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Traditional Games Of Manipur
By Waikhom Damodar Singh
Manipur, the land of hoary antiquity with salubrious climate and healthy environs once attracted vice regal heart and received the glorious Epithet – “a little Paradise on Earth and Switzerland in the East”. She is a State on the Eastern most corner of India bordering Burma (now Myanmar), undoubtedly very rich in history, tradition and culture. Though small in size she had been a unique and an independent kingdom for the last two-three thousand years, and a land of people
called the Manipuris (the Tammis, the people of the valley and the Chingmis, the people of the hills) whose forefathers were great warriors like the Greeks and the Romans, and who led a ‘Spartan-life” and excelled in many Manly and Heroic games. Chief among such indigenous and ‘divine’ games are –Sagol-Kangjei (Polo), Mukna (Manipuri Wrestling) Mukna Kangjei (Manipuri Hockey), Hiyang Tanaba (Boat race), Thang Ta (sword and lance play), Thouri Chingnaba (Tug of war), Yubi Lakpi (Manipuri Rugby) etc.
Sagol-Kangjei (Polo):
In Manipuri, Sagol is for Horse and Kangjei for Hockey stick. For the Manipuris the game is very ancient and customary National game. The Manipuri Puranas trace it to the Mythological age as early as some 3100 years BC (Before Christ). Marjing, Thangjing, Wangbrel, Khoriphaba are the chief among the sylvan Gods who first played the game during the days of the Mythological age. Traditionally, Polo in Manipur has been a Royal Game right from the time of King Jabista (Pakhangba) in 33 AD associated with legendary customs and traditions. The patronage and keen supervision of the ruling kings were the ‘life-force’ with which the game progressed over the centuries.
It was during the time of great King Khagemba (1597-1652) that the game had flourished into a very active military game. He also introduced the system of playing the game ‘pana-wise’- Pana in Manipuri is for an administrative unit. There are 6 panas at the time of Khagemba- (i) Ahallup, (ii) Laipham, (iii) Khabam, (iv) Naharup, (v) Hidakphaba, (vi) Postsangba, and ever since the game became known as ‘Pana Sagol-Kangjei’.
The tradition of the game is that it should be played between two teams always consisting of not less than seven players to a side on indigenous ponies and sadleries with locally made cane sticks and balls carved out of seasoned bamboo root, its duration being about half an hour without any break throughout its play. The game is played without goal posts and without any ‘Umpire’. A goal is scored when the ball crosses the end line of a side. The ‘free for-all’ style of play is the most unique feature of the game.
It has been also a tradition to play the game on the State occasions (coronations of kings and other annual customary and religious functions) before the Royal audience between two teams selected from Ahallup and Laipham panas on one side in red co lour representing the King’s side and from Khabam and Naharup panas on another side in yellow co lour representing the Queen’s side.
Khagemba’s famous victory over the Chinese column under one Chaufa- Hongdei in the Eastern arena (for which he was given the name Khagemba in addition to his other names Sana Hihonhan and Ningthouhanba – Khagi for Chinese and Ngamba for victor) and his series of successful military campaigns far into the South upto Ango hills and Chindwin river of Burma, and later on, of the most successful victories of Pamheiba (Garibaniwaz) in 17 AD. Over he Burmese, particularly of the victory over their column of the 46th Division and annexation of his dominion right upto Irrawady river where the Burmese capital was situated were mainly due to the gallant and matchless might of the Manipuri cavalrymen who were all very skilled Polo and Arambai (poisoned arrows) throwing players.
As and everlasting memory of the amazing and most revengeful victory Pamheiba left a cross-mark cut with his royal sword on the golden ‘door-still’ of the Burmese temple known as ‘Kaumudo-Faya’ (the name of a Burmese God) at Yewa (Ava) situated on the bank of Irrawady river.
The modern game of Polo of the International style (IP) has been originated from Silchar, Cachar (Assam) in the year 1859 under the name of ‘English Polo’ initially. English players headed by one Captain Robert Stwert, Lt, Sherer and others were the pioneers who took on the game on a modified from based on the Manipuri Polo, the Sagol Kangjei which they learnt from the Manipuri militia-men who were then living in Cachar along with their King Chandra Kirti Singh. Manipur is therefore regarded today as the real place from where the game had been actually originated and hence she has been named as the ‘Home of Polo’ in the world today.
Khong- Kangjei (Manipuri Hockey):
This phrase in Manipuri is Hockey-on-foot. This is also a very ancient game and has been a very popular National and customary game of the Manipuris till very recently. The game is also played with seven players a side equipped with locally made thick cane sticks having curved-ends somewhat like that of the modern hockey sticks and a heavy ball craved out of seasoned bamboo root.
The uniqueness of the game is, unlike that of the modern hockey game, players can kick the ball for carrying it towards the goal line or pick it up or catch it by hand and run with it to score goal for which it should be hit to cross the end line of the field.
A player running with a ball in his hand defends himself by swinging his stick around his head to ward-off the attacks of the opponent who is all-free to hit on him for dispossessing the ball. Another most unique feature of the game is that the players in parts of the two teams have to encounter each other with wrestling (Mukna) and therefore both are locked in a great tussle for freeing themselves from each other and run away with the ball to score a goal.
The name Mukna-Kangjei has been given because it is a game played in combination of the two games as one, namely, the Mukna (wrestling) and the Kong-Kangjei (hockey). Only players possessing good qualities of speed, stamina, strength, agility and skill of Mukna are fit to participate in the game. Khong- Kangjei had been also a Pana-game since tournaments among the Panas were conducted in the early days under Royal patronage and audience on all the State occasions, particularly during the annual Lai Haraoba festivals.
Mukna (Manipuri style of Wrestling):
This is quite a different style of wrestling. The wrestlers are not allowed to use their hands as is in the freestyle wrestling. It is a very intriguing skill and body maneuvering game. The winner of the game is declared as soon as the opponent is felled or thrown down on his back or even on making him to touch the ground by one of his hands or knees. For this game one is required to possess a lot of strength, skill and patience.
Hiyang Tanaba (Manipuri Boat Race):
The Boat Race of Manipuri is one of the principal military games traditionally handed down from generation to generation since the pre-historic days of Manipuri Civilization. It believed that boat construction had been invented by the famous ‘Deluge’ that had occurred in this part of the world after the Mahabharata period after which boat race became a contesting major game among the valley people trained under their respective Patriarchs who rose to the status of monarchs of the people of their respective clans. It was during the medieval period that the standard of the Naval Forces of the Meiteis became quite efficient, particularly of the ruling Ningthouja and Khuman Salais (clans) when there were constant and fierce struggle amongst themselves for supremacy and that the system of offering occasional feasts and festivities to the heroic soldiers to commemorate their victories in the Naval war was introduced by holding Royal Boat Races patronized and participated by the Ruler himself.
In the Royal Navy Boat Races (Pana Hiyangs) the Ruler with the State Deity (Vishnu) joins the game in his own Royal Yatch (Khunet Hi) and Vishnu in the Divine Yatch (Lai Hi) while the four senior divisions of the Navy contest the game in two teams in their respective boats – two of the four divisions belong to the Ruler known as ‘Ningthounais’ in red color while the remaining two belong to the Queen in yellow color known as ‘Leimanais’ i.e. servants of the Queen.
The Royal Boat Races of the time of King Gambhir Singh (1813 to 1834) at Langthabal (present Canchipur) moat, Chandra Kirti Singh (1851 to 1886) at present Kangla moat, Churchand Singh (1911 to 1942) and Bodhchandra Singh (1942 to 1955) at present Palace moat (Thangapat) were so majestic and grandeur that their sweet memories are used to be remembered by the people in the form of a proverb – ‘Hiyang – Kumei – Gumida’ (gorgeous and wonderful like Royal Boat Race).
The greatest event of Manipuri Royal Boat Race in the history of Manipur had taken place at the present Place moat (Thangapat) during the time Maharaj Bodhchandra Singh in the year 1953 which was witnessed by late Sarvashri Jawaharlal Nehru and Thakin Nu, the Prime Ministers of India and Burma respectively during their joint visit to the State. The event was unprecedentedly a Grand and most Majestic one indeed with the King himself participated in the contest dressed in his Royal customary costumes of being the head of the seven Salais (clans) – the Mangangs, Luwangs, Khumans, Angoms, Moirangs, Khaba-Nganbas and Sarang- Leishangthems.
With the abolition of Kingship in the State scene, such Royal and Majestic events are no more in public sights today. However, the Manipuri Boat Race, though in a much lesser form and tempo, still continues to be held as an annual feature on the day of ‘Keikru Hidongba’, an important religious function observed in the State in the month of August-September at Shri Shri Govindaji’s Moat at Sagolband, Imphal.
Likewise, other major indigenous games of Manipur are also fast disappearing from the people, particularly the younger generations. Vigorous and continued efforts are therefore needed for the survival of these ‘age-old’ and most precious indigenous games which the proudly inherited from their great and heroic forefathers.
(The writer is a retired IPS officer) |
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