Created by the Meitei people of Manipur, Thang-ta is an armed martial art that finds its mention in the most lethal combat forms.
Sarit Sarak, on the other hand, is an unarmed art form that uses hand-to-hand combat. Their history can be traced back to the 17th century when it was used successfully used by the Manipuri kings to fight the British for quite some time. The capture of this region by the British witnessed the ban on these art forms, however post-independence there was a resurfacing of the same.
Thang refers to a ‘sword’, while Ta refers to a ‘spear’, thus sword and spear are the two main elements of
Thang-ta.
The two components thang-ta and sarit sarak are together called Huyen Langlon. This popular and ancient martial art uses other weapons including an axe and a shield. It is practised in three different ways. The first is completely ritualistic in nature, linked with tantric practices. The second consists of a mesmerising performance of spear and sword dances. The third and last involves actual techniques of fighting.
Distinct from other martial art forms, Sarit Sarak is unarmed combat. When compared to any other existing art form of the same school, it is quite flawless for its offensive and evasive action.
