Abstract

This paper is a descriptive study of the Meitei community’s usop chakluk (feast platter), which constitutes at least seventeen dishes that are ritually placed in fixed positions. It attempts to discuss ritualistic nuances that go into the preparation of this chakluk —from the recipe of every dish to its preparation and the science involved in the placing of the dishes. It highlights the composition, the rules of serving, the concept of sacredness involved in the procuring, making, and eating of the chakluk. Through this, it tries to explore the aspect and role of memory in the re-enaction of cultural knowledge regarding rituals of consumption of the Meitei community.
Through an ethnographic exploration of three spaces involving both the public and private realm—the kitchen, the community feasting, and market system, the paper explores the notion of eating which is imbued with cultural symbolism and ritualistic importance. The ingredients used in such chakluks or feasts are mostly sourced from the Ima Keithel (Women Market) in Manipur where one can see the convergence of the sacred and the profane. The Ima Keithel thus serves as a significant culinary contact zone. The historical importance of Ima Keithel and its continuing relevance is explored to understand the linkages of traditions and contemporary innovations in community feasting. Eating as an effective tool in these spaces evokes different emotions, follows distinct trajectories and serves to invoke certain memories of the past whilst creating new ones at the same time.