Yubi lakpi
Encyclopedia
Yubi lakpi is a seven-a-side traditional football game played in Manipur
, India
, using a coconut, which has some notable similarities to rugby
. Despite these similarities, the name is not related to the game of rugby or Rugby School
in England, it is in fact of Manipuri origin, and means literally "coconut snatching". Emma Levine, an English writer on little known Asian sports, speculates:
However, traditional football games can be found in many parts of the world, e.g. marn grook
in Australia, cuju
in China and calcio Fiorentino
in Italy and Levine provides no documentary or material evidence of its antiquity.
. It is said to have started as a ceremonial re-enactment of the celestial snatching of the pot of nectar after the Samundra Manthan.
An official game is held on the occasion of the Yaoshang Festival of Shri Shri Govindajee at palace ground and with Royal presence.
Some games take place at the Bijoy Govinda Temple Ground.
Other features of the game include:
Each side has 7 players in a field that is about 45 x 18 metres in area. One end of the field has a rectangular box 4.5 x 3 metres. One side of which forms the central portion of the goal line. To score a goal a player has to approach the goal from the front with his oiled coconut and pass the goal line. The coconut serves the purpose of a ball and is offered to the king or the judges who sit just beyond the goal line. However, in ancient times the teams were not equally matched but the players, with the coconut had to tackle all the rest of the players.
Nowadays the "King" (or "Chief Guest") is often a teacher, or official.
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, using a coconut, which has some notable similarities to rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
. Despite these similarities, the name is not related to the game of rugby or Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
in England, it is in fact of Manipuri origin, and means literally "coconut snatching". Emma Levine, an English writer on little known Asian sports, speculates:
- "Perhaps this was the root of modern rugby? Most Manipuris are quite adamant that the modern world 'stole' the idea from them and made it into rugby... this game, which has been around for centuries, is so similar to rugby, which evolved a great deal later, that it must be more than a coincidence."
However, traditional football games can be found in many parts of the world, e.g. marn grook
Marn Grook
Marn Grook , literally meaning "Game ball", is a collective name given to a number of traditional Indigenous Australian recreational pastimes believed to have been played at gatherings and celebrations of up to 50 players. It is often confused with a separate indigenous game resembling Association...
in Australia, cuju
Cuju
Cuju is an ancient code of football with similarities to association football. It is seen by some to be a forerunner of modern football and originated in China, and was also played in Korea, Japan and Vietnam.-History:...
in China and calcio Fiorentino
Calcio Fiorentino
Calcio Fiorentino was an early form of football that originated in 16th century Italy. The Piazza Santa Croce of Florence is the cradle of this sport, that became known as giuoco del calcio fiorentino or simply calcio .The official rules of calcio were published for the first time in 1580 by...
in Italy and Levine provides no documentary or material evidence of its antiquity.
Mythological and religious associations
The game is traditionally associated with autochthonous forms of HinduismHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. It is said to have started as a ceremonial re-enactment of the celestial snatching of the pot of nectar after the Samundra Manthan.
An official game is held on the occasion of the Yaoshang Festival of Shri Shri Govindajee at palace ground and with Royal presence.
Some games take place at the Bijoy Govinda Temple Ground.
Laws and dress
Unlike rugby it is an individual sport, not a team one. Before the start of the game, players rub their bodies with mustard oil and water to make slippery to catch each other. A coconut properly soaked with oil is place in front of the chief guest of the function, known as the "King", who does not take part in the game itself. Before the start the coconut is placed in front of the seat of the "King".Other features of the game include:
- Dress - players are generally barefoot, and wear shorts (a kisi/langot), but not shirts.
- Umpire - The umpire is a senior jatraJatraJatra can mean:* Jatra street festival* Jatra street festival or Carnival* Jatra form of entertainment* Jatra...
, who starts the game, and stops fouls. - Pitch - usually approximately 45 metres long, by eighteen wide, without grass. One side of the pitch forms the central portion of the goal line. It is frequently played on rough, dried mud. Alternatively it can be played on turf.
- Scoring - a player has to approach the goal from the front with his oiled coconut and pass the goal line. The coconut is later offered to the “King”.
- Carrying - players are not allowed to hold the coconut against their chest, but have to carry it under their arm.
- Fouling and tackling - Players are not allowed to kick or punch opponents, or to tackle players who do not have the coconut.
Each side has 7 players in a field that is about 45 x 18 metres in area. One end of the field has a rectangular box 4.5 x 3 metres. One side of which forms the central portion of the goal line. To score a goal a player has to approach the goal from the front with his oiled coconut and pass the goal line. The coconut serves the purpose of a ball and is offered to the king or the judges who sit just beyond the goal line. However, in ancient times the teams were not equally matched but the players, with the coconut had to tackle all the rest of the players.
Royal Associations
According to Levine, the game used to have martial associations, and tested prowess:- "The ultimate goal of yubi lakpi... is to present the coconut to the King, or the head of the tribe (as in the original game of buzkashiBuzkashiBuzkashi or Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis or Ulak Tartysh is a traditional Central Asian...
, where the goat was offered to the King after the match). In modern times, a 'King' is selected to receive the offering. - "For this reason, it is a game of individuals where each player is vying to win the coconut and get the reward. In the original games, the King would watch the players to see who was the most skilful, and possessed qualities for the battlefield (as with mukne kanjei [a Manipuri game similar to hockey] and poloPoloPolo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
) Each player therefore wishes to impress."
Nowadays the "King" (or "Chief Guest") is often a teacher, or official.
See also
- Lelo burtiLelo burtiLelo or lelo burti is a Georgian folk sport, which is a full contact ball game, and very similar to rugby...
- Medieval football
- Rugby union in IndiaRugby union in IndiaRugby union is currently a minor sport in India. However it is a fast growing sport as some Indian sporting clubs are beginning to embrace the game...
- Rugby union in BangladeshRugby union in Bangladesh-Pre-independence Bengal:Like other sports founded in England and brought to the subcontinent during the British Raj, such as cricket, rugby union has a long history. Bangladeshi rugby's history may be discontinuous, but it dates back to the Bengal Presidency, when East Bengal and West Bengal ...