THARU DR AJAY KUMAR OJHA: Spectacular Indigenous Games Festival in Imphal Manipur

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Spectacular Indigenous Games Festival in Imphal Manipur

Spectacular Indigenous Games Festival

in Imphal Manipur

Three days live telecast of spectacular Indigenous Games Festival by DD Sports held in Imphal Manipur India from 10th to 12th December 2015 has indeed created a great curiosity in the minds of viewers including myself about this beautiful and culturally very vibrant state.

Imphal Airport
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Manipur is a state in North East India with Imphal as its capital. Sometimes it is called with alternative names such as Kangleipak or Sanaleibak.

Bird's Eye View of Beautiful Imphal Valley
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

May be small but Manipur has been powerhouse of sports and produced a number of Olympians & Arjuna Awardees such as P.Nilkamal Singh, Thoiba Singh, L Tiken Singh, L Bombella, M C Mary Kom, Devendro Singh,Sonia Chanu, Chinglensana, Kothajit, Kunjarani Devi, Dingko Singh, Sarita Devi. It may be surprising to many that Modern Game of Polo derives its origin in Manipur where it is known as Sagol Kangjei.

Manipur is also known for Loktak Lake. The etymology of Loktak is Lok meaning "stream" and tak "the end". It is the largest freshwater lake in North East India & renowned for the phumdis floating over it. Phumdis is heterogeneous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matters at various stages of decomposition. Keibul Lamjao, the only floating National Park in the world floats, over it.

Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

There are many spectacular indigenous games of Manipur also. Indigenous means originating in and characteristic of a particular region, territory or country. This gives the culture or games historical distinctiveness.

Tradition of sports and games dates back to the ancient history of Manipur. It has been a history of small kingdoms which were in intense competition with one another. War among themselves and with Ava (Myanmar) which is in the adjacent east resulted in martial tradition. Emergence of martial tradition in turn gave driving force to the development of indigenous games in Manipur.