Kang Sannaba

Kang Sannaba (ꯀꯥꯡ ꯁꯥꯟꯅꯕ / ꯀꯥꯡ ꯁꯥꯟꯅꯄ), which literally means "The game of Kang", is a traditional indoor game of the Meitei people of Manipur, India. It is usually played on the smooth earthen floors of traditional houses and temple courtyards. The game is considered sacred and is believed to have been played by the deities, especially during the Meitei lunar new year, known as Cheiraoba.^[1]

Kang is a team game involving a sliding disc called a kang across a marked court. The objective is to strike a target object with one’s own disc while preventing the opponent from doing the same. The gameplay bears similarity to games like shuffleboard or carrom but is played directly on the ground using hand-thrown discs.^[1]

Each team traditionally has 7 players, symbolizing the seven days of the week.^[2]

The disc or kang was historically made from the seeds of the kaangkhil plant, but later versions use hardwood, ivory, horn, tortoise shell, or lac.^[3]

The court is a leveled rectangular space, marked with chalk powder to define boundaries and targets.^[1]

There are different throwing styles, such as chekphei (standing throw) and lamtha (seated push).^[1]

The game holds religious and ceremonial value. It is mainly played during Cheiraoba and until the festival of Kang Chingba (Ratha Yatra).^[2] According to Meitei mythology, the game was played by deities such as the seven Lainingthous and the goddess Panthoibi.^[1] In earlier times, Kang was played by royalty and courtiers as part of festive and temple rituals.^[3]

The origins of Kang are rooted in oral traditions and are mentioned in the Cheitharol Kumbaba, the royal chronicle of Manipur. During the reign of King Loitongba (1122–1150 CE), the game evolved into its present form after he introduced changes during a Cheiraoba celebration.^[3] Equipment and playing styles were standardized by the 19th century.^[1] The Manipur Kang Association was later established to organize tournaments and preserve the tradition.^[1]

Although less commonly played today, Kang continues to feature during cultural festivals and community events. Elderly players have continued to promote the game, and cultural organizations strive to keep the tradition alive among the youth.^[4]

• Meitei culture
• Cheiraoba
• Sanamahism
• Manipuri games and sports

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Traditional Game Kang – E-pao.net
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Traditional game of Kang – KanglaOnline
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
4. ↑ Kang, the traditional game of Manipur – The Telegraph

• Traditional Game Kang – E-pao.net
• Traditional Game of Kang – KanglaOnline