One fine afternoon, the husband returned from the fields, carrying a large, beautifully shaped gourd filled with fresh, sweet yoghurt (Mathu). It was the fruit of his labor, meant to be shared and enjoyed by the family. He handed it to Eteima, asking her to store it safely so they could enjoy it with their evening meal. Zmsfm: Minthara Free
"If I share this with my husband, half of it will be gone," she thought. "And if the children get wind of it, there will be nothing left for me." Meenakshi 2024 Malayalam Navarasa Short Films 7... - 3.79.94.248
The story begins in a simpler time, in a humble village where a hardworking couple lived. The husband was a diligent man who spent his days tending to his fields, while his wife, Eteima, was known for one fatal flaw: her insatiable greed.
In her haste to hide her greed, she shattered the container. But in doing so, she lost everything. Not only did she lose the remaining yoghurt that she could have enjoyed later, but she also destroyed the beautiful gourd. When the husband returned, he found no yoghurt and a broken home. The trust was broken, and the loss was total.
Why does this story of "Eteima Lukhrabi" still resonate with us today?
As the evening approached, she realized the gourd was now light—almost empty. Panic set in. How could she explain this to her husband?
In the rich tapestry of Manipuri folklore, there are stories that entertain, and then there are stories that serve as timeless mirrors to our own human nature. Today, we revisit one such classic tale— Eteima Lukhrabi Mathu Nabagi Wari (The Story of the Greedy Woman and the Yoghurt). It is a story many of us heard from our grandparents, yet its lesson remains startlingly relevant in our modern world.
In her desperation to hide the evidence of her gluttony, she came up with a foolish plan. She decided to break the gourd and scatter the pieces, intending to tell her husband that it had accidentally fallen and broken.