Old Manipuri: Manung Kangcheipung | |
Inner Pologround | |
Address | Kangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur Imphal * Manipur Kingdom (historical)
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Location | Kangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur |
Coordinates | 24°48′22″N93°56′34″E / 24.8061°N 93.9427°E |
Owner |
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Operator | Kangla Fort Board |
Type | polo field, helipad |
Field shape | Quadrilateral |
Construction | |
Built | During the times of King Ningthou Kangba [1] [2] |
Renovated | During the reign of King Marjit Singh [3] [4] |
The Manung Kangjeibung [lower-alpha 1] (Old Manipuri : Manung Kangcheipung) (Manung Kangjeibung ( Meitei for 'Inner Pologround')) is an old polo field located to the south west of the citadel inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Manipur. In ancient times, only royalties and nobilities were allowed to play the game of polo (Meitei : Sagol Kangjei ) in this royal playground. [5] It is one of the two most ancient pologrounds in the world, the other one being the Mapal Kangjeibung (Imphal Polo Ground). [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
In Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language), "manung" (Meitei : ꯃꯅꯨꯡ) means "inside" or "inner side". [11]
The Meitei term "kāngjeibung" (Meitei : ꯀꯥꯡꯖꯩꯕꯨꯡ) means pologround (polo field). Morphologically, the word "kāng‑jei‑bung" can be divided into three roots, "kāng", "jei" and "bung", meaning "a round/spherical object", "stick" and "mound" respectively. [12] The Meitei term for stick is originally "cei" (Meitei : ꯆꯩ). [13]
In accordance to the ancient manuscripts known as the PuYas, the "Manung Kangjeibung" is one of the oldest pologrounds. It is said that King Ningthou Kangba used to play the game of polo (Meitei : Sagol Kangjei ) in the Manung Kangjeibung. [14] [15] [16] Later, the polo field was developed during the reign of King Marjit Singh (1813-1819). [17] [18]
On 9 May 2018, Nongthombam Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, as a chairperson in the 27th meeting of the Kangla Fort Board, had a discussion regarding the shifting of the helipad service from the "Manung Kangjeibung" pologround of the Kangla Fort complex. The discussion meeting was participated by Th. Satyabrata Singh, MLA, J. Suresh Babu, Chief Secretary, L.M. Khaute, DHP, M. Lakshmikumar, Commissioner (Art and Culture), Ng. Uttam, Director (Art and Culture), Superintendent of Archaeology Department and many others. [19] [20] [21]
According to the "All Manipur Polo Association (AMPA)", the Chief Minister's upcoming Sagol Kangjei Championship 2022 is going to be organized at the Manung Kangjeibung inside the Kangla. It is to be a part of the annual Sangai festival events. [22] [23]
Imphal is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. It is the third largest city in northeast India after Guwahati and Agartala. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace, the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a moat. Spread over parts of the districts of Imphal West and Imphal East, the former contains the majority of the city's area and population. Imphal is part of the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Being a mega commercial hub, Imphal is known for its weaving, brass-ware, bronze-ware, and other cottage industries. Meitei language is the most widely spoken language in the city.
The Kangla with diacritic Kanglā, officially known as the Kangla Fort, is an old fortified palace at Imphal, in the Manipur state of India. It was formerly situated on both sides of the bank of the Imphal River, now remaining only on the western side in ruined conditions. Kangla means "the prominent part of the dry land" in old Meetei. It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur.
Bir Tikendrajit International Airport(IATA: IMF, ICAO: VEIM), also known as Imphal Airport, and formerly known as Tulihal International Airport, is an international airport serving Imphal, the capital of Manipur, India, located 7 km south from the city centre. It is the second largest and the third-busiest airport in North-East India after Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati and Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala. The airport replaced the former Koirengei Airfield in 1959.
India is the birthplace of modern polo. The modern game of polo is derived from Manipur, where the game was known as sagol kangjei, kanjai-bazee, or pulu. It was the anglicised form of the last, referring to the wooden ball that was used, which was adopted by the sport in its slow spread to the west.
Meitei Chanu is a Meitei language poem by Lamabam Kamal. It was first published in a magazine, with the same name, called Meitei Chanu (magazine) in the year 1924. It was republished in the author's book of his collection of poems called "Lei Pareng" in the year 1929. Its central theme is the reconfiguration of the identity of the Meitei people. The poem bountifully reflects the poet's love of his motherland and its heritage.
The Meitei language movement sought to achieve recognition of Meitei as a Classical language of India. It was supported by various literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Northeast India.
The Kangla Sanathong, also known as the Kangla Gate, is the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak.
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There are three notable museums inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak, which are the Kangla Museum, the Archaeological Museum and the Memento Museum. Some people also count the Hijagang as a museum.
The Sanggāi Yumpham, was the citadel, a fortified royal residence within the Kangla Fort, Imphal. It is preserved as an archaeological site as well as a tourist attraction.
Events in the year 2022 in Manipur
The Marjing Polo Statue is a colossal classical equestrian statue of a player of Sagol Kangjei, riding a Meitei horse, constructed at the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of polo and horses, in Heingang, Imphal East District, Kangleipak . It is the world's tallest statue of a polo player. It is built to commemorate the game of "modern polo" being originated from Kangleipak.
The Kangla Nongpok Thong, shortly known as the Nongpok Thong, is the Eastern Gate Bridge of the Kangla Fort of Imphal, Kangleipak . With the re-opening of the modern Eastern Gate of the Kangla, the Kangla Western Gate was closed forever, under the leadership of Nongthombam Biren, the then Chief Minister of Manipur, due to the traditional Meitei belief that the western gate is regarded as the gate of the dead and it is ominous to enter the Kangla through the western doorway.
The Marjing Polo Complex is a sports complex dedicated to ancient Meitei deity Marjing, Sagol Kangjei and Meitei horse, built in the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, the sacred abode of God Marjing, located in Heingang, Imphal East district, Kangleipak . It houses Marjing Polo Statue, the world's tallest equestrian statue of a polo player.
The Heingang Ching, also known as the Meitei: Marjing Hill, is a hill in Heingang, Imphal East district of Kangleipak. In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), Heingang Ching is a sacred mountain and the home of God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of Sagol Kangjei, Khong Kangjei, and Meitei horse.
The Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, officially known as the Laiyingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, is a temple of God Lainingthou Sanamahi of Meitei religion (Sanamahism), built on the Nongmaiching mountain in the Imphal East district of Kangleipak. It is a center of the Sanamahism followers in Manipur. It is the central body of the "Sanamahi Lainingkol" at Chingoi Maru Langmaiching (Nongmaiching).
Tha Tha Thabungton is a traditional Meitei language lullaby. It is one of the Meitei folk songs traditionally sung by parents, usually mothers. It has reference to the aspects of bringing up their child, besides their biological relationship with their child. It also has reference to the musical harmony with the care of the child, which may also influence on the child's life and health.
Japanese people and Meitei people have a long history of sharing and interacting with each other's art and cultural heritages, including but not limited to cinema, music, mythology, language, literature and theatre.
Sagol Kangjei is a traditional Meitei ball sport played on horseback with a long-handled stick. The sport, also known as Manipuri polo, is a predecessor of modern international polo.
These consist of the Manung Kangjeibung (inner polo ground), within the ramparts of the Kangla Fort, where only royalty and noblemen were allowed to play. This may be the world's oldest polo ground.
In the two large polo grounds, one inside and the other outside the fort (Manung Kangjeibung and Mapan Kangjeibung the most ancient polo sites of the world) ...
Kangla perhaps houses the oldest polo ground in the world known as 'Manung Kangjeibung' which has a helipad of its own. This polo ground was for the elites.
To the south west of the Citadel was the Kangjeibung or pologround, known as the Manung Kangjeibung or the inner polo ground. Polo's origin can be traced back from the time of King Kangba. Ancient literary sources mention Sagol Kangei or Pana Kangjei as the "Game of the Gods". Today Polo is the national sport of Manipur.