SportsMaze

Thang-ta

Thang-ta is a martial art from Manipur with armed and unarmed styles; the sport rules cover the armed game. In the fighting events, two players strike with a phunachei, a cane stick in soft leather, either with a stick and a shield and no kicking or with no shield and kicks allowed. A bout is two rounds of three minutes. The performance events are solo forms judged on posture, movement, power and rhythm, among others.

Checked 20 October 2026

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How long

Two rounds of three minutes with a one-minute interval

Lengths are from the rule book.

The tournaments that matter

  1. National Thang-Ta Championship (India; Yearly).
  2. Khelo India Youth Games (thang-ta) (Youth; Yearly).

Who runs it

Rules made bySchool Games Federation of India (SGFI), Thang-Ta Game Rule (scanned)
International federationWorld Thang-Ta Federation
In IndiaThang-Ta Federation of India, named in news reports.

Where and when it is played

In a circular arena 20 feet across, covered with mats. The big events are Indian: the National Thang-Ta Championship and the Khelo India Youth Games, both held every year.

Everything on Thang-ta