Women Vendors Bring Life to Lamka’s Thangjam Road Market

On Thangjam Road in Lamka, women vendors sit patiently by the roadside, their baskets filled with fresh vegetables. Green peppers, leafy greens, and tomatoes are neatly arranged, while pineapples and mangoes add colour to the lively scene. Buyers move slowly through the narrow street, stopping to bargain or greet familiar faces. The market feels less like a place of trade and more like a meeting ground for everyday life.

Lamka itself is a town of many ZO tribes, each with its own dialect and traditions. It is often described as a “Pentecostal town,” not only for its faith but also for the diversity of languages spoken. Communities here live side by side, their dialects overlapping, sometimes not fully understood, yet bound together by shared routines and mutual dependence. The market is one of those spaces where differences fade, replaced by the simple rhythm of buying and selling.

For the women vendors, the market is more than livelihood. It is a place where they connect with neighbours, exchange news, and keep traditions alive through the food they grow and sell. In Lamka, the vegetables on Thangjam Road tell a story of resilience, community, and everyday harmony.

Photo Credit: S. Hauminthang, Singngat ~ KV NEWS