The third edition of the KNMA Legacy Series invites the audience to engage with the traditional knowledge and contemporary manifestations of Thang Ta, a martial arts form from Manipur.

The evening will begin with a discussion between Thang Ta artists and teachers, who have each contributed immensely to preserving the legacy of Thang Ta. They will reflect on the combative, performative and ritual context of Thang Ta and demonstrate techniques specific to their style and pedagogy. This will be followed by performances by students from various institutions. The evening will close with two group performances choreographed by Surjit Nonmeikapam and Priti Patel, whose artistic expressions are influenced by forms such as Thang Ta.

The Legacy Series organised by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art honours genealogies of performers devoted to the intergenerational transfer of artistic disciplines. The hereditary passing down of techniques, compositions and nuances is an important way in which the performing arts traditions in India have persisted over centuries.

This edition of Legacy Series expands the meaning of legacy from specific genealogies towards collective cultural memory. In doing so, it honours the ojhas and gurus of Thang Ta who have ensured its survival by both preserving and disseminating the techniques of the form while retaining its divine and social essence. The legacy of Thang Ta finds expression in the different artists’ creative interpretation, reflecting how a form evolves from its originary roots and finds different branches into the contemporary performing arts landscape.

The poster features a re-drawn illustration of Paphal Achaoba, also known as Malem Paphal, one of the main Pakhangba Paphals. (Source: Khongkhul Liba: In the Footsteps of a Legacy – Manipuri Dance by Priti Patel, Copyright: KNMA)