Kang Shanaba

**Kang Shanaba** () or **Kang Sannaba** (), literally "playing the kang" or "the game of kang", is an indigenous Meitei game, a form of indoor game played with a round or oval object called "kang" which is the seed of a creeper, which can be thrown on the surface of the ground. 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 (First day of Sajibu month) until the Rath Yatra festival (Kang Chingba).

## Origin 
### Mythology 
The Meiteis believe that Kang was first played by seven Lainingthous (deities) and seven goddesses called Leimarens (female deities) to celebrate the creation of the earth and the beauty of the rising Sun and Moon. The word "Kang" comes from the Manipuri word "Kangba", meaning to begin.

The game symbolized the start of a new life after the earth was made. The Lainingthous and Leimarens played seven rounds, with the goddesses winning all seven times. One afternoon during the Cheiraoba (Meitei new year), King Loitongba was walking in his royal courtyard. He saw two *Kangkhil* seeds resting in a corner.  He threw one seed a short distance away, then picked up the other seed and tried to hit the first one. He kept trying to hit the target over and over.

Such matches were organized either within the community or during special occasions. However, in 1980, an all-women Kang tournament was held at the temple of Lord Ramji Prabhu in Imphal. This tournament is now held annually and is organized by the All Manipur Women Kang Association, which was founded in 1982.

The game is played on a flat surface by two players or two teams, but it can also be played alone. Two lines are drawn about ten feet apart. The game starts with an Urikang placed on one line, with its wide side facing the opposite team if there is one. The player rolls their Kang toward a target on the ground. As the Kang rolls, the player follows it and tries to hit it with their hand. The rolling Kang must not cross the line, even if it gets close to the target. The Kang is about three lums wide (around ten khudups) and six lums long (about twenty khudups), but these sizes can change depending on the space available.

Lines called *Leeris* are marked with small ropes to set the game's boundaries. The main lines in this game are *Lamtha Leeris* and *Kangpha Leeris*. Each court has eight Chekphei Kangkhuls and seven Lamtha Kangkhuls, which show where the seven players should stand.

## Development of Kang 
Over time, the game changed and improved. The name "Kang" comes from Kangkhil, which means the seed of a plant called Kangli. Later, the Uri-kang or Kangkhil was replaced by round pieces made of wood for regular people and ivory for royalty.

After that, the round Kang was replaced by an oval-shaped piece made from buffalo horns, tortoise shells, and other materials. Around 1851, during Raja Chandrakirti's rule, the game was improved with a set playing area, clear rules, and a team called Kangkhut with seven players. The newest version is an egg-shaped piece made from lac and similar materials.

Today, plastic Kang pieces are becoming very popular.

## Organizations 
In Manipur, there are three groups that organize tournaments and manage the game: 

* The All Manipur Kang Association, started in 1952; the All Manipur Kang Control Board, set up in 1972.
* The All Manipur Women Kang Association, formed in 1982.
The All Manipur Kang Association updated their rules in 1960, creating a standard version of Kanglon used across the state. In 1972, the Manipur Kang Control Board was formed with slightly different rules. To create a common set of rules for Kanglon, the Manipur Kang Federation was established in 1989. This led to changes in the rules of both the All Manipur Kang Association and the Control Board, combining them into what is now called the Federation Rules of 1989.

## References 
## External links 
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