Thabal Chongba or dancing in the moonlight (literal meaning: moonlight jumping or leaping) is related to the Hindu festival Holi and is a side product of the Ras-Lila.
Traditionally, conservative Manipuri parents did not allow their daughters to go out and meet any young men without their consent. Thabal Chongba therefore provided the only chance for girls to meet and talk to boys. In earlier times, this dance was performed in the moonlight accompanied by folk songs. The music is rhythmic beating of drums accompanied by other instruments. It is performed in every locality on all the five days of the festival. As soon as the moon rises over the hills the flute, the drums and the cymbals starts pouring out music. The boys and girls in a circle clutch each others hands with rhythms of music slow and fast, high and low, up and down. If the number is great they may form two or three rows so that everybody and anybody can participate in the dance.
Thabal Chongba is quite similar to the Gujarati Garba except that the dancers here don't use the dandiya.