Manipur: The birthplace of polo?

Manipur says they taught the game of polo to the British, even though they may have introduced it to the globe. The sport was extinct during the communist era, but it is currently making a comeback. An examination of its place in the state’s cultural calendar.

In the centre of Imphal, Manipur, the Mapal Kangjeibung, one of the world’s oldest polo grounds, appeared abnormally full for a polo match. The stadium was nearly full. Peering through the railings that divided the grounds from the main road were curious faces. This was a throng that was obviously interested in a game that isn’t very popular in northern India. The 8th International Polo Festival in Manipur was off to a good start.

Salam Girimohan Singh, a national tent pegging champion who was to be my guide for the competition, adds, “Everyone here knows polo.” “Nowhere in the country will you find a crowd that’ll cheer when you strike well and sigh with you when you miss a goal.” Girimohan kept his promise. He supported the US polo players as they played the Indian team while he stood in the team’s dugout. I questioned him about it. “That’s my pony, Lamdaba!” he exclaims, gesturing to a stunning white Manipuri pony being ridden by one of the American athletes. In the most recent competition, he was awarded best pony.”

The state government of Manipur arranged the 10-day Sangai Festival, a tourist event, concurrently with the polo competition. Remarkably, both incidents draw attention to two Manipur-endemic creatures that are in danger of going extinct. The highly endangered brow-antlered deer, known as the Sangai, which can be found 45 km from Imphal in the marshy wetland of Keibul Lamjao National Park, is the state animal after which the Sangai Festival is named. The festival strives to rescue the Sangai in addition to being a cultural event that promotes the state as a top travel destination.

To help ensure the survival of the pony, the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association (MHRPA) was established in 1977 with the goal of reviving polo. As we began a census of the ponies, we also began organizing state-level competitions, according to Prof. C Priyoranjan, one of the association’s five vice presidents. Four foreign teams took part in the inaugural international polo competition, which was held in 1991. According to Priyoranjan, the first two editions were a great success, but following the third, they filed for bankruptcy. Although the Manipuri pony has no financial worth, that isn’t how it should be seen. We must preserve it since it is culturally and historically connected to Manipuris, according to MHRPA President S Buddhachandra Singh.

The tournament has evolved into an annual sporting event, something that the organization members are proud of after over ten years of striving to expedite the procedure. They have had seven foreign polo teams visit them so far this year, including those from South Africa, the US, the UK, France, Poland, and Mongolia. “Tell me if there is any other polo event in the country where seven international teams participate?” Singh S. Buddhachandra enquired.

A few British officers founded the nation’s first polo club in Silchar, Assam, in 1859; it is currently closed. The second polo club in Calcutta was founded in 1862. Manipuri Polo is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Manipur polo team’s 1864 visit to the Calcutta Polo Club.

The fact that each participant must ride a Manipuri pony adds to the challenge and excitement of this competition for many. “None of us are accustomed to using these horses for play. The Indian Polo Association dispatched captain of the India A squad Akhil Sirohi to explain, “They have the advantage because these are their horses and they play their kind of polo.” The South African team captain, John Eustace, describes his experience thusly: “It took us a few games to get used to the polo played here.” Polo horses are easily maneuvered thoroughbreds that are popular across the world. The game is played significantly faster and with larger fields.”

On the last day, the players from various nations donned traditional clothing for an exhibition match of Sagol Kangjei, or traditional Manipuri polo, including a short kurta, dhoti, and turban on top of the head. The classic game of polo is entertaining to watch and a little more difficult. Without the use of contemporary leather reins or saddles, the players mount the horses barefoot. A player scores by striking the ball out of either end of the field; there are no goal posts. Unlike the international version, when each side has four players, each side has seven players. Interestingly, one may grab a ball thrown by the referee and ride it to the opposite side.

Manipur thinks that’s where polo first came from. China, Mongolia, and Iran also do this. Sagol Kangjei is mentioned in traditional chronicles as the Manipuri game that inspired modern polo. The native game, which is played by the Meiteis, the main ethnic group, initially piqued the curiosity of the British. The game was formalized and exported to other nations by English officers stationed in the area. The man known as the “father of modern polo,” Lt. Joseph Ford Sherer, is credited with making the game popular.

Both Manipur Polo International and Sangai Festival attract a large number of visitors from all over the world. The cultural events and polo matches have grown in stature overshadowing the cause started in the name of the two animals. Both the events have been around for over a decade but the speed with which the number of Sangai and Manipuri ponies are declining should shake the government out of its slumber.