Indoor Game of Kang 2

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The Indoor Game of Kang
- Part 2 -

Dr. L. Sharatchandra Singh *

Though the game was widely played all over the country, there was no development in the game till the end of the eleventh century. It was only in the beginning of the twelfth century A.D. that a great change was there in the game when King Loitongba (1122-1150 AD) introduced a modification called Kang Tharo Sanaba.

The Royal Chronicle, Cheitharol Kumbaba, records that Meidungu (king ) Loitongba introduced Kang Tharo Sanaba [3].

In the afternoon of the day of Sachibu Cheiraoba, new year day of the Meiteis, the Kang Loitongba walked about his courtyard to remove his uneasiness due to over eating. As he walked, he saw two kangkhil seeds lying in a corner of the courtyard.

He not necessarily picked them up and simply threw out intending them to roll or play over the surface. One of his attendants requested the King to pick up the seed lying near his feet and throw the same to make it play on the surface and hit the other Kangkhil seed lying about ten cubits away.

The Kang, instantly, took up the seed and aimed at the other seed as target. He threw the seed again and again until it could hit the target.

As soon as the Kangkhil seed hit the target seed, the King again, sitting with cross-legs on the floor at the same spot where he stood, pushed the seed (forward) using his middle finger as projector. The seeds moved swiftly on the surface and hit the target.

It became a game to him and made him much pleased and interested. He recalled some indoor games played by the ancestors in the past and named this system of Kangkhil seed playing as 'Kang Tharo Sanaba.' [4]

Like other popular games of Manipur such as Mukna, Khongkangjei and Sagolkangjei which had different positional players, the King introduce the game Kang as one of the team event consisting of seven individual players on one side with the positional names as

Matai Achouba (Taijao),
Pan-ngakpa, Chekpheitanba-Yet (Matai Mathang-Yet),
Langjei,
Chekpheitanba-Oi (Matai Mathang -Oi)
Lamthatanba (Anompham) and
Matai Khutshi.

On the request of the Queen, the King allowed women also to play the game but on one condition that the women team should include two men players[5].

As introduced by the King himself, members of the royal families, nobles especially women and girls took particular interest in the game. However, he could not satisfy with the shapes of the creeper seeds which were not almost circular,

So, the creeper seeds which were not almost circular. So, the creeper seed was replaced with wooden one, the shape of which be made round with a desire size.

With the introduction of Wooden Kang as one of the requisites of this game for Lamtha and Chekphei, creeper seed was no longer used as Kang but it remained as Chekphei Kangkhil or Chekphei target.

To be continued ....

* Dr. L. Sharatchandra Singh wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao . He is also known by "Khonjenaha" and lives at Uripok Khaidem Leikai, Imphal , Manipur. This article was webcasted on December 15, 2008.

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