A MANIPURI MARTIAL ART:THANG-TA



A stage performance on Thang-ta



Thang-ta is a weapon based Indian martial art created by the Meitei of Manipur. Today Thang-ta is the most popular Meitei martial art form practiced by both men and women. It is most often seen through demonstration in cultural programs. In the Manipuri language,‘Thang’ means sword and ‘ta’ means spear referring to the art’s primary weapons.

Thang-ta is closely related to certain war- dances, often blurring the line between dance and combat forms. The physical side of Thang-ta is eventually supplemented with breathing exercises, meditation and the sacred dances.



courtesy:- e-pao-net

Thang-ta can be practiced in three different ways: ritual, demonstration and combat. The first way is related to the tantric practices and is entirely ritualistic in nature. The second way consists of a spectacular performance involving sword and spear dances. These routines can be converted into actual fighting practices and the third way is the true combat application.

Every year Thang-ta competitions are held at school, district, state and national level. The promotion of Thang-ta as a sport helped in the cause of its promotion and spread from Manipuri to the whole of India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir. Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir are currently the strongest contenders at the national level.

With the aim to preserve and promote this martial art of Manipur, Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) has decided to add it as an optional subject in the syllabus starting from 2014.