India’s martial traditions have origins as ancient as civilization itself. Long before boxing rings and MMA cages, the Indian subcontinent had its own complex systems of fighting, replete with discipline, philosophy, and community defense. They were not merely art forms of war, they were art forms of life that were imbedded in cultural rituals, dancing in temples, and the code of the warrior. Ultimately, time washed many of these martial art forms into obscurity, only existing in minuscule villages, or the earnest practice of a small handful. Of these ancient art forms of honorable combat, Silambam from Tamil Nadu, Thang-Ta from Manipur and Gatka from Punjab are among the most interesting, and all are living evidence of the grandeurs of India’s past.
Silambam, which means “staff fighting”, dates back more than 2,000 years, with references in Sangam literature and links to the discipline practiced in the martial arts training of the armies of ancient Tamil kings. The weapon itself is a long bamboo staff, which could be taller than the practitioner, and the art form is as graceful as it is deadly. Silambam prioritizes movement flow and emphasizes speed, balance, and footwork. Practitioners move like dancers circling their opponents, in a bounding rhythm of attacks or defenses that seem to have an endless flow.Just as much, if not more, is about mental clarity as it is about physical movements, encapsulating the Tamil philosophy behind mastering self-first before mastering the weapon. The British colonial prohibitions on “native” martial arts nearly wiped it out, but Silambam survived in secrecy and was passed down through communities and temple festivals. Now there is an effort to revive Silambam as both a traditional sporting and meditative art, or some combination of the two, for building both body and mind.
In the northeast region of India, Thang-Ta, or “sword and spear,” is practiced by the Meitei warriors of Manipur. Arguably, this martial art is the most spectacular of India’s ancient martial arts. It is a choreographed art form, a dance between two practitioners who wield swords and spears in beautifully formed movements that appear very much like a ballet fight. Every movement and every cut or strike carries symbolic meaning, embedded in the ontological worldview of Manipuri cosmology and dance. Thang-Ta was used, not only for battle, but also for ritual performances honoring the deities and ancestors. During the imperial rule of the British, when the art form was banned, it became stylized as performance, combining the art of storytelling, music, and spirituality with combat style fighting, mimicking the earlier forms of the art. Today, we see the return of Thang-Ta, very much under the radar, at cultural festivals and at the various schools in Manipur that teach young people the legacy their grandfathers lived and fought for as warriors. Thang-Ta reminds us that martial arts are not only fierce, but also graceful; a discipline of the soul, and not only of the sword.
Gatka originates from the far northwest, specifically from the Sikh warriors of North India. This art of combat arose from battles in medieval Punjab and was developed to help the Nihang Sikhs (“blue-clad warriors”) defend the faith and community. Gatka can be practiced using wooden sticks or swords, and the techniques themselves come from ancient Indian martial arts systems known collectively as Shastra Vidya. However, Gatka is also a deeply spiritual practice that draws from the Sikh value of “Miri-Piri” (or balance of temporal power and spiritual virtue). Gatka is performed by practitioners in gurdwaras and at festivals such as Hola Mohalla, and displays feats of speed, courage, and discipline. Spectators can watch practitioners spin their weapons in unison and footwork and chants that are meditative and spiritual in nature. This phenomenon reflects practitioners in the expression of their strength while at the same time a surrendering to the will of God. Presently, Gatka can still be observed throughout India and Sikh enclaves around the world as a practice that endures a centuries-old identity as warriors beyond the battlefield.
These forgotten martial arts reveal an essential aspect of India’s past, that warfare and spirituality were inseparable, and strength was always balanced with morality. Each style of martial art teaches lessons of balance, discipline, and respect – principles lost on many aspects in modern life. While contemporary India is revisiting its origins through yoga, Ayurveda, and other classical arts, these martial traditions must also be recovered into the modern consciousness. They remind us that mastery has little to do with beating or dominating your opponent, but rather exists in finding harmony with your weapon, your opponent, and your own mind.
It may be the time to move past imported combat sports and look back to the domestic versions of combat sports. In the idea of Silambam’s staff spinning rhythmically, with the aesthetics of Thang-Ta’s blade striking in beautiful elegance, and the spiritual discipline of Gatka’s sword fighting, India’s martial heritage lies alive, ancient, and ready to empower meta complexity in future generations.
