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 Meitei-Pangal origin, and means literally "coconut snatching".[1] 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.
The game is traditionally associated with autochthonous forms of Hinduism. 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.[3][4]
Some games take place at the Bijoy Govinda Temple Ground.
Unlike rugby it is an individual sport, not a team one.[1] Before the start of the game, players rub their bodies with mustard oil and water to make slippery to catch each other.[1] 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.[1] Before the start the coconut is placed in front of the seat of the "King".[1] 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.
According to Levine, the game used to have martial associations, and tested prowess:
Nowadays the "King" (or "Chief Guest") is often a Sarpanch(Village chief) teacher, or official.
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