Gatka: A Traditional Indian Martial Art

GS Paper I Art and Culture

Context:

Punjab’s Gatka team dominated in Khelo India Youth Games held in Tamil Nadu.

Gatka

Gatka: It is a style of stick fighting, with wooden sticks (Gatka) intended to simulate swords, one of the basic techniques of self-defence for Sikh warriors.
Gatkabaazi: The martial art, in which Gatka is used as a weapon for self-defence, is called Gatkabaazi or Gatkebaazi.
Origin: Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, introduced Gatka to the Sikhs, developed as a self-defensive style after the 14th century in Punjab, India.
- Guru Hargobind introduced the two swords of Miri and Piri and propagated the notion of temporal power-spiritual power.
Purpose: It is primarily used as self-defence and practised by the Gatkabaaz before opting for usage of sword/kirpan.
- In Gatka games, the ‘Stick’ and ‘Farri’ are used to substitute the sword and shield respectively for practice and safety purposes.
Gatka Sport: Gatkabaazi further perfected into a sport in the late 19th century which is performed and played in two sub-styles called Virasat (traditional) and Khed (sport) respectively since 1920.
It was earlier confined to gurudwaras, nagar kirtans and akharas, but now it finds presence in the sports category after the formation of the Gatka Federation of India (GFI) in 2008.

Kalaripayattu, Kerala: It is derived from the word Kalari which means a school or training hall where martial arts are taught. This art is used as a means of unarmed self-defence, though today it is also practiced to achieve physical fitness.
Silambam, Tamil Nadu: A wide variety of weapons are used in Silambam, most of which are not found anywhere else in the world. It also uses animal movements of snake, tiger and eagle.
Thang-Ta, Manipur: It is the popular ancient martial arts form of the Meitei people of Manipur. It is also known as Huyen Langlon. This martial arts form is practised with swords and spears. Thang-ta consists of two main components, armed combat and unarmed fighting. The weaponless version is known as Sarit Sarak.
Lathi, Punjab and Bengal: Lathi martial arts is practiced as a sport in the villages of Punjab and Bengal.
Mardani Khel, Maharashtra: Mardani Khel is famous for its use of the Indian sword and corded lance. This traditional martial arts form was created by the Marathas and is practiced mainly in the city of Kolhapur.
Pari-Khanda, Bihar: It is a style of martial arts that includes heavy use of sword and shield. It was started in Bihar by the Rajputs. The steps and techniques of Pari-khanda are incorporated in the traditional Chau dance as well.

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