as a technique used in theater and dance. Therefore, it receives support
from the state and has gained widespread popularity. Across Manipur a
number of martial arts academies train men and women in thang-ta, and
many dance and theater schools include thang-ta among their course of-
ferings. The performance of thang-ta techniques, as in the solo decorative
sword dance or a choreographed thang-ta duel on the stage, has become
common in Manipur. In fact, the professional Manipuri dancer is quite
likely to have taken a few thang-ta workshops, and well-known Indian
choreographers such as Astaad Deboo and others have collaborated exten-
sively with thang-ta artists.
The traditional repertoire of thang-ta is divided into four broad cate-
gories. These categories are Ta-khousarol(art of spear dance), Thanghairol
(art of swordplay), Sarit-sarat(unarmed combat), and Thengkourol(art of
touch and call).
Ta-khousarol consists of nine extremely demanding and sophisticated
movement sequences: Maram Nungshetpa, Maram Achouba, Maram Ma-
cha, Tangkhul, Athou Achouba, Thel, Maram Nungjrongba, Kabui, Athou
Chumthang.Each involves a series of moves executed in a specific order—
salutation, removing stakes, watching the foe, battle, and so forth. The
martial artist holds the ta(spear) in the right hand and the chungoi(shield)
Thang-Ta 639Advanced acrobatic and sword skills are required in thang-ta, as is demonstrated by this photograph of two men in
Manipur, ca. 1994. (Lindsay Hebberd/Corbis)