KNMA Presents Thang Ta: The Traditional, Technical and Temporal Journey of a Martial Art Form

The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art presents Thang Ta: The Traditional, Technical and Temporal Journey of a Martial Art Form on 20th February, 2026 at the Triveni Kala Sangam Amphitheatre. The third edition of the KNMA Legacy Series, invites audiences to engage with the deep historical, ritual, and contemporary resonances of thang ta -Manipur’s indigenous martial art tradition, formally known as Huyen Lallong.

For its third year, the Legacy Series foregrounds an ancient practice from Manipur dating back to 33 AD. Showcasing both its traditional foundations and contemporary expressions, the programme invites audiences to witness how systems of traditional knowledge evolve across time and geography while retaining their thematic and philosophical core.

Rooted in Meitei cosmology, thang ta derives its name from thang (sword) and ta (spear), constituting a sophisticated system of armed and unarmed combat that has historically functioned as both a means of warfare and a form of ritual practice. More than a martial discipline, thang ta embodies a spiritual and ethical framework, demanding physical rigour, mental control, and reverence.

The evening’s programme will feature demonstrations of multiple styles of thang ta by students from different schools, followed by performances and conversations with artists whose contemporary practices have been deeply shaped by the form’s movement vocabulary.

Featured practitioners include Dr. Gurumayum Biseshwor Sharma, Ojha Ranjeet Chingtham, and Ojha Th Imocha Singh, who will engage in a discussion reflecting on the combative, performative, and ritual contexts of thang ta. This will be followed by performances by students from their institutions: Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association, Kanglei Saktam Langba Kanglup, and Anjika Center for Manipuri Dance and Movement Therapy, foregrounding pedagogical lineages. The evening will close with two group performances choreographed by Surjit Nongmeikapam and Priti Patel.

Tickets: Free admission. Limited seating on a first-come, first-served basis and registration through Skillbox and District Insider.