The last 12 months or so have been nothing short of traumatic for most residents of Manipur. The state, under the grip of violence, has seen the deaths of over 200 people and the displacement of several thousands, many of whom voted from displaced camps in the recent elections. But what about those whose pain and suffering of those who cannot speak, and who have been in the doldrums even before the violence began? Who speaks for Manipur’s animals, especially the Ponies?
One of the most iconic images of Imphal, along with the Kangla Fort, is perhaps the Polo Ground. While the Kangla Fort is a symbol of the erstwhile Meitei kingdom, the Polo Ground, one might argue, has an even bigger impact since the modern game of Polo is said to have originated in Manipur.
Polo, also known as Sagol Kangjei, is an integral part of Manipur’s history. Over the years, this traditional game, later known as modern polo, gained popularity across the country and the world. Now, anyone familiar with the game of polo knows that without horses, there is no polo. Known for their looks and stamina, the Manipuri Pony or Meitei Sagol is one of seven recognised equine breeds in India with a history that dates back thousands of years.
The other Indian equine breeds include the Kathiawari Horse, the Marwari Horse, the Spiti Pony, the Zanskari Pony, the Bhutia Pony and the Kachhi-Sindhi Horse.
Despite being a small breed in size–11 to 13 hands high (high (44 to 52 inches or 112 to 132 cm), the Manipuri Pony is known for their sturdy and robust build as well as endurance, agility and spirited nature. Apart from wide use for modern polo and horse racing, the Manipuri Pony breed has great adaptability to climatic conditions and was historically used as a mount for cavalry in warfare.
But the modern times have taken a massive toll on their population and conservation. According to the latest Quinquennial Livestock Census of 2019, Manipuri Ponies have dwindled to 1,089 from 1,893 in 2003. This drastic fall took place despite the Manipur government declaring the Manipuri Pony an endangered breed in 2013. Subsequently, in 2016, the Manipuri Pony Conservation and Development Policy (MPCDP) was conceived to conserve the rare breed and increase the population of ponies. But despite these efforts, the results have not been very encouraging.
Nowhere to go, nowhere to graze:
Speaking to EastMojo, Takhellambam Geetchandra, general secretary, Manipur Pony and Polo Players Welfare Association, said the Manipuri Pony is a semi-wild animal and cannot be domesticated.
“We cannot rear the pony in a staple for throughout the year just like some cattle because since they have some wild characters they need to be rear in a dual mode (domestic and wild mode). A large area is required to rear the pony so that they can graze as well as use them for polo tournaments,” said Geetchandra, who also owns six ponies.
However, Geetchandra pointed out that the shrinkage of wetlands, rapid urbanisation and encroachment to the natural habitat of the Manipuri Pony, combined with a lack of grazing grounds, have contributed greatly to the decline of the ponies. He further stated that another factor is the failure to implement the state policy on Pony Conservation 2016.
“We need to look into this matter to conserve the ponies. If we preserve the wetland areas like the reserve area for the conservation of Sangai, we can address the issues,” added Geetchandra.
According to N Ibungochoubi, a member of the Manipuri Pony Society and joint secretary of the Manipur Olympic Association, the Manipuri Pony Society polo clubs, and polo players, conducted a random survey and census in 2014 and found that the population of the pony was only about 600.
“The state game is polo. The world knows Manipur for the game of polo, but the future of Manipuri Pony is at stake because the birth rate is very low and the death rate is high. The death rate is high simply because there are no grazing grounds,” he said.
According to him, ponies die due to two reasons: road accidents because they come out from their natural habitat and food poisoning.
“If we address these two issues, we can drastically reduce the death rate of ponies. However, almost all the grazing grounds /natural habitat/wetlands which were homes for the Manipuri ponies for thousands of years have vanished because we have encroached on their habitats,” he added.
Since setting up a sanctuary, like the one for the endangered Manipuri Sangai Deer is not feasible due to the ponies not being listed under the Indian Wildlife Act, Ibungochoubi emphasised the need for the preservation of wetlands: the natural habitat and biodiversity to save the Manipuri Pony from extinction.
He also urged the Government of India to acknowledge the Manipuri Pony as ‘Critically Endangered’ and find ways to conserve the breed.
Conservation: Too little, too ineffective?
The Manipur government has recently allotted 30 acres of land at Lamphelpat in Imphal West to conserve the legendary Manipuri Pony.
Chief minister N Biren Singh wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “To protect the endangered Manipuri Pony, they are now given a new home at the government allotted 30 acres of grassy fields at Lamphelpat, Imphal West where they can freely roam and graze. The Manipur State Government has been taking up various measures to protect the Manipuri Pony which is closely tied to the state’s history & culture.”
“We gave the game of modern polo to the world, and considering the importance of this animal, their preservation requires support from the masses. I also appreciate the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association for their initiative to save the precious yet endangered Manipuri Pony,” Biren Singh added.
The Directorate of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services and Manipuri Pony Society jointly organised a day-long consultative meeting on “Status on sustainable and preservation of Manipuri Pony” at the Farmers’ Training Hall, Sanjenthong in Imphal West. The meeting aimed to find and discuss strategies to preserve and conserve the endangered Manipuri Pony.
Addressing the meeting, Manipuri Pony Society president Prof Ch Priyoranjan said that the main purpose of this joint meeting was to revisit and reassess how far the Manipuri Pony Conservation and Development Policy 2016 has been implemented, its drawbacks and find ways to address the loopholes to conserve the endangered pony species properly.
“We need to identify grazing grounds and make them pony reserves at both the village and district levels. Also, to identify polo grounds in the villages and districts so that polo tournaments will be brought back to Manipur so that it becomes sustainable,” said Priyoranjan.
“We do not use Pony for commercial purposes but solely for ritual and sports, particularly polo sport,” he said.
Though the state government’s effort to conserve the Manipuri Pony is effective in many ways, however, Priyoranjan opined that preserving the Pony depends on the people, not the government.
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