Manung Kangjeibung

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]

Manung Kangjeibung
Old Manipuri: Manung Kangcheipung
Inner Pologround
Manung Kangjeibung, the Polo Ground of the Meitei royalties, located inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal
AddressKangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur
Imphal
* Manipur Kingdom (historical)
LocationKangla Fort, Imphal West district, Manipur
Coordinates24.8061°N 93.9427°E / 24.8061; 93.9427
Owner
OperatorKangla Fort Board
Typepolo field, helipad
Field shapeQuadrilateral
Construction
BuiltDuring the times of King Ningthou Kangba[1][2]
RenovatedDuring the reign of King Marjit Singh[3][4]

Etymology
"Manung Kangjeibung" (Modern Meitei) and "Manung Kangcheipung" (Ancient Meitei) names of the Royal Polo Ground located inside the Kangla Fort of Imphal, Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur')

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]

History

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]

Serving as a helipad

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]

Polo matches

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]

See also

Notes
  1. Since Meitei language uses both Meitei script as well as Bengali script, the Meitei and Bengali transliterations of the name "Manung Kangjeibung" are "ꯃꯅꯨꯡ ꯀꯥꯡꯖꯩꯕꯨꯡ" and "মনুং কাংজৈবুং" respectively. The Bengali transliteration of the Meitei word may or may not be different from the actual Bengali language's script usage styles.

References
  1. "Official website Chief Minister of Manipur". www.cmmanipur.gov.in. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  2. "KANGLA FORT BOARD MEETING HELD – Meeting discusses shifting of Helipad from Kangla". Pothashang News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. "Official website Chief Minister of Manipur". www.cmmanipur.gov.in. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  4. "KANGLA FORT BOARD MEETING HELD – Meeting discusses shifting of Helipad from Kangla". Pothashang News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. "Manipuri Pony". International Museum of the Horse. Retrieved 28 September 2022. 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.
  6. Muthukumaraswamy, M. D.; Kaushal, Molly (2004). Folklore, Public Sphere, and Civil Society. NFSC www.indianfolklore.org. p. 73. ISBN 978-81-901481-4-6. 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) ...
  7. "Historic Kangla Fort to get major facelift - a photo story by Prabir Kumar Talukdar". nezine.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022. 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.
  8. মণিপুর পোনি - ইমাদি ঙকশম য়ৌরে — লেমহৌরিবা কাংজৈবুং হায়বা তারগদি. মনুং কাংজৈবুং, মপাল কাংজৈবুং (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
  9. মণিপুরনা ইন্দিয়াদা তিল্লবা মতুংদা ওইরম্বা লৈঙাক - ৪৩ & হাপ্তা কাংজৈবুংদা শঙাই হেরিটেজ পার্ক (শঙাই ফেষ্টিভেলগীদমক্তা) (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
  10. কংলাদগী হেলিপেদ লৌথোক্নবা ৱারেপ থাগত্নীংঙাইনি (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
  11. Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Meaning of "manung")". dsal.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  12. Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Meaning of "kāng‑jei‑bung")". dsal.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  13. Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Meaning of "cei")". dsal.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  14. "Official website Chief Minister of Manipur". www.cmmanipur.gov.in. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  15. "KANGLA FORT BOARD MEETING HELD – Meeting discusses shifting of Helipad from Kangla". Pothashang News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  16. Panorama, Eastern. "Kangla The Living Historical Symbol of Manipur". Eastern Panorama. Retrieved 28 September 2022. 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.
  17. "Official website Chief Minister of Manipur". www.cmmanipur.gov.in. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  18. "KANGLA FORT BOARD MEETING HELD – Meeting discusses shifting of Helipad from Kangla". Pothashang News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  19. "Official website Chief Minister of Manipur". www.cmmanipur.gov.in. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  20. "KANGLA FORT BOARD MEETING HELD – Meeting discusses shifting of Helipad from Kangla". Pothashang News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  21. কংলাদগী হেলিপেদ লৌথোক্নবা ৱারেপ থাগত্নীংঙাইনি (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
  22. "CM's Sagol Kangjei C'ship to be held during Sangai Festival". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  23. "Polo clubs asked to submit player list: 28th sep22 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
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