We gave the world The game of Polo. The Guinness Book of Records in its 1991 edition on page 288 writes Polo: Origins: Origins of Polo can be traced to origins in Manipur State c. 3100 B.C. when it was played as Sagol Kangjei. The earliest club was the Cachar Club founded in 1859 in Assam, India. The oldest Polo Club in the world still in existence is the Calcutta Polo Club (1862). The game was introduced in England from India in 1869 by the 10th Hussars at Aldershot, Hants and the earliest match was the one between the 9th Lancers and the 10th Hussars at Hounslow Health, Greater London in July, 1871. The earliest international match between England and the USA was in 1886. The games governing body is the Hurligham Polo Association, which drew up the first English rules in 1875. The antiquity of Polo in Manipur is shrouded amidst cobwebs of myths and rituals. Ponies figure prominently in Manipur mythology and have an undeniable presence in the social life of Manipur. In the History of Manipur, ancient Manipuri literature gives an account of the role of ponies in the myths of Manipur. The book Ougri writes - After completion of creating the Earth by Ashiba, his father, the Almighty God, Atiya Shidaba asked his brother Apanba to create human beings to own the Earth. Apanba who was also known as Konglouton Louthiba, in consultation with his wife Leinung Chakha Khongjombi started plantation of beans on Earth. Ashiba became jealous and created Shamaton Ayangba (the first Pony) to destroy Apanbas creation of human being and their agricultural works. Apanba then fought with Shamaton Ayangba and his wife Leinung Chakha Khongjombi helped him in his conquest. Later, they cut off the wings, mane and fur of Shamaton Ayangba and tamed the pony to be used by the humans. It is associated with the God of the Chenglei tribe, Marjing, to whom the stick along with the ball, are still offered in worship. The traditional Lai Haraoba Festival of Manipur has a sequence dealing with the search of bride (Lai Nupi Thiba) on the part of Maibi (Priestess) with the Polo Stick in hand. There are several mythological books of Manipur like Thangmeirol and Kangjeirol (Art of Polo) which support the great antiquity of this game. Historically, according to Kangjeirol, a treaties on Manipuri Polo, king Kangba who reigned Manipur much earlier before the birth of the Christ introduced Sagol Kangjei, that is the Polo game. The book Kangjeirol writes - During a festival known as Ukrong Hongba, Kangba, the king of Manipur showed a skill of dribbling a bamboo root club by his walking stick on the ground. He asked his subjects to play this game on horse back next the day. Accordingly, his subordinate officers along with common men, after having lunch thrown by the king, came out in new dress to the venue of the festival with their ponies and started playing the game as introduced by the king. The game was witnessed by the queen, Leima Tanu Sana sitting under a royal canopy amidst huge crowd. Deriving from the name of the king Kangba the game was known as Sagol Kangjei. Sagol means horse or Pony. Kangjei means Kangbas stick.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 14:37:22 +0000
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