MODERNITY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE INDIGENOUS CULTURE AND TRADITION OF THE MEITEIS

Modernity, very often, is associated with a technologically advanced society with high standards of living, big cities, booming markets, economic growth and development. Besides, it is also associated with capitalism and globalization. Because of globalization and increasing internet accessibility, the world is no more isolated, it is interconnected and people around the world are always interacting in real-time. However, modernity has also led to environmental degradation, resource depletion, and climate change; decline or changes in indigenous cultural beliefs and societal norms; aggravation of modern diseases related with redundant, inactive lifestyle and consumption of unhealthy fast foods etc. Meities’ indigenous society and its traditions are affected by the sway of modernity. It is observed that there have been influences of softpower (such as Bollywood movies, its songs, dialogues, Western music, Hollywood movies, South Korean Kpop music, tv serials and drama, etc) on the indigenous Meitei community of Manipur thereby influencing and altering their style, culture and traditions. The resultant cultural assimilations are mainly acquired and embraced by the people, and not forced on the indigenous populations. Globalization, increasing internet accessibility, and platforms such as social medias and YouTube have immensely helped in it. Has modernity led to the slow and gradual decline of indigenous culture and tradition of the Meiteis? How softpower attributes of mainland India, the Western countries and South Korea have helped in altering the traditional structure and belief system of the Meiteis and to what extent? What has changed over the years and what remains unaffected?