In a tiny village in Manipur, an ancient tradition that was once treasured is slipping into silence… the lost art of making Meitei Thumpak — salt cakes from natural springs.
In Ningel village (Thoubal districtl) sits one of India’s last natural saline springs — called Thumkhong, where briny water pours from the earth, rich in minerals and mystery.
For centuries, locals collected this water and turned it into flat salt discs known as Thumpak — not for taste alone, but for tradition, ritual and identity.
In old Manipuri courts, kings gifted Thumpak to honour warriors and allies, a prized token considered equal to gold in folklore and coveted for ceremonies like birth and marriage.
In fact, salt had such cultural gravity that the Meitei people even worship a goddess of salt — Thumleima — praying for abundant springs so families and festivals prosper.
But modern life left its impact. Packaged salt flooded markets, cheap & convenient. From an entire village to just 10 families making Thumpak — that’s all that remains.
Six living springs have become three, fading with every passing generation. Thumpak now sells for Rs 10–Rs 15 each, barely covering the costs or the backbreaking work: fetching brine in pots, boiling it for hours on woodfire & shaping discs by hand.
But it deserves to be saved. For it's more than salt. It’s a legacy woven into culture, economy, and identity. If India loses Thumpak, we lose one of our oldest, most unique stories of human ingenuity!