Cheibi demonstration at Mapal Kangjeibung, Manipur

From the archive record

One of Manipur's most magnificent ancient martial arts: Cheibi. This age old tradition has been adapted for the modern age, however still carries the same fighting spirit and determination required by the first participants. The fighting equipment comprises of a sword and a shield, now modified to a stick encased in soft leather and a shield made of leather. The contestants fight a duel, and victory goes to the person, who scores the maximum points. In ancient times, sword and spears were used by the contestants. Victory in this martial art, depends more on skill, than brawn and brute force. The competition is held on a flat surface, within a circle, with a diameter of 7 meters. The field are two lines of one meter length each in the circle, with a space of two meters between them. The che