New Delhi, February 18 The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) will present "Thang Ta: The Traditional, Technical and Temporal Journey of a Martial Art Form" on Friday, exploring the historical, ritual, and contemporary dimensions of the indigenous martial art tradition of Manipur.
As part of the third edition of KNMA's 'Legacy Series', the presentation, set to be held at the Triveni Kala Sangam Amphitheatre, will introduce audiences to thang ta – formally known as 'Huyen Lallong' – as a living system of knowledge that has evolved over centuries while retaining its philosophical and cultural foundations.
Conceptualized by Aditi Jaitly Jadeja, senior curator (performing arts) at KNMA, with Priti Patel as curatorial advisor, the initiative seeks to expand the idea of legacy beyond hereditary transmission to collective cultural memory, honoring the ojhas and gurus who preserved and adapted the tradition over time.
"The legacy of thang ta reminds us that its gurus were not only custodians of technique, but astute readers of their socio-political environment, allowing the form to adapt while retaining its philosophical depth," Jadeja said in a statement.
The programme will feature demonstrations by students from different thang ta traditions, followed by interactions with practitioners who will discuss the martial, performative, and ritual contexts of the form.
Performances by students from the Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association, Kanglei Saktam Langba Kanglup, and Anjika Center for Manipuri Dance and Movement Therapy will highlight pedagogical lineages.
The evening will conclude with two group performances choreographed by Surjit Nongmeikapam and Priti Patel, reflecting how thang ta's movement vocabulary continues to influence contemporary artistic practice.
Dating back to around 33 AD, thang ta derives its name from 'thang' (sword) and 'ta' (spear), forming a sophisticated system of armed and unarmed combat rooted in Meitei cosmology.
Historically practiced in temples and used in warfare, the martial tradition also carries spiritual and ethical dimensions, requiring physical discipline, mental control, and reverence.