“I remember the Asian Championship in Thailand in 2001. Bangkok had a big name in Manipur because of (Ngangom) Dingko (Singh) winning the Asian Games gold. At the airport, I touched the ground to make sure it was not a dream,” Laishram Sarita Devi says, recounting her first big international meet.
Over two decades and many medals later, Sarita - sitting in the office room of her academy 21km away from Imphal in a satellite town - still lives that moment as she speaks.
“I came from a village, in the middle of insurgency to win medals for the country,” she says with pride.
If there is a moment that encapsulates Manipur’s success in combat sports, it is this one. For it echoes the cumulative weight of the State's history, culture, struggle and drive. Of escaping the slippery slopes to reach the promised land.
Manipur has produced some of the most decorated combat sports athletes in the country.
If boxers MC Mary Kom and Sarita are the most popular, there are umpteen names that have done the country proud from Dingko to Lourembam Brojeshori and Khumujam Tombi to the latest judo sensation Linthoi Chanambam, who recently won the World Cadet Judo Championship.
The list of international athletes and medal winners extends into Karate, Taekwondo, Wushu, kung-fu and more. The physical culture is rooted deep in the State's history.
“(The) Martial arts (culture) is because we are always at war. Manipur history is full of skirmishes and wars - Burma, tribals, Tripura - so we had to develop martial arts systems like Thang Ta (translated as sword and sphere) and Sarit Sarat (unarmed combat) all in preparation for war,” says Dr RK Nimai, retired Commissioner of Youth Affairs and Sports Department in Manipur.
“When the British defeated us in 1891, they didn’t allow martial arts training but people continued teaching children in their localities. After they left, it opened up again. Many of the martial artists start from Thang Ta and then join Judo, Taekwondo, Wushu etc.”
The mark left by the British on martial arts here is similar to the ones with Kalaripayattu in Kerala or Capoeira in Brazil in that they had to rebrand as performance arts.
But hidden amidst the choreographed moves is a deadly art form, which is now part of cultural events. According to the lore, the umbilical cord was cut using a thang (sword). More than a martial art, Thang ta - now part of the Khelo India Youth Games - was a way of life.
“We have that fight in us from childhood. Our traditional Mukna Kangjei (wrestling and hockey) and Thang Ta. All of us know that. You see your grandfather and father do it. Even if you didn't train, we will know. It's in our blood,” says Angom Surjit Meitei, who coached Linthoi, with a laugh.
The traditional games are still played with fanfare during the festivals, particularly Holi, called Yaosang after the two festivals amalgamated during the Vaishnavism movement in the 18th century. Celebrated over six days, sport is the main attraction.
“During the olden days, we had Panas (administrative blocks). We had four Panas, one time there were six. It has a clan affinity. So games and competitions were based on the Pana system. So there was a lot of support… that system and culture has continued,” explains Nimai.
Manipur has seven clans, making up the seven colours in their flag. "Meitei (one of the major tribes) has a saying ‘we are born once, we cannot die twice'," says Aboy Abujam, Mukhna Kangjei organiser attempting to revive and update the old indigenous sport.
It comes as a rallying cry from the State's warring history. That spirit flows to this day albeit in a toned down and sophisticated form. It lends itself to every locality, called Lekai, having at least one martial arts gym. In some ways, it is omnipresent.
“There are a lot of martial arts, every neighbourhood has it. Kickboxing, Taekwondo, karate... self-defense is a big thing. After school, you do what you see (other people doing),” says Oinam Geeta Chanu, boxing coach in SAI Guwahati.
Geeta, from Bishnupur district Manipur, is the path breaker in women’s boxing. She was the first from Manipur and a national champion in the 46kg weight class in 2000. She was herself a kickboxer from the hill district before moving to boxing.
Sarita moved from taekwondo to Kung-fu before settling in boxing. Mary Kom tried her hands at a variety of sports.
Interestingly, all three come from the hill districts, which lag behind the valley districts economically and in opportunities.
“It's not like there are no boxers from Imphal. But there are fewer because they concentrate on education and have more opportunities. People from the hills, we struggle for everything - you work in the field, it’s physical to move in the terrain. We struggle day-to-day. Coming and improving in sport is easy,” Sarita says.
Three months ago, she travelled to a few hill districts to scout talent and brought wards between 8-15 years of age to her academy. Surrounded by paddy fields, the boxing gym is a meat and potatoes structure where Sarita, despite having her own house nearby, and the kids stay.
Some are already at a level where they are ready for tournaments.The economic prowess, the lack thereof, of the State is also a push to succeed/train in combat sports. Manipur has no major industries or companies to beef up the economy.
Success at the national and international level means job, money and improving lives. This has led to their success, especially the women who in many cases have outperformed men.
“The boys get into jobs, in the army or police, very early. They get a salary from then on and sometimes they leave boxing,” says Sarita.
“Women spar with the men. As kids, girls spar with seniors. So the improvement is there,” says Geeta.
“Back in the day, families didn’t want girls boxing. But people have seen women being successful, their names in papers and money coming in. They see it as an option for a better life. The village also supports them because they get fame and respect.”
Adding to that is the existing culture. Although patriarchal, compulsory military service for the men during the king’s time ensured women got a decision-making role in society. Their role in the economy continues to this day with Ima Market, a 16th-century establishment that remains the only market run completely by women.
There are also social evils, of many kinds, lurking and martial arts are used as an attempt to ensure discipline and a healthy lifestyle<
Sarita knows this only too well. “I was the sixth of eight kids. That time there were a lot of insurgency issues… 1997-98... it was a tough time because my father passed away and these people used to meet every day, eat at my house and treat me well. I was used to living between guns. At the time I felt like I wanted to be like them,” she says.
“When my brother got to know, he was angry. He took me to join a taekwondo centre 9km away. I used to get up and leave at 3 am, walking to the centre.” With her focus shifted and her drive to help her family financially steeled, Sarita had purpose and discipline driving her.
Now, the biggest social evil is drugs. Manipur, ironically a dry state, shares its border with Myanmar as well as Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam. With the State being economically backward, the lure is always there. “Manipur has a problem with drugs. Since we are a border area, boys around 18-19 get involved,” admits Sarita. Bhaskar Bhatt, the head coach of the women's national boxing team agrees.
"The people there have seen struggle since childhood. They are tough, physically and mentally. The guys there have more options and there are drug issues as well. Girls generally stay away from it," he says.
Wattaba Mangang, the founder of Kanglei Martial Tricks, a martial arts club in the city, is doing his best to save Manipur's youth and identity.
“We started this club to keep the youth away from drugs and alcohol and to promote pride in their community and nation,” says Mangang. "The number of liver cirrhosis cases has increased in the State."
It’s easy to miss his school, tucked away in a blink-and-miss turn in the heart of the Imphal. The makeshift-looking permanent structure has a matted surface, two punching bangs, some bamboo sticks (playing the part of sword and sphere), peacock feathers - appropriated for throwing darts or arambaai - and a few other artifacts that makeup Thang Ta.
In his attempts to get the newer generation interested in the ancient art form, attempts are being made to incorporate elements from Capoeira, Muy Thai, gymnastics, break dancing and other disciplines. When asked how he has gone about doing this, Mangang sheepishly says YouTube. Interestingly, their YouTube channel has over 58,000 subscribers. What is interesting also is how the success has come with little support from the Government.
"The facilities are better now but still not great. You look at Haryana, they have good facilities and get incentives from the Government. It's not the same here. With more coaches and facilities, it will be much better," says Geeta.
Manipur's history and culture have made up for the deficit where administration and governance have faltered. But it can only do so much as newer challenges - economic and social - are rising.
"Wake up yelhoumi, save Manipur," reads the wristband on Mangang's hand. Yelhoumi is the term for indigenous people.
Even now, the call is for people to unite rather than at the governance. Then again, for Kangleipak - the erstwhile name for Manipur - that has been the way.