Imaginative Creation and Power Dynamics: The Sociocultural Significance of Laiphadibi in Meitei Society

This research explores the concept of “imaginative creation” through the Laiphadibi, a traditional doll of the Meitei community in Manipur, India, and its role in reflecting and shaping socio-cultural norms, gender roles, and collective identity. Drawing on Castoriadis’ (1975) theory of the imaginary institution of society, the study examines how material objects like the Laiphadibi embody societal imaginaries and act as sites for both conformity and resistance. The Laiphadibi serves multifaceted roles as a children's toy, a ritual object in magico-religious practices, a market commodity, and a symbol in popular culture. These roles highlight its significance in reinforcing moral socialization and gender norms while offering a lens through which individuals express creativity and negotiate societal boundaries. The problem addressed is how symbolic objects like the Laiphadibi mediate power dynamics and societal control through collective imagination, particularly in contexts shaped by indigenous and Hindu traditions. Employing an ethnographic approach, the study utilizes case studies, informal interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation. It focuses on four districts in Manipur—two relatively unaffected by Hinduism and two characterized by a fusion of indigenous and Hindu practices. The findings reveal that the Laiphadibi functions as a dynamic cultural artefact, where its use in magico-religious contexts and everyday life simultaneously upholds traditional norms and provides avenues for individual agency and resistance. This research contributes to a broader sociological understanding of how everyday objects serve as mediums through which societal structures and power dynamics are both reinforced and contested.