Multiethnicity, Religions, and Trading Communities in Moreh Border Town, Manipur State

Abstract

Moreh, a town in Manipur, shares a border with Myanmar and serves as India’s gateway to ASEAN. Its multicultural population, settled along the border transit routes, have been developing cross-border trade for half a century. This research focuses on these cross-border connections with data collected from fieldwork according to anthropological and sociological discipline principles to investigate the borderland situation since 2014. The findings reveal the community formations, religious practices, adaptations and a variety of expressions of identity, which make the heart of the borderland a multicultural society. The border markets have become a hub for a variety of products new to the locals, who have adapted their tastes to match the utility of new choices, and thereby revealing a fascinating dynamic to business. Groups involved in economic activities have developed trade practices that meet the demands of the period. Meanwhile, the Indian Government tries to accelerate progress by advancing borderland management.