The Marjing Polo Complex () is a

sports complex A sports complex is a group of sports facilities. For example, there are track and field stadiums, football stadiums, baseball stadiums, swimming pools, Olympic Parks, and indoor arenas. Asia * Azadi Sport Complex * Cebu City Sports Com ...

dedicated to ancient Meitei deity

Marjing Marjing () is the God of horses, polo, hockey, sports and war in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. The guardianship of the north eastern direction is alluded to Marjing and the other directions to Koupalu (north west), Thangchi ...

, and Meitei horse (Manipuri pony), built in the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, the sacred abode of God

, located in Heingang,

Imphal East district Imphal East district ( Meitei pronunciation: /ˈɪmfəl or ɪmˈfɑːl/) is one of the 16 districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. In 2011, it was the second most populous district in the state, after Imphal West. In 2016, the Jiribam ...

, . It houses

Marjing Polo Statue The Marjing Polo Statue () is a colossal classical equestrian statue of a player of , riding a Meitei horse ( Manipuri pony), constructed at the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, the ancient Meitei dei ...

, the world's tallest

equestrian statue An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin ''eques'', meaning 'knight', deriving from ''equus'', meaning 'horse'. A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an equine statue. A full-sized equestrian statue is a ...

of a polo player. The total area of the Marjing Polo Complex is 23 acres, spreading over the Marjing hills () with the grazing ground of the Meitei horses covering an area of about four acres. The construction of the Marjing Polo Complex was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism,

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

with an estimated cost of . It was done under the Central Financial Assistance in 2009. According to chief minister's secretariat of the

Government of Manipur The Government of Manipur (; /mə.ni.pur lə́i.ŋak/), also known as the State Government of Manipur, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Manipur and its 16 districts. It consists of an ex ...

, the total construction cost is .

Inauguration

During March 2018, the Marjing Polo Complex was inaugurated by

Nongthombam Biren Nongthombam Biren Singh ( Meitei pronunciation: /nōng-thōm-bam bī-ren sīng/; born 1 January 1961) is an Indian politician, former footballer and journalist who served as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur from 2017 to 2025 as a member ...

, the then

Chief Minister of Manipur The Chief Minister of Manipur is the head of government, chief executive of the Indian state of Manipur. As per the Constitution of India, the Governors of states of India, governor is a state's ''de jure'' head, but ''de facto'' executive auth ...

, in the presence of Dr. Sapam Ranjan, the then Chairman of Tourism Corporation of Manipur Limited, L. Radhakishore, the then Chairman of Manipur Pollution Control Board, Kshetrimayum Biren, the then MLA of Lamlai, and other tourism officials.

Facilities

Cable cars are planned to be made available for public service from the Langol Ching to the Marjing Hill and from the Marjing Hill to the Kangla Fort for the tourists. A Polo Ground is planned to be made in the hillock of the Marjing Hills. The Marjing Polo Complex provides the facility of taking care of the Meitei horses if the animal's owner doesn't have any facility to take care of their animals. On 5 October 2022, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh inaugurated an open gym in the Marjing Polo Complex, under his "Martial Arts Akademi, Manipur", with the support of the

. Security guards are also made to be present to safeguard the gym.

Development

The construction cost of is planned for the gateways to the Marjing Polo Complex at Khabam Lamkhai, in the PPP Model. On 9 June 2019, a social group named "Manipur Updates" organised a tree plantation program at the Marjing Polo Complex, as a part of the "Mission Green Manipur" program.

Events

The National Tourism Day 2022 was celebrated in the Marjing Polo Complex on 25 January 2022. It was organised by the Directorate of Tourism,

. The Marjing Polo Complex was selected as the venue for the event because of its tourism prospects. The

World Tourism Day Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27. This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these S ...

was also organised in the Marjing Polo Complex, with the theme, "Tourism and Digital Transformation", on 27 September 2018. The Manipur Sangai Festival 2022 was organised at 14 different venues, including one at the Marjing Polo Complex. The 6th Singju Festival 2022 was organised by the Singju Yokhatpa Lup Manipur in collaboration with the Ibudhou Marjing Khubam Kanba Lup Heingang at Marjing Polo Complex from 28 December 2022 to 8 January of the year 2023.

Notes

References

External links

Marjing Polo Complex
at {{Authority control Monuments and memorials in Imphal Monuments and memorials to Meitei royalty Polo in India Public art in India Sport in India Tourist attractions in Manipur Polo venues