Martial art of Manipur, Thang - Ta

WildFilmsIndia 2014-08-12

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Thang-ta is a martial art created by the Meitei people of Manipur.

Thang-ta is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Meitei of Manipur. In the Manipuri language, thang means sword and ta means spear, referring to the art's primary weapons. The spear can be used in its non-missile form while in close or thrown from afar. Other weapons include the shield and the axe. Because of Manipur's cultural similarity, geographic proximity and ethnic ties with Myanmar, thang-ta is closely related to banshay.

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. The third way is the true combat application. Thang-ta is closely related to certain war-dances, often blurring the line between dance and combat forms, such as thangkairol (sword dance) and khosarol (spear dance). Many ritualistic dances in Manipur were traditionally performed by martial artists such as the spear dance for funerals or the sacred thengou dance.

Manipur (Kangleipak) About this sound pronunciation is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Its people include the Meitei, Pangal (Muslims), Naga, and Kuki,Zomi and Gorkhali(Nepali) who speak different languages of branches of the Tibeto-Burman family. The state is bounded by Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south, and Assam to the west; Burma lies to the east. It covers an area of 22,327 square kilometres (8,621 sq mi).

The Meitei, who live primarily in the state's valley region, form the primary ethnic group (60% of the total population).The term Meitei now refers to five social groups -- the Meitei marup (believe in only Meitei culture and God), Meitei Christians, Meitei goura Chaytonya (believe in both Meitei and Hindu gods), the Meitei Brahmins (Manipuri Brahmin locally called "Bamons") and the Meitei Muslims (called Miah Meitei or Pangal). All of them has Meiteilon as their mother-tongue. Their language, Meiteilon (also known as Manipuri), is the lingua franca in the state.

Source: Wikipedia

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