Beyond binaries: ritual, space and trans women in Manipur

This article explores the experiences of nupi maanbi (transgender women) in Manipur, focusing on their contested inclusion in the Lai Haraoba festival. The limitations imposed on nupi maanbi participation exemplify a broader struggle over the legitimacy of their identity, with dominant systems of symbolism, reinforced by cultural gatekeeping by organizations such as the UKAL and Inat Yokhat Lup, subordinating transgender individuals under the guise of 'preserving traditions'. Drawing on Amartya Sen's concept of plural identities, the article explores how nupi maanbis resist being confined to singular categories by asserting agency across various spaces. It utilizes Gopal Guru's theorization of spatial hierarchies to analyse how social actors inhabit space unequally and how nupi maanbis create alternative spaces of expression and belonging. This study further shows that their ongoing efforts to create their own spaces and assert their plural identities constitute forms of resistance that challenge dominant norms and reimagine possibilities for inclusion.