crops in the state were also used for payment of rent of the cultivation land to the state. Today, the baskets used for measuring grains in Manipur are usually found in houses having a granary. The grain measured in these baskets is levelled off at the surface with the help of a long bamboo tube or Utong. Efforts are made to make the rim of these measuring baskets as firm and hard as possible, the outer surface is suitably lined with cow dung. For measuring grain, the following measure system is prevalent in the valley: 64 Utongs equalled to 1 Shangbai; 2 Laitangs equalled to 1 Likmai; 2 Likmais equalled to 1 Shangbai and 2 Shangbais equalled to 1 Pot. The diameter of a Laitang basket at its mouth is 37 centimetres and height is 20.5 centimetres. The same for a Likmai basket at is 46 centimetres and 25.5 centimetres respectively. The diameter of a Shangbai basket at its mouth is 48.5 centimetres, with height being 34 centimetres. The traditional method of measuring grain is still prevalent in all areas of the valley of Manipur, where people still buy and sell grain, and while delivering the grain by the tenants to people who own the paddy fields. Again, in an almost similar fashion, people in the valley use a small measuring basket, called Miruk, to measure rice. The mode of measurement is 24 Miruks equalling to 1 Cheng. Apart from measuring purpose, people in the valley use baskets for the purpose of storage profusely. These storage baskets are used for storing dry fish, meat, grain, chilli, cloth, yarn, ornaments etc. The size varies as per the purpose of use. It may range from a very small basket to a big one which may stretch up to a height much taller than an average person. In the valley, people in the villages nowadays use storage baskets for storing dry fish and chilli only. A similar make of the Ngarubak, a small storage basket used normally for storing dry fish, is also used by the Meitheis in the form of the Lubak basket, to contain the image and the spirit of the household deity Snamahi. The basket symbolises the presence of Snamahi, and is still observed as a sacred representation of the deity who occupies a secluded place in the south-western corner of every Meithei household. The Meitheis also cut up big bamboo poles into pieces to form small bamboo tubes, and after affixing bamboo lids on the open ends, these tubes are used for storing salts and Hentaknga, dry spiced fish. These bamboo tubes are termed Uning. Sometimes, cane splits are tied a few centimetres below the mouth of the Uning. People in the valley of Manipur also use a small elongated basket with a lid to store important documents. To make the basket water tight, the whole of the basket is oiled thoroughly with Khe, a waxy substance extracted from the Khe tree. This safeguards the documents kept inside. The lid is made inseparable from the body of the basket by means of a strap attached to the basket. The Meitheis use a grain storage basket without lid, which has a small width but is lengthy and tall. After making these baskets, the usual practice amongst the Meitheis in the valley is to apply cow dung on both the inner and outer surfaces, so as to strengthen the basket. Related Articles: Bamboo and Cane Crafts of Manipur Crafts of Manipur Baskets Basket Weaving Techniques in Manipur Bamboo Products of Meitheis in Manipur Meithei Language Cane Craft Bamboo, Indian Plant Bamboo Crafts in India Manipur |