Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ñaño house with mausoleum skull in foreground.
Ñaño Casa Museo
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
Honningsvåg Bamse Statue
The salt cairn.
The Lewis and Clark Salt Works
South entrance.
Reigate Tunnel
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The 2,653-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail spans the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
Meet the Volunteers Who Keep Thru-Hikers Moving
9 days ago
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House building on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Could New Border Restrictions Literally Tear the Haskell Free Library Apart?
10 days ago
A woman peering into the cave of Sarah Bishop c. 1900.
The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism
10 days ago
The Big Well
This Kansas Town Advertised the World’s Largest Well. It Wasn’t.
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All India Ima Market

Ima Market

Established in the 16th century, this "mother's market" is run entirely by women.

Imphal, India

Added By
Alex Perrault
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Market exterior with the Manipur state flag   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Market exterior with the Manipur state flag   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Market exterior at dusk   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Colorful vendors selling textiles   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Inside one of the tall market buildings   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Square between market buildings at dusk   evilolive / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

This Place Is a Stub

Help improve this place with additional information or photos.

Make an Edit

About

A brightly-colored bonanza of shopping, the Ima or "Mother's" Market covers three large buildings in the city of Imphal, India. Established in the 16th century, the market hosts around 5,000 vendors who sell a variety of products, from fruit and vegetables to seafood and spices to toys and textiles.

Like so many things in India, the market is administered by a union, in this case, made up of all of its vendors. There are a vast number of public markets in the country, but this one stands alone in both its composition and its dedication to representing women-owned businesses.

Related Tags

Women History & Culture Markets

Know Before You Go

The market can get quite busy, but it's an excellent place to buy authentic local wares in a controlled setting.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Delhi and Rajasthan: Colors of India

Discover Colorful Rajasthan: From Delhi to Jaipur and Beyond.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

evilolive

Published

May 7, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/imphal-india-mothers-market-intl-hnk/index.html
  • https://maps.app.goo.gl/sXvNsp6Rs5zU1izM8
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ima_Market
Ima Market
Paona Bazar
Imphal, 795001
India
24.807245, 93.934063
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Loktak Lake

Manipur, India

miles away

Jatinga Bird Deaths

Jatinga, India

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of India

India

Asia

Places 354
Stories 107

Nearby Places

Loktak Lake

Manipur, India

miles away

Jatinga Bird Deaths

Jatinga, India

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of India

India

Asia

Places 354
Stories 107

Related Places

  • The Countess Pillar.

    Brougham, England

    Countess Pillar

    A memorial overlooking a busy roadway is linked with the story of a 17th-century noblewoman’s legal battle for her inheritance.

  • Wat Mongkolratanaram

    Tampa, Florida

    Wat Mongkolratanaram

    Every Sunday for the last 30 years, this Buddhist temple has hosted a market with food and Thai goods.

  • Irgandi Bazaar Bridge

    Bursa, Turkey

    Irgandi Bazaar Bridge

    This Ottoman bridge is a rare covered bridge with shops, and considers itself the only bazaar bridge in the world.

  • Butter Cross

    Scarborough, England

    Butter Cross

    The sole surviving medieval street cross in Scarborough.

  • Northern Cattle Market Wall

    Parkville, Australia

    Northern Cattle Market Wall

    A unique reminder of the once-bustling cattle market during the 19th-century.

  • Edinburgh Meat Market

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    Edinburgh Meat Market

    The lasting remains of a bygone era of open-air meat markets.

  • Janakpur Women’s Development Center

    Janakpur, Nepal

    Janakpur Women's Development Center

    This organization has been at the forefront of empowering Nepali women through art.

  • Hillsborough Barracks

    Sheffield, England

    Hillsborough Barracks

    This commercial and retail center was crafted from walled military barracks.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.