15. Conclusion

Thus on ultimate reckoning, Manipuri gender rose above the universally acknowledged role of being the 'weaker gender'. Just to lay out a proper setting for some critical considerations, a few questions may be pondered on the basis of the points recapitulated hereunder:

a) Does an assessment of their deeds render them the role of fire-fighters, which brings out their latent power in an emergency (and at the most of some stray) 'intuitive qualities' more as an irreducible bottomline ?

b) Are they the acknowledged trend-setters in the long twists and sharp turns in the recent history of Manipuri society, holding out their qualities of aiming high?

c) Should they be assigned the role of catalytic agents in the vicissitudes of Manipur history, whereby they exhibited their astute qualities of discerning the good from the bad?

d) Or, by far, have they excelled in their avatar (incarnation) of turning the tides of history, showing off all the superhuman qualities and radiance of convincing the entire world that here stood on this pedestal of the Nupi Lal Memorial at Imphal (Photoplate 12-4) all the unnaturally aloft towering personality with ultimate concern for the futurity (Had not the women stood out, one never knows how long the wheels of change might have been held back)?

e) Or finally do they seem to hold the destiny of Manipuri society (aptly holding out the true aptitudes of positive and all-out reformists), come what may?

However, each of the above need be properly answered only on the basis of empirical findings. But intuitively speaking, the gender history of Manipur evidences a clearly multifaceted personality, activity orientation and role-transition to suit all kinds of exigencies.

Further there is still a long way to go in the gender struggle for parity of sorts. For still in terms of inheritance and the associated question of the offspring of two different caste parents necessarily adopting the caste of the father but not that of the mother, etc. many lego-social hurdles have to be cleared.

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