Thang-Ta festival underway
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 18 2024: A three-day Thang-Ta Festival organised by Manipur State Kala Akademi commenced from Sunday at Rupmahal Theatre, Imphal with Art and Culture commissioner M Joy and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee (Thang-Ta) K Sanathoiba attending the inauguration programme as chief guest and president respectively.

In his address, Sanathoiba deplored absence of a standing committee for Thang-Ta while other art forms have one each, and stressed the need for constituting such a committee under the Manipur State Kala Akademi.

He also expressed dissatisfaction over keeping Thang-Ta under the fold of folk dance consequently restricting only one representation from the field of Thang-Ta while assessing candidates for Akademi awards compared to two representatives for folk dance.

At the same time, no representative from Thang-Ta could be entertained in the management committee due to the situation, noted the functional president.

Speaking on the occasion, M Joy highlighted that similar to almost every community in the world having their own combat art form, Meeteis have Huiyen Lallong (Thang-Ta), which is also closely related with the culture.

Today, such martial art forms are being practiced as sports, he noted along with elaborating on efforts and achievements that resulted in Thang-Ta elevated to national level.

The commissioner also stressed the need for documentation and intense thang-ta promotional activities and policies.

As a part of the programme, prizes were distributed to winners of the Children's Painting Competition conducted on August 13 at the City Convention Centre, Palace Gate by the Department of Art & Culture in association with Art Society Manipur as part of the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2024.The top three winners in Category A (Class III-V), B (Class VI-VIII), and C (Class IX-XII) were honoured on the occasion with presentation of cash prize and certificate each with prizes also handed over to six consolation position winners in each category.

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