Adventures & Sports

The tradition of sports dates back to the ancient history of Manipur - a history of small kingdoms which were in keen competition with one another. Wars among themselves and with Ava (Myanmar) resulted in a martial tradition which in turn gave due impetus to the development of indigenous games.

Sagol Kangjei (Polo)
Manipur is considered as the real home of Polo. The Manipuri Puranas trace it to the mythological age when it was played by the gods. This game is also believed to have been played on the occasion of recognising Laishna as the wife of King Pakhangba of Manipur who ascended the throne in 33 A.D. The game is played on horse-back with seven players a side. Mounted players hit the ball to the goal. The stick is made of cane having a narrow wooden head fixed on it. The ball about 14 inches in circumference is made of bamboo root and is usually light. The Manipuris play on ponies which are not more than 4ft.6inches in height. The game is now played in 2 styles namely Manipuri Style and International Style.

Kang - Sanaba
It is a game played on the mud floor of big out-houses. It consist of hitting the targets fixed on the floor with hard and smooth oblong shaped flat instruments known as "kang". The tradition of this game is very old. It is mentioned in the folk epic of Khamba and Thoibi. This particular game is said to be 'Panthoibi' the Manipuri counterpart of Durga the goddess of war and destroyer of the enemies of the gods.

Mukna
The game is the Manipuri style of wrestling played between two male competitors for trial of strength by skill and physical force. Manipuri wrestlers wear white turbans and customary costumes. The game is generally played on the day before the Deity as a part of the ceremonial function and the function cannot be completed without this game. It is popular in Manipur as a manly and prestigious game. The game had royal patronage in the past.

Boat Race
This sport still arouses great enthusiasm among the people. The competing boats, two in number, carry symbols of dragons known as Chinglai. Seventeen rowers on each boat pull hard at the oars and the object of the race is to trap the competing boat near the bank as it moves forward and win the race.

Thang-Ta
The highly skilled martial art tradition is a direct legacy of Manipur's prolonged battles with neighbouring kingdoms. Long and incessant wars motivated the people to their battle-craft into a work of art during the time of peace. The Manipuri martial art flourished in the past under the royal patronage of the Maharajas. The Manipuri martial art of fighting with spears, swords, sticks and axes still continues to be popular among youths.

Yubi Lakpi (Manipuri Style Rugby)
"Yubi" is the Manipuri word for coconut and "Lakpi" for snatching. Played on the beautiful green turf of the palace ground, or at the Bijoy Govinda Temple Ground. Each side has 7 players in a field that is about 45 x 18 metres in area. One end of the field has a rectangular box 4.5 x 3 mtrs. One side of which forms the central portion of the goal line. To score a goal a player has to approach the goal from the front with his oiled coconut and pass the goal line. The coconut serves the purpose of a ball and is offered to the king or the judges who sit just beyond the goal line. However, in ancient times the teams were not equally matched but the players, with the coconut had to tackle all the rest of the players.

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