Phanek
In its own language: ꯐꯅꯦꯛ
A wrapped skirt worn by Meitei women in Manipur, woven with patterned stripes
The phanek is a wraparound lower garment worn by Meitei women in Manipur, India. Women traditionally weave it, and its striped or embroidered panels mark community styles and occasions from office wear to rites.
- A phanek is a wraparound skirt worn by Meitei women in Manipur.
- Phanek Mayek Naibi has stripes at the hem and heavy embroidery.
- Muga silk phaneks are used in ear-piercing rites and feasts.
- Women's protests in Manipur have used the phanek as a symbol.
- Local names include ponve, pheisoi, kashan and lungvin.
What is Phanek?
Phanek is a lower-body wrap worn by Meitei women. It comes from Manipur in India and is also worn by Meitei people living elsewhere. The cloth is a skirt-like garment tied around the waist, not a full-length drape. Its look changes with the weaver and the community. Some versions carry stripes near the hem; a well-known style, Phanek Mayek Naibi, has these stripes and heavy worked designs at the bottom. The source calls the phanek a traditional wraparound skirt. It is part of women's dress and is known for its weaving patterns and motifs. Muga silk phaneks are kept for sacred rites.
Where does Phanek come from?
The sources place the phanek in Meitei civilisation in Manipur. They do not give a founding date or a single origin story. One old design is described with a lotus and a bee at the fabric edge. The garment's designs are said to vary by community, and the source lists local names among Kuki, Kabui or Rongmei, Tangkhul and Anal people. Assam's mekhla and Mizoram's puan are named as comparable lower-body wraps. The phanek also appears in modern political history, from women's protests in the early twentieth century to later movements in the state.
How is Phanek made?
The sources describe weaving as a skill handed from woman to woman, with girls expected to learn early. In recent times men have also taken it up. The cloth is woven with patterns and motifs, and some styles have stripes near the bottom. Phanek Mayek Naibi is finished with heavy embroidery in varied designs. Muga silk is named for phaneks used in rituals. The source does not describe the loom type or the time a piece takes.
Phanek, drawn
Colours, motifs and borders
Patterns on a phanek can carry signs from Meitei mythology, folklore, nature and remembered stories. The source names one ancient design with a lotus and a bee along the border. Phanek Mayek Naibi is known for stripes at the hem and for dense embroidery in different patterns. The lower edge is the place where these marks gather. The sources do not give a fixed colour list for the garment.
How Phanek is worn
A phanek is tied around the lower body as a wrap. It is a skirt-like piece, worn with the rest of Meitei women's dress. The source does not set out a step-by-step drape, blouse or petticoat. It says the garment is worn for office work and marriage ceremonies, and that different kinds serve daily use, formal events, dances and religious occasions. Phaneks of muga silk are kept for rituals such as ear-piercing for children and shared feasts.
When Phanek is worn
The phanek moves across many settings. Women wear it for work and for weddings. It is also named for formal occasions, dance and religious events. In ritual life, muga silk versions appear at child ear-piercing ceremonies and community feasts. The source ties the garment to Meitei identity and to public protest. Women in Manipur have marched and organised while wearing phaneks, and the cloth has been used as a sign in blockades and demonstrations. It is also described as everyday clothing, so its use is not limited to special days.
Styles of Phanek
The source gives several local names for skirt-like garments of this kind in Manipur. Kuki people call theirs ponve, Kabui or Rongmei people say pheisoi, Tangkhul people use kashan, and Anal people say lungvin. These names point to separate community styles and patterns. Across the wider region, the source cites the mekhla from Assam and Mizoram's puan as similar garments. Within Meitei dress, the popular Phanek Mayek Naibi is one style, with stripes and embroidered work at the bottom. The source does not compare handloom and powerloom versions.
What Phanek means
In Meitei culture the phanek is treated as sacred and as a sign of femininity. A story tells of the queen of Sugnu covering condemned people with a phanek, which turned their sentence into a new life. The source mentions a women's court, the pacha court, and the Sugnu chief's wife's power to change a death sentence. The garment also stands for protest. Women's wars, the Meira Paibi groups and a 2004 demonstration at Kangla Fort all draw on its meaning. The source notes debate about who may wear a phanek, including rules pressed on schoolgirls and transwomen.
Questions people ask about Phanek
Where does the phanek come from?
It belongs to Meitei dress in Manipur, India. The source also mentions Meitei people living elsewhere, but it places the garment's home in Manipur.
How is a phanek made?
Women traditionally weave it, and girls were expected to learn the skill early. Men have also taken up weaving recently. Some styles have stripes and heavy embroidery, and muga silk is used for ritual phaneks.
What is Phanek Mayek Naibi?
It is described as one of the most popular phaneks. It is a lower garment with stripes near the bottom, worn to office work and marriage ceremonies, and finished with heavy embroidery in different designs.
Is the phanek a saree?
No. The source calls it a wraparound skirt and a lower-body garment. It is part of Meitei women's clothing in Manipur, while a saree is a full-length drape.
What does the phanek mean in protest?
Women in Manipur have worn phaneks in major protests, including the Nupi Lan movements and Meira Paibi activism. In 2004 women demonstrated at Kangla Fort, and phaneks have been hung across streets during blockades.
Good reading and sources
- Phanek on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Phanek", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryPallu rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Traditions, weaves and prices differ from one weaver, town or shop to the next, and it is not buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-07.
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