Gatka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Gatka demonstration at the head of a procession to celebrate the 538th birthday of Nanak Dev in Bedford, England |
|
| Focus | sticks simulating swords, various weapons |
|---|---|
| Country of origin |  Punjab region, India |
| Parenthood | Shastar Vidiya |
| Olympic sport | No |
Gatka (Punjabi: ਗਤਕਾ gatkā) is the name of an Indian martial art associated with the Sikhs of the Punjab region. It is a style of stick fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simulate swords. The Punjabi name gatka properly refers to the wooden stick used. The word originates as a diminutive of Sanskrit gada "mace".[1] [2] The style originated in later 19th century, out of sword practice in the British Indian Army, divided in two sub-style, called rasmi (ritualistic) and khel (sport) from the 1880s. There has been a revival during the later 20th century, with an International Gatka Federation was founded in 1982 and formalized in 1987, and gatka is now popular as a sport or sword dance performance art and is often shown during Sikh festivals.[2]
Since this revival, the term gatka has sometimes come to be extended to Sikh martial arts more generally, including the use of various weapons, more properly called Shastar Vidiya (Punjabi ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਵਿਦਿਆ shastar vidiyā, from Sanskrit śastra-vidyā "martial arts"). Used in this sense, the term denotes historical martial arts reconstruction of 16th to 18th century Sikh fighting styles.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Sikhs have a long history of martial traditions, ultimately rooted in pre-modern schools of martial arts or śastravidyā of the Rajputs, and the kshatriya caste or India's "Martial Races" more generally.
Guru Hargobind propagated the theory of the warrior saint, and emphasized the need for his followers to practice fighting for self-defence.[3] Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of Sikhism, trained in martial arts in the Panjab. One of his achievements was the founding of Khalsa, the collective society that galvanized the martial energies of the Sikh community and formed the Khalsa Army of the Sikh Empire during the first half of the 19th century.[4] In regards to training the Khalsa, he pledged that he would "teach the sparrow to fight the hawk".
Following the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848 to 1849 and the establishment of the British Raj, the Sikh martial traditions and practitioners suffered greatly. The British ordered effective disarmament of the entire Sikh community; even tools and farming equipment were banned.[citation needed] During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Sikhs assisted the British in crushing the mutiny. As a consequence of this assistance, restrictions on fighting practices were relaxed, but the Panjabi martial arts which re-emerged after 1857 had changed significantly.[5]
Instead of producing soldiers for warfare, the Shaster Vidiya had developed during the 1860s into a new fighting style called gatka (from the name of its primary weapon, the sword training stick) which was mainly practiced by the British Indian Army. As Sikh colleges opened in the Panjab during the 1880s, European rules of fencing were applied to Gatka, resulting in further alteration. This led to the formation of two gatka branches, rasmi (ritualistic) and khel (sport).
The system devised by Captain William Ewart Fairbairn and Captain Eric Anthony Sykes borrowed methodologies from gatka, jujutsu, Chinese martial arts and "gutter fighting". This method was used to train soldiers in close-combat techniques at the Commando Basic Training Centre in Achnacarry, Scotland.[6]
[edit] Weapons
The correct use of melee weapons is central to gatka with techniques depending on the nature of the weapon. The sword is gatka's main weapon is often paired with a shield. Throwing weapons are also used like the Chakram. Along with daggers and types of spears etc. [7] Weapons used in gatka include:
- Talwar: curved sword
- Kirpan: Sharp dagger worn by baptized sikhs at all times
- Lathi: stick of bamboo from one to three meters in length
- Flexible weapons, such as whips and chains.
- Churi: knife
- Bow and arrow: either traditional Indian steel recurve bows or true composite bows made of wood, horn and sinew. Arrows used are usually fletched reed arrows with tanged steel points.
- Barcha: spear
- Khanda: traditional Sikh and Rajput straight sword
- Peshkarj: dagger
- Kukri: bent sword which broadens towards the point
- Chakram: circular edged weapon that can be thrown. Smaller specimens can be worn like bangles and used as brass knuckles.
- Bagh nakh: leopard's claw, a spiked weapon worn on the hand similar to the Japanese shuko
- Katara (कटार): dagger able to pierce armor
And many more
[edit] Training
With its strong link to the Sikh faith, gatka groups may train in a religious or semi-religious situation, such as in a gurdwara (Sikh temple). Akharas, usually associated with pehlwani, have also been founded with the exclusive purpose of teaching gatka.[7] Gatka emphasizes having something in both hands eg two sticks, a stick and a sword, a sword and a shield or any other combination.[7] Training with "both hands full" is believed to be an excellent exercise for coordinating the two halves of the body, a concept also found in many Filipino martial arts. The individual's preference for weapons, combination of weapons, and movement patterns leads to the development of individual fighting methods.[7]
The foundation of the art is a movement methodology for the use of the feet, body, arms and weapons in unison. Gatka favors rhythmic movement, without hesitation, doubt or anxiety. The attacking and defense methods are based upon the positions of the hands, feet and weapon(s) during the dexterity regimen.[7]
Chanting holy verses may accompany these exercises. The three-beat-per-cycle played by a drummer adds to the coordination during practice.[7]
[edit] Revival
The International Gatka Federation (IGF) was founded in 1982 and formalized in 1987. It is based in Berlin and has chapters in Hamburg and Bordeaux.
In the United Kingdom, Baba Fateh Singh Gatka Akhara was established in East London in 1992, contributing to the establishment of the International Gatka Organisation (IGO).
There was a gatka tournament held in Oldbury in March 2006.[8]
Gatka was displayed during the celebrations of Hola Mohalla in Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Hounslow.[9] It was also performed on the 2005, July 4 Independence Day parade on Constitution Avenue in Washington DC, United States.[10]
Gatka also is performed as a stickfighting dance by the Sikh community of Trinidad.[11]
[edit] Notes
| Part of a series on Indian martial arts |
|---|
| styles |
| wrestling: Malla-yuddha · Pehlwani · Mukti yuddha · Mukna · Inbuan Kalarippayattu: Silambam · Varma ati · Kuttu Varisai |
| Notable Practitioners |
| Phillip Zarrilli · Jasmine Simhalan · Gobar Goho · Gulam · Guru Har Gobind · John Will |
- ^ Ananda Lal, The Oxford companion to Indian theatre, Oxford University Press (2004), ISBN 9780195644463, p. 129.
- ^ a b Sikh martial art `Gatka' takes the West by storm. (Press Trust of India). The Hindu
- ^ Williams, Rosetta (2007). Sikh Gurus Page 68. Har-Anand Publications
- ^ Merriam Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia (2000) pg 662. Merriam-Webster
- ^ [v MILITARY SIKHS: The Education of a Sikh Warrior. Victoria and Albert Museum.] 'An introduction to Shastar Vidiya - the education of a Sikh warrior' was a lecture by Nidar Singh, given as part of the Sikh Arts and Heritage Lecture Series at the V&A, 10 October 2001.
- ^ O. Janson. Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knife: The famous fightingknife used by British commandos and SOE during WW2. Gothia Arms Historical Society
- ^ a b c d e f Singh, Arjun (2006). Gatka. Atlanta Martial Arts Directory.
- ^ Gatka in Oldbury. British Broadcasting Corporation.
- ^ Surely that man with the sword isn't. . . oh yes he is by Jonathan Petre (The Telegraph Online Edition)
- ^ Haniffa, Aziz (July 22, 2005). Sikhs participate in July 4 parade.India Abroad.
- ^ Milla Cozart Riggio (2004). Carnival: Culture in Action--the Trinidad Experience pg 289. Routledge
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Nanak Dev Singh Khalsa & Sat Katar Kaur Ocasio-Khalsa (1991) Gatka as taught by Nanak Dev Singh, Book One - Dance of the Sword (2nd Edition). GT International, Phoenix, Arizona. ISBN 0-89509-087-2
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sikh martial arts |
- International Gatka Federation (IGF)
- International Gatka Organisation (IGO)
- Shastar Vidiya Organisation
- BBC Website - Gatka in Britain (Oldbury) - Gurdwara Amrit Parchar Dharmik Diwan
- Gatka Akhara (groups) in the UK
- California Gatka Dal
- Punjab Gatka Association (PGA)
|
|||||||||||
