Indian martial arts

[Mojo]

I just found this site and it looks interesting. They are going to tour the U.S.
Does anyone here practice an Indian martial art ?
http://people.we.mediaone.net/radhac/kdtupcomingevents.html

[cwheelie]

Had no idea this existed! Do you know where to get tour info?

de ja fu - The feeling that somewhere, somehow you've been kicked in the head like this before.

[Mojo]

I think you'll have to e-mail them. Their address is at the bottom of their page.

[Stranger]

They have a lot of info on Gatka, a Sikh Martial Art, at the Alliance Martial Art website.

I don't get mad.
I get stabby.

[Kung Lek]

Kalaripayit was actually quite (very) rare until just a couple of years ago. Now there seems to be more and more information about it getting out.

Interesting to see where it goes from here.

cool

peace

Kung Lek

Martial Arts Links (http://members.home.net/kunglek)

[Kristoffer]

their "grandmaster" in India is truly amazing :eek: I've seen a documentary on him and his martial art in India. scary stuff, when advanced, fighting with live, sharp weapons.

~K~
"maybe not in combat..... but think of the chicks man, the chicks!"

[Syre]

The training usually starts at the age of seven for both boys and girls. For most Kalari exponents, the training becomes a way of life. Besides the physical aspects, the Kalari training includes meditation and Ayurvedic oil massages. The massages are of prime importance in conditioning and making the body supple. This is done by the Gurukkal or the Master Trainer himself.

The training is imparted in four stages. First the Chuvadu or stance. This is followed by Vadivu or body postures which are eight in number: gaja (elephant), simha (lion), aswa (horse), varaha (pig), sarpa (serpent), marjjara (cat), kukkuda (rooster) and matsya (fish).

The trainee who masters the Chuvadu and Vadivu goes on to Meyppayattu (the use of the body in fighting) which aims at perfecting neuro-muscular coordination. Then begins the training with weapons. Commencing with cane weapons, the trainee graduates to using the Cheruvadi (small stick), Ottakkol (poles), Gada (mace) and Kadtaram (steel dagger), and then the most glamorous of combats - fighting with the sword and shield.

Another weapon is the Urumi, a long, springy, double edged, coiled sword which can even recoil and hurt the user if not wielded with skill. Fighting with spears is the last in the weapon training syllabus. The spears called Kuntham are long poles made of cane, bamboo or wood with a sharp double edged metal tip.

That summary comes from this site:
http://www.keralatourism.org/news/Prev15.html

Here is a site with some video clips and other info:

http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/tnd/kalari/kalari.html

[This message was edited by Syre on 10-27-01 at 05:48 AM.]

[Kristoffer]

kung fu's origin... Me Like. :D
great pages

~K~
"maybe not in combat..... but think of the chicks man, the chicks!"

[Royal Dragon]

This is intersting,
I noticed they spend an unbelievable amount of time on body development PRIOR to ANY martial practice, especially stance work. This has ALWAYS been a philosiphy of mine. The other interesting thing is that they teach weapons FIRST and un armed second. This actually makes more sens from a traditional stand point as the ancient warrior was going to face weapons first, and fight empty hand ONLY if disarmed. Also, weapons build the body much faster than empty had because of added weight, so your looking at faster progression physically than doing it the other way around. Of course you modern boys would say just lift wieghts, and I agree you right about that, but weapn's training IS a progressive resistance exercise just like weight lifting is.

Personally, as soon as they get video's out, I'm buying them ALL!!! I really want to see "HOW" these guys train more so than "What" they train.

My guess, is this would be a great art to have as a foundation.

Comments anyone?

Royal Dragon


"Chi is Chinese for Spinach"

Check out the Royal Dragon Web site

http://www.Royaldragon.4dw.com

[Stranger]

site #1 (http://www.sikhi.demon.co.uk/gatka.htm)

site #2 (http://www.gatka.de/MAIN.htm)

site #3 (http://home.talkcity.com/LibraryDR/vickey1611/california.html)

site #4 (http://www.saca.co.uk/baga.html)

I don't get mad.
I get stabby.

[blaktiger]

Read the first link! They claim TaMo traveled to Shaolin to teach martial arts, instead of spreading Buddism (sp)!! :confused: :mad: :eek:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I'll be too busy lookin' good!"

[Chang Style Novice]

{font=cartman}Sweeeeeeeeet!{/font}

_______________________
I am the Grand Ultimate Silk Pyjama

[Merryprankster]

http://amritha.freeyellow.com/


Since this is an ancient martial art, it must be a truly powerful style. Perhaps I should check into it. Looks interesting.

[David Jamieson]

ahhh, Kalari payit.

World's oldest codified systematized martial art still in existance (don't get me started on the wall paintings found in abydos during the earely 90's). Still practiced in parts of western and northern India, Kalari Payit predates even the Shaolin Martial Arts by more than 1000 years.

The first time i ever heard of the art was was in a travelogue and there was mention of a school and a short chat with the headmaster of this school. Pretty cool stuff, pretty rare and definitely not a prominently practiced art. Still quite rare.

There was a time, not so long ago that one would never have heard of this ancient martial arts system. What wonders the internet brings with it's ability to communicate the far flung and obscure.

peace

[Merryprankster]

Ancient and powerful, apparently.

[David Jamieson]

yep and it's got dim mak too! :)

The headmaster stated in the interview I saw that a student would learn nerve pinches and the like after about 5 - 10 years depending on their ability to understand.

The style in practice resembled wushu. But he did do a nifty little "pinch" on the interviewers elbow to "demonstrate" at the request of the interviewer. Dropped the interviewer to their knees immediately. I thought to myself, "hey, now i think he's got something there" hahahaha.

peace

[Stacey]

Wow, if Kalari is the Kung fu, what kung fu is to Karate, then I think we should really look into Kalari. I think kung fu has all this stuff too, but they play with live blades. I am very interested in this.


http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/tahtib.html

evidently there are lots of mid east MA's.

[Asia]

Don't get me started on MA history we'll be here all day.

I have studied Kalaripayit aka Vajarmushti and found it to be a very good system. I actually came across it in my pursuit of the KATAR (one of my favorite weapons) I knew of the weapon before the art then.


The "dim mak" is called marma adi. I have found two books on this. I have heard of an art the focuses soley on this called Marma shastra, i think. But haven't found much on it.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

women are the mother of all martial arts.

why else would we fight?

[Chang Style Novice]

I really like the technique shown at the top of the page; jumping high in the air with feet in front of you and holding a fist-mounted shield where it will protect your groin.

Graceful and effective!

On the other hand, the pictures of the guys with their feet planted securely look pretty good.

[David Jamieson]

Of course there are lot's of martial arts throughout the east and the mediteranean basin.

I think it had to do with the fact that civilization has been existing there since civilizations existed.
Not to mention all the wars before the invention of firearms.
And the Romans invaded the entire known world, followed by every other group from tartars to moors to huns.

There were pockets where arts such as Shaolin Kung Fu, Kalaripayit and various others were developed to very high levels with sound principles. These pockets enjoyed a long unbroken development deep within the territories they came from and as well many techniques and apps within these style were developed from lessons in the field. with time further adaptation brings us to the state of the arts today.

They are all a worthwhile endeavour.

peace

[Crimson Phoenix]

I knew this art for a long time, I have a friend who has been studying indian MA for 8 years...he practices Varma Kalai and has done many studies on Kalari Payat.
It's true that it's a fascinating art...their calisthenics and flexibilty drills are impressive
My favourite Kalari Payat weapon is the Urumi, a sword with flexible and razor sharp blades that can bend like a whip...Urumis usually have three of the blades connected to a single handle, and you could easily decapitate someone with it...of course, it was the weapon of masters, since there were lots of occasions for self-maiming if your mastery wasn't near perfect :eek:
But Asia, I think Kalari Payat and Vajramushti are two different styles.
Vajramushti (also called Mallavidya) seems even more ancient than KP, it's a ancient combat technique that probably appeared in the religious context of the Brahman cast. It is an extremely violent pugilism often given during religious celebrations, with strikes aiming at the head and chest with often lethal consequences since the opponents were wielding a vajra (or kongo in japanese) in their hand ie some sort of metal rod with points at both ends or claw like protuberances.
That said, lots of its techniques passed down to Kalari Payat and some even say gong fu (some historians trace a link from Vajramushti to Shaolin).
Some bouts are still organized, although more sports and less dangerous, in the Gujarat.

[Archangel]

http://www.channel1.com/pankration/history/

It's an interesting theory.

[Former castleva]

Yeah.As far as I know,it´s quite deadly,and requires lots of flexibility.

[NorthernMantis]

Yeah but was it made in Korea?:D

Anways I like to say that thereare other kung fu styles like tien shan pai that predate shaolin and other styles outside of China also.

[Hercules]

Hiya Chaps,
Some would argue, and in fact there is some evidence to suggest that the Greek art of Pankration influenced the fighting arts of India, and therefore the arts of China and Japan. It has been recorded that at least some of the current Masters of some Japanese styles freely admit to this influence, Mas Oyama being one. I'm not saying that Pankration is better than the other arts it influenced but it seems to be true that it came first. In ancient times it was common practice to take Greek culture and fighting arts further afield, and this was true of Alexander the Great, who reached the borders of China before turning back to Greece. I wonder what would have happened if he did not turn back but ventured into the heartlands of China??

Cheers

Hercules.

[Leonidas]

Yea i agree. The Mother of all Martial Arts is wrasslin'. Us Westerners had it all along. :D

[Leonidas]

Yea i agree. The Mother of all Martial Arts is wrasslin'. Us Westerners had it all along. :D

[Jingo]

For a while now, many people have been hearing that martial arts had its roots in India. But where in India... what art would it have been? Some tried to link the grappling art of Vajramushti as Kung-Fu's predesessor even though it resembles Greek Pankration wrestling. Others with the Punjabi art of Gatka which is a sword fencing art. However, during the 1990s the Kerala art of Kalaripayattu has came out from the dark. Many people seeing this art with its martial arts type of kicks, punches, and weaponry have were convinced that this must be the art which Kung-Fu has originated from. There are a lot of web sites and articles stating that the art of Kalaripayattu was the martial arts introduced by an Indian prince turned monk by the name of Daruma Bodhidarma to China. As a matter of fact many have jumped to the conclusion that it was the mother all martial arts.

First of all, there is no connection whatsoever between Kalaripayattu and Kung-Fu. Kalaripayatttu was formed around the 13th century and Daruma Bodhidarma was alive around the 6th century who traveled to China. There is a 700 year gap between him and the formation of Kalaripayattu. Also, Daruma Bodhidarma was born in the ancient Pallava kingdom of Kanchipuram which is situated in the state of present day Tamil Nadu where Kalaripayattu is not a native art of the state. As a matter of fact Tamil Nadu itself has several martial arts which predate Kalaripayattu thousands of years and are even mentioned in the ancient Tamil literature such as the Silappadikaram during the Sangam Age of the 1st century A.D. Another piece of Tamil literature which mentions of these martial arts is called the Purunaruru (Four Hundreds songs on War and Wisdom) written around 500 B.C.E. The source on Kalaripayattu can be found in Phillip Zarilli's When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art .

Another thing I would like to point out is that India was not in existence before the arrival of the British around the 1600s. Before the British colonized the former numerous countries and kingdoms of the sub-continent and called it India, the present day southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and even parts of Sri Lanka were originally called Tamil Akkam (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Rajaraja_territories.png). It was one Tamil (Dravidian) administration with three major dynasties being the Pandyan, Cholas, and the Cheras. The Pallavas were also part of Tamil Akkam at one time. However, their empire was divided by Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. The land where the Cheras ruled later came to be known as Kerala where they formed their own language out of Tamil called Malayalam. The latest parts of the sub-continent to be brought into the Indian Union were the 5 French territories of Pondicherry in 1956. Before that, it was Assam, Manipur, and the other Eastern states which came under the British rule and became part of their India during the late 1800s which can be found at Thang Ta: Martial Art of Manipur (http://www.thang-ta.com/).

As a Matter of fact, Tamil Akkam had such a powerful infantry, cavalry, and navy, that not even the Mauryan Empire of Asoka could over power it. This was probably due to the Tamils martial expertise as well. Much information can be found along with a map of the Mauryan Empire of Asoka in K.A. Nilakanta Sastri's Age of the Nandas and Mauryas. Another good book to read on this would be Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas by Romlia Thapar.

The Martial Arts of Tamil Nadu and Northeastern Sri Lanka, are Kuttu Varisai (empty hand combat), Varma Kalai (pressure point attacks), and an array of weapons arts. Kuttu Varisai resembles a mix of both Karate and Kung Fu having its own animal forms too. As for Kalripayattu of 13th century, it resembles a lot like ninjitsu.

There are many weapons arts and each weapon is a mastery of its own. One of the most famous one is called Silambam which is similar to the Bo staff fighting in Japan. There are a total of 96 Katas for this art. Another weapon is the Erathai or the double stick similar to the Filipino Kali or Sinawali. There are two unique weapons which are not found outside of Southern India which is the Surul Pattai (steel blade whip) and the Madhu (deer horns). Other weapons arts of the Tamil country are the Val Vitchi (single sword) and the Eretthai Val (double short sword).

Between the 2nd to 12th century AD the Pallavas and the Cholas have done intensive sea trade with Southeast Asian kingdoms like that of Angkor (Cambodia), Sri Vijaya (Indonesia) and even as far as China. It is possible that the Pallavas may have had contact with Japan during their seafaring naval expeditions. A good source on that would be in the book titled Traditional Cultural Link between India and Japan (During the 8th and 9th centuries) written by Dr. Kalpakam Sankarnaryan and Dr. Motohiro Yoritomi. There is a possibility the inhabitants of the islands of Japan may have adopted certain forms of Kuttu Varisai and Silambam by the Pallavas. Silambam which might be precursors to Kendo, Ken-Jutso, and Karate.

Beween the 10th and12th centuries A.D., the Cholas conquered much of Southern India and Eastern parts going through Manipur, Assam, and Southern Burma. There empire stretched to as far south as Sri Lanka & Maldives, and to the East was Sumatra, Java, and Malaysia (Kadaram). Their martial arts must have been one of their exports along with various other arts like dance, architecture, and the Tamil version of the Ramayana. The Ramayana (or Ramayanan, Ramavataram) was re-written from Sanskrit to Tamil by the sage Kavicakravarti Kamban of the 9th century A.D. of the Chola kingdom of Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. There are certain moves which are in Muay Thai which are called the Hanuman or Lim Lom. Hanuman was a warrior in the Ramayana epic. Three sources on this can be found in Cholas by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, Mystery of the Maldives by Thor Heyerdahl, and Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting written by Panya Kraithat and Pitisuk Kraitus.

As for the Shaolin, it may be possible that Daruma Bodhidarma did go there and introduced Dhyan [Zen (in Japanese), Chan (in Chinese)]. The absence of fighting forms in China before Daruma Bodhidarma is absolutely false. If there was no fighting form in China, then how did there armies fight which most definitely predates the arrival of Daruma Bodhidarma? There were fighting forms in China. It was Daruma Bodhidarma who introduced his concept of breathing exercises, the arts of the vital points and the 18 Lohan which can be seen in Kuttu Varisai of present day Tamil Nadu. His introduction of these Dravidian combat forms and exercises was adopted by the Chinese which later evolved into Kung - Fu. However, Bodhidarma was also not the only Sage who went to China.

There was another Tamil sage who travelled to China well before him around the 5th century B.C. by the name of Boghar Siddha. He was accompanied by Lao Tse the founder of Taosim and who was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. In Tamil, Yin and Yang translates to Idai Nadi (female, moon) and Pingelai Nadi (male, sun). The unification of the two becomes Lingam which is a symbol of Siva. The Sanskrit adaptation of the Yin and Yang is Shiv and Shakt (or Siva and Shakti). The Sanskrit translation of the unification of Shiv and Shakt is called Prana. Prana is "breath" and is understood as the vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and the vital energy in all natural processes of the universe.

In Southeast Asia the arts of Krabi Krabong in Thailand and Silat in Indonesia bear a lot of resemblances of the Dravidian warfare arts of Southern India. The animalistic styles and even forms of animism found in Silat are also found in Kuttu Varisai where invokes a specific animal spirit or energy into ones body. Many Chola and Pallava Naval and Merchant ships landing in parts of Southeast Asia have not only brought with them the Hindu and Buddhist religions, but the martial arts as well which fused with the indigenous fighting styles of Southeast Asia. Source Tamil Merchant Guild in Sumatra written by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri.

In the Bible in the book of Solomon and Esther it mentions about trade and contact with India. The term India was used in the King James Version which was translated from Hebrew and Greek during the 1600s and the rise of the British Empire. The King James came about after the British took control over many kingdoms and countries forming it into one British Administration and giving the name India. India is actually a Latin word for Indo or Indus in Greek which is Hindu in the Persian language of Farsi near Iran and Pakistan. In the Tamil texts it mentions about King Solomon’s trade and contact with the Chera, Pandya, and Chola kingdoms of Tamil Akkam. King Solomon was not the only one in contact with the Dravidian kingdoms but Rome, Greece, and Egypt. This information can be found in Foreign Notices of South India: from Megasthenes to Ma Huan written by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri. Other than spices, precious stones, silk, and exotic animals being exported to Rome, Greece and the Middle East, weapons and fighting styles were exported as well. The Romans and the Greeks who traveled to Tamil Akkam were known by the ancient Tamils as the Yavanas. Weapons like the trident amongst others were imported to Rome including certain fighting forms which were used in gladiatorial fights in Rome. More information can be found in Silambam fencing from India by Manuel J. Raj and The Commerce Between the Roman Empire and India by E.H. Warmington.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

[Jingo]

. . . CONTINUATION

There are even older fighting styles found on the African continent which may have found its way to the Indian sub-continent and from Australia. These are known as Dambe of Nigeria which one hand is bound for punching, and kicking and head butting are allowed. Similar arts to Dambe are Adi Thada of the Tamils, and Muay Thai of Thailand. The Ringa wrestling of Madagascar is similar to the Tamil wrestling called Malyutham. Amongst the many fighting styles and sports of Africa is the Savika bull fight which can also seen in the Tamil Nadu and parts of Northeastern Sri Lanka bull fights known as Jalli Kattu. Ancient Tamil texts mention of an ancient land mass connecting India with Australia and Madagascar. It also mentions names of cities and rivers which lie beneath the Indian Ocean today. The Indian sub-continent and Australia both lay on the same tectonic plate called the Indo-Australian (http://jaeger.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/ImageLibrary/Raster/Indo-Australian%20Plate/Pages/iap_bound.html)plate. The tsunami of December 2004 also proved the Lemurian (http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes4/historia_hum_lemuria.jpg) theory when it washed back a couple of miles exposing temples and artifacts in the Bay of Bengal near Mammalapuram, Tamil Nadu. That was the fourth tsunami recorded in the history of South Asia. The third was during the early 1900s. In the Tamil Silappadikaram it also mentions of a great flood or tsunami which wiped out an ancient Pandyan city. An interesting book which goes into detail is called The Lost Land of Lemuria: Fabulous Geographies by Sumathi Ramaswamy. The resemblances between Tamils, Malayalees, Australian aborigines and East African are very close. There is an ancient weapon that was used in Tamil Akkam called the Valari which resembles the Boomerang of Australia. The Velari was shaped like the boomerang, but was tipped with a metal blade. Here is an article written by Dr. S. Jayabarathi Jaybee on the Valari Weapon. (http://www.geocities.com/jaybee2741/valari1.html)

In conclusion, martial arts of India today were actually the martial art of Tamil Akkam thousands of years back and not ancient India. India or the Indian Union did not come into play until after the arrival of the British around the 1600s. To be more exact these arts are considered Tamil Martial Arts or Dravidian Martial arts respectfully. Dravidian is a family of ethnicities in Southern India and Sri Lanka such as the Malayalees of Kerala, Tamils of Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka, Telugus and Tulus of Andra Pradesh and so forth. However, thousands of years back, the term Dravidian was a Greek word for Tamilians or Tamils which was also adopted in the Sanskrit language. Kalari Payat is a very dynamic martial art with an array of weaponry including pressure point attacks and massage. However, it does not go any further back than the 13th century as quoted from Phillip Zarilli's When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art . Daruma Bodhidarma was also well alive almost 700 hundred years before the formation of Kalaripayattu. There were many other sages and monks who have travelled from present day Southern India to China well before Daruma Bodhidarma.

Here are some additional links:

Lost City Found off Indian Coast (BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1923794.stm

Tsunami Throws up India Relics (BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4257181.stm

Varma Kalai martial art of Tamil Nadu:
http://perso.orange.fr/varmakalai/

Silambam (staff fighting) of Tamil Nadu:
http://silambam.com/

Kalairpayattu martial art of Kerala:
http://www.kalarippayat.com

Gatka Sikh (sword fencing) of Punjab:
http://www.atlantamartialarts.com/styles/gatka.htm

Vajra Mushti (wrestling) of Gujurat:
http://www.bjj.com.au/john_article_web_7.html

[WanderingMonk]

There was another Tamil sage who travelled to China well before him around the 5th century B.C. by the name of Boghar Siddha.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22Boghar+Siddha%22&btnG=Search

Interesting, but a quick search of this sage's name as you have spelled it yield no results.

so, what are the documentations supporting your arguments?

[jack]

Hope to see these indian MA appear in UFC in the future.

[Banjos_dad]

*cough* shuai jiao

[Jingo]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22Boghar+Siddha%22&btnG=Search

Interesting, but a quick search of this sage's name as you have spelled it yield no results.

so, what are the documentations supporting your arguments?

My documentations supporting my arguments are in the article itself names of books and authors. Also, here is an interesting link on Bogar Siddhar.


Life of Bogar Siddhar: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

[WanderingMonk]

My documentations supporting my arguments are in the article itself names of books and authors.


You have some documentations in regard to some of the other claim. How rigorous they are, I don't know because I am not too interest in them, nor care to look into it.

My main interest is in the claim regarding Lao Zi and Bogar Siddhar. Which your article really provide no documentation. Your article states it as a matter of fact without providing any documentation. The only justification was the comparsion between the similarity of Lao Zi's yin-yang duality doctrine and that of Shiva - Shakti.


founder of Taosim and who was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. In Tamil, Yin and Yang translates to Idai Nadi (female, moon) and Pingelai Nadi (male, sun). The unification of the two becomes Lingam which is a symbol of Siva. The Sanskrit adaptation of the Yin and Yang is Shiv and Shakt (or Siva and Shakti).



Also, here is an interesting link on Bogar Siddhar.



Life of Bogar Siddhar: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm


from: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.


need "aircraft" to fly, and actually "construct" an aircraft?

Only if Guru Milarepa knew all he had to do was "construct" a flying vehicle.

I would have used Liezi, which would be a better example, since he was a daoist master who came after Lao Zi. Separated by probably a couple hundred of years. He could fly too. Too bad, his writing doesn't speak of aircraft.

Bhogar Siddhar might still be a real siddha, but this kind of article is really imposing modern world view bias onto "legendary" account which result in gibberish.

[Water Dragon]

women are the mother of all martial arts.

why else would we fight?

Beer, dude. I would fight yo @ss over the last cold one!

[KC Elbows]

This thread is ancient and powerful.

[Jingo]

from: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.

First of all, after posting the above web address I noticed that it was not up and running and it is still not up and running...

[WanderingMonk]

First of all, after posting the above web address I noticed that it was not up and running and it is still not up and running...

so?

Just because a website is defunct, it doesn't mean the information contained in it cannot be retrieved via some other means.

I assure you this quote is from that page you linked to. I can repost the whole page for you if you want to verify it.

[WanderingMonk]

Here's the complete content of page that was linked minus some formatting and misc menus, links, etc:

Bhogar was a South Indian by birth, belonging to the caste of goldsmiths, who became a siddhapurusha under the guidance of Kalanginaathar. In Bhogar's Saptakanda he reveals details of various medicinal preparations to his disciple Pullippani (so named as he is believed to have wandered in the forests atop a puli or tiger) and at every stage he quotes his guru as the authority. Also Pulippani must have been a young man then, as he is often referred to as a balaka.

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.

Bogar's guru, Kālāngi Nāthar, is believed to be a Chinese who attained siddhi in South India and thus became included among the Eighteen Siddhars.

Lao Tse - the founder of Taoism (5th century B.C.) was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. This very same concept was first revealed by the adi-siddhar Agasthya Rishi, whose period is as old as the Vedas, which have been conservatively dated at 3500 B.C. Also alchemy as a science was practised in China only after B.C. 135 and was practiced as an art until B.C. 175 when a royal decree was enacted banning alchemical preparation of precious metals by the Celestial Empire; these details are recounted in the two existing Chinese books of alchemy Shih Chi and Treatise of Elixir Refined in Nine Couldrons, both dated to the first century B.C.

The emergence of Lao Tse with his theory of duality of matter and the journey of Bhogar to China seem to have taken place about the same time and it is even possible that Bhogar himself went under the name of Lao Tse in China, like another Siddharishi Sriramadevar, who was known as Yacob in Arabia.

This seems likely considering that:

1. before Lao Tse the concept of duality of matter finds no mention in any Chinese treatise;
2. alchemy as a science emerged only after B.C. 135, i.e. four centuries after Lao Tse;
3. there was a sudden spurt of alchemical practice aher the emergency of Lao Tse; and
4. the duality of matter and alchemy have been mentioned in South Indian scriptures that antidate Lao Tse by centuries.

The shrine at the top of the hill, though later than the Tiru Avinankudi temple, has overshadowed the older temple in the present century due to its popular appeal. Created by Bhogar, it was maintained after him by sage Pulippani and his descendants almost as their personal and private temple.

During the time of Tirumalai Nayak, his general Ramappayyan handed over the puja rights to newly brought Brahmin priests. The descendants of Pulippani were compensated for the loss of this right by being given:

* Certain duties of superintendence
* Right to some annual presents
* Right to shoot off, at the Dasara Festival, the arrow which symbolises Subramanya's victory over asuras.
* Right to be buried at the foot of the steps leading to the hill, if some of them so chose.

[mantis108]

Lao Zi was the librarian of Zhou dynasty royal court. He was "classically" trained. Back in his time you would have to be a nobel family to be able to get that kind of education. This is why Confucius push for education for all. I don't think it's possible for an Indian Guru to become a royal court librarian who's incharged of records, documentation, and such things all required superb classical Chinese literary skill.

BTW, the concept of Yinyang went back way further to prehistoric kings period (approx c 2852 - 2738 BCE) especially Fu Hsi who is attributed as the first person who put the foundation of the Yijing (classic of change) together. Today's researches show that it's not possible for just one person to come up with the Yijing. Fu Hsi, who would be the trible leader, is kind of the creationist myth to explain the obscure beginning of the Classic of Change. After Fu Hsi, it went through the second stage of evolution by the hand of King Wen of Zhou dynasty (approx c 1066 - 256 BCE). We know by his time there were at least 3 type of divination methods available which are also sanctioned by the royal courts throughout the previous dynasties. It is believed that Confucius (c. 551-479 BCE) or rather his disciples complied the Yijing into the version that is in print today. But different versions of the Yijing have also being discovered in tombs that dated back to Qin and Han dynasty.


Mantis108

[Jingo]

so?

Just because a website is defunct, it doesn't mean the information contained in it cannot be retrieved via some other means.

I assure you this quote is from that page you linked to. I can repost the whole page for you if you want to verify it.

I was only wondering how you would have got into that web site if it were up, that's all. Anyways, I managed to get into there by other means too. You're right, that is exactly what it says.

If that is the case about inventing ideas about flying , are we going to deny that Leanardo Di Vinci of the 15th century came out with ideas for the helicopter, armored vehicle, multibarrel missile launchers, the parachute, and the hang-glider? Or even the steam engine for ships? He may have invented these ideas, which may not have worked at the time otherwise we would have heard of this part of the world using steam powered ships and jet engined chariots to Singapore... lol...

Anyways, historical facts often get mixed up with religious myths. Take for example the Ramayana. There exists an actual Ayodiya in Northern India and of course a Lanka otherwise known as Sri Lanka. There was a king by the name of Ravanan who ruled the Eastern part of Sri Lanka which is called Trincomalee. It is also said at the famous Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka that Ravana had a flying machine or flying chariot of some sort.

There lies a strong possibility that people like Daruma Bodhidarma, Boghar Siddhar and many others may have travelled to China by sea, instead of crossing through the Indian sub-continent and over the Himalayas. Also, Indian union was not in existence back then. Not even the word Indian or India is used in any ancient Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Bengali, or Tamil texts or literature. The concept of an Indian country is not mentioned either othe than the different countries that were in existance of the region back in those days. It would have been difficult for citizens ruled by the Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas of the Southern country of Tamilakkam to thravel through enemy territory (ie. Chalukyas, Guptas, etc.). Not to mention the most rigorous and dangerous route over the Himalayas. However, it is realistic that the early Buddhist from the Northern part of the sub-continent have travelled directly by land to China which was not too far for them.

It would have been much more easier and faster to go by sea to China than by land coming from the southern part of the sub-contintent.

Anyways, thank you for taking the time to read my article and for you inputs. It is much appreciated.

[SPJ]

This thread is ancient and powerful.

In the beginning, it is probably grappling, pushing and throwing. OR wrestling and Shuai Jiao.

Then the animal forms or mimicking the way the "beasts" fight.

And this all happened before any language, or philosophy arrived.

--

It is only a conjesture/guess.

:D

[Jingo]

:) In the beginning, it is probably grappling, pushing and throwing. OR wrestling and Shuai Jiao.

Then the animal forms or mimicking the way the "beasts" fight.

And this all happened before any language, or philosophy arrived.

--

It is only a conjesture/guess.

:D

I agree with you. The human race had to survive amongst other beasts. Wrestling, pushiing, throwing, hitting were all realistic ways of defence or offence. Men learned from each other different ways of attacks including from animals. As for weapons, it must have been the stick which is an extension of the arm. From there, other weapons came about. Over the ages, it was religion which adopted fighting styles whether it be Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity and had their own input of philosophy on life. However, there were philosophers and thinkers who left religion out of the picture and basically focused on human conduct for everyday life and thought. For example, Confucius of China, and Thiruvaluvar of Tamilakkam.:)

[SimonM]

Wow, if Kalari is the Kung fu, what kung fu is to Karate, then I think we should really look into Kalari. I think kung fu has all this stuff too, but they play with live blades. I am very interested in this.


http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/tahtib.html

evidently there are lots of mid east MA's.

There is no actual proof that Kalari "IS" Gong Fu.

The "Kalari IS Gong Fu" theory depends on buying into Damo as the origin of CMA. Since it's pretty clear that there was CMA of some sort in China long before Damo this holds no water.

What is more likely is that fighting arts originated basically anywhere civilization did and then cross-polinated as cultures came into contact with each other. Civilizations that didn't know how to fight didn't last when their war-like neighbours showed up.

PS: Mas Oyama should have just stuck to fighting. He's neither a historian nor an anthropoligist and the whole Greece>India>China>Japan thing is forgetting that there were people doing stuff in China long before Alexander opened up east-west trade routes through Persia.

PPS: Even IF this were true Greece still doesn't deserve credit because Egypt came up with it first. It's like that episode of South Park: Greece says "we have this great idea (eg: medicine, architecture, military strategy, etc.)" and someone could pop up (mabey Persia) and say "Egypt did it".

[Jingo]

There is no actual proof that Kalari "IS" Gong Fu.
The "Kalari IS Gong Fu" theory depends on buying into Damo as the origin of CMA. Since it's pretty clear that there was CMA of some sort in China long before Damo this holds no water.


I agree with you. In the first place Kalari was not around before the 13th century. Has anyone looked into Kuttu Varisai. It is basically the empty hand combat with hand and foot movements of Tamil Nadu. This art looks like a combination of both Kung-Fu and Karate unlike Kalaripayattu. As a matter of fact, there are some movements in Kalari which look like Ninjitsu. As a matter of fact, Kalari is from Kerala, and Da Mo is from Tamil Nadu. Kalaripayattu is not an indigenous art in Tamil Nadu.

And of course, there had to be some kind of fighting technique in China prior to Damo or Daruma. Darumas main goal was to spread the Buddhist denominational sect of Dhyan [Chan in Chinese; Zen in Japanese]. That was pretty much most of his work. As for the fighting aspect of it, he just introduced some methods of the fighting techniques of his birthplace Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu... Not India! India did not exist back then, there were many countries in that part of the world in those days.

Some of these techniques such as the 18 Lohan can be seen in Kuttu Varisai, including some of the weapons techniques.

[mantis108]

I am skeptical of Ninjitsu's history. I mean Ninjas didn't exist until Warring period of Japan which is around 1600s? BTW, why would a secretive profession like the Ninja (basically assassins) be so out of the "closet"? :eek: That's pretty much Hollywood 80's craze that created the so called Ninjitsu that we know today. So... I don't doubt the assassin skills being "systemized" but is it authentic and as "ancient" as we think it is?

Speaking of authenticity, 18 Luohan didn't exist around Bodhidharma's time. There were always 16 elders/guardians in the Buddhist tradition. 18 Luohan is a Chinese thing and it properly didn't exist until Qing dynasty (c. 1644 - 1910 CE) which is the time which the legend of Bodhidharma became popular. I remember reading some article about it. So it's doubtful that he "created" even that.

Just thought that record should be set straight since the article about Kalaripayattu seems so concern with "facts".

Mantis108

[Jingo]

Speaking of authenticity, 18 Luohan didn't exist around Bodhidharma's time. There were always 16 elders/guardians in the Buddhist tradition. 18 Luohan is a Chinese thing and it properly didn't exist until Qing dynasty (c. 1644 - 1910 CE)
Mantis108

Thank you for the interesting post. Could you give me some sources on this? I would like to read more about it. Regards.

[mantis108]

Here's the link to the 16 Arhat:

16 Arhat (http://www.khandro.net/deities_arhats.htm)

BTW, I think Arhat is the plural form of Arhnan (sp?).

On a side note, 18 Luohan IMHO is possibly a grass root level influence that the Chinese Buddhist temples adopted in order to attrack the masses who are really the financial sources of the temples. It also has to do with sometime militant cult movement such as the White Lotus which worship the Buddha Maitreya. This is the reason that 18 Luohan and martial arts are very much connected IMHO. In other words, no cult no 18 Luohan. ;)

Regards

Mantis108

[Sal Canzonieri]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG4lDaKum3U

Very interesting if it is true.

Seems that this ancient Indian martial art is pretty much the same as
the Zi Ran system from China.

From what I see in this video, they are doing much the same things as the Zi Ran style.

[cjurakpt]

don't know, looks like second rate kalari payattu, TBH

[mantis108]

It's a romantic version of systema IMHO to put it nicely. In truth, this is rip off of ancient wisdom. The breathing technique that the "teacher" showed is Yoga Nadis (sp?) techniques (re: Diaphragmatic breathing). Even Rickson Gracie used that in his BJJ training. The training methodology is IMHO a bar-stardized version of systema. True and funtional martial arts is never on paper or hidden within pages and lines of books. It is in the hands of real practitioners. This guy should wake up and smell the volka.

Sorry to rain on the parade. :(

Mantis108

[Mano Mano]

I see no ancient secrets portrayed in the video. All I see in the video is techniques practical martial artists have known for years.

[Sal Canzonieri]

Agreed, I think he is making it up (that he found papers in sanskrit that he used to rediscover some ancient martial art).

The human body works as the human body works.
Natural core principles exist regardless if you discover or rediscover them, nothing would work if this was not the case.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

He may very well have found the papers. But what back ground does he have to accurately rebuild this art?

Also, if this was in a German library, I'd bet live players of this style are in India..what has he done to seek them out and compare to make sure he's got it right?

[mantis108]

Rediscover and reinterpert are two different animals!

I can read and write Chinese but that doesn't mean that I can "proficiently" understand ancient texts, usually because of lack of a sense of historical context, other than those that have been studied by scholars throughout the ages. I might come across an ancient (less studied) book and reinterpert it or literally bent it to my likings and call the action "rediscovery". We have to be cautious about that in studying ancient texts of any language.

Besides, if scholars in thousands of years couldn't figure out the "secret", what probability is there for a non native speaker of a certain language to "decipher" the foreign ancient text especial when historic and cultural context are huge variables? Think about it how could a hobbist with limited study and resources be able to do a decent job on the matter?

I am not saying it's not possible to apply philosophy or principles in ancient texts to martial arts or rather reinvent one but to make the claim of rediscovery of an "lost art" in a specific anciet text is quite absurb especially when the text has more to do with religious and philosophical matter.

Martial academia is serious business in my mind. I think we need to treat it accordingly. Just a thought ...

Mantis108

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Reply]
Agreed.

[David Jamieson]

no such thing as 5k yr old systems.

marketing-fu... not even very good marketing fu.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

No, but the core group of techniques, and underlying principals could definetly be that old...for almost any style.

[DPL]

The human body works as the human body works.
Natural core principles exist regardless if you discover or rediscover them, nothing would work if this was not the case.

I think this is a true and irrefutable statement, but isn't it funny that so many people are still continually looking for that one 'ancient secret' method that will reveal better fighting techniques than anything known today? As if no matter what we do in the modern world, and what advances we make in the study of martial arts, technologically or otherwise, we can never be as good or knowledgeable as the ancients.

Is that a common opinion here? Are we destined to never be quite as good as our martial ancestors, regardless of style?

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

As if no matter what we do in the modern world, and what advances we make in the study of martial arts, technologically or otherwise, we can never be as good or knowledgeable as the ancients


Reply]
That is because they fought more regularly, and consistently. We argue just about it online..

[hskwarrior]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Mp3pDcgR8

what do you guys think?

[Jeong]

hsk - You should talk with my Sifu about this. I think one of his relatives does that art.

[lkfmdc]

They say Lion's Roar (Lama Pai/White Crane/Hop ga) has Indian martial art in it, you look at this and you say "yes"

[ittokaos]

According to my sifu, Lion's Roar orginated in India then came to Tibet where it grew and then finally to China.

[hskwarrior]

actually, i see the revelance of a lot of martial arts in this one.

can you see CLF in there........in the words of ross......."YES"

Jeong, not looking to learn it, just about it.


i thought it could bring up come conversations since it gets boring around here.

[htowndragon]

and i smiled and said yes.

[Jeong]

Jeong, not looking to learn it, just about it.

Haha, that's not what I thought. Just saying he's likely to know more about it than the rest of us :) Besides that relative is in India I believe.

[hskwarrior]

ahhhhh i see......

but its definetly interesting to watch. and it looks effective.:confused:

[Jeong]

Yeah, I remember seeing a special about this art a year or so ago. That special said that Kalari starts with weapons training and ends with empty handed training. I always thought that if you were wanting to train an army that would be the way to do it.

[jdhowland]

I like it. I'm not surprised to see a general resemblance to lama, but to see some of the exact techniques shows how conservative the old arts are. Double paau cheui with a step-through!

[jo]

How many ways can one kick and punch effectively? :D

- jo

[yutyeesam]

Whether it's martial arts, religious practices, or clothing styles, you'll see crossovers between China and India. No real surprises.

If you ever get a chance in your lifetime, visit the Himalayan mountains. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

-123

[htowndragon]

watch the first clip, they use locks and stuff like triangle (almost) and some sort of armbar

[GeneChing]

...until y'all brought up the Lion's Roar connect. I guess it can stay here.

Check out our Bollywood Kung Fu thread on the media forum (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576).

[lkfmdc]

...until y'all brought up the Lion's Roar connect. I guess it can stay here.

Check out our Bollywood Kung Fu thread on the media forum (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576).

hah! victory over the "man"

let the nacho sauce flow freely

[diego]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Mp3pDcgR8

what do you guys think?

anyone know the training program for the crocodile walk push ups?... taking hydraulic Lowriders to that next level:D

[GeneChing]

Somehow, this didn't fit on the Bollywood thread...:rolleyes:

5000 yr old Indian martial art (http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=429277&sid=FTP)
Puducherry, March 08: An ancient martial art form of southern India is drawing scores of foreign visitors, eager to learn the art of stick fighting to picturesque Puducherry.

`Silambattam`, one of the oldest traditional martial arts of Tamil Nadu, has become increasingly popular with tourists as they take up the art form, learning and mastering its intricate movements and techniques.

Jyothis Senthil Kannan, a master of Silambattam, who has been teaching the art for over 10-years and also runs a martial arts school in the scenic town of Puducherry, says that Silambattam is attracting more and more students over the years as people come to know about it.

"Silambattam is quite well known now. People come regularly. I`m teaching in my village where I started the International Silambattam and Kuttuwari (ISK) Federation Gurukulam. People stay here and learn this art as we learnt in ancient times," he said.

The Gurukulam, tucked away in thick foliage, has foreign students learning the art form by twirling sticks in the air as they practice various techniques in an open courtyard of the school.

Shane Paul, a European tourist, said he was drawn to learn Silambattam because of its holistic approach.

"Before I was researching some martial arts in the north but then when I came here I became interested in Silambattam; it looks quite interesting to me, like a base of all the martial arts I`ve seen before. You don`t have to use much energy to get good results, you don`t have to put much effort and it works," he said.

Silambattam, which is based on stick fighting, is mainly used for self-defence and developing physique.

Beginners are first taught footwork patterns and then go on to the spinning techniques of the stick.

Keynne, another foreign student, said: "I started to learn about the history of Silambattam and some of the different techniques but I`ve only been a student for a few years, which means I`m a very bad student because I don`t practice and I don`t get to practice in Singapore but when I come here I get to practice a little bit."

The art form, a traditional Dravidian martial art based on fighting with sticks dates back 5000 years when the stick was the primary tool to defend oneself.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I do believe that the fight quest guys are going to India to train in Karalsuivgutgruyvgreuitgyucuigyrtvu, or whatever it's called.
:D

[GeneChing]

I'd love to see some of this. It's a new one on me.
Manipur trying to revive traditional martial arts (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/manipur-trying-to-revive-traditional-martial-arts_100109479.html)
October 20th, 2008 - 7:47 pm ICT by ANI -
By L.C.K.Singh

Imphal, Oct 20 (ANI): Indigenous games and martial art forms are an integral part of Manipur’’s culture that is well known through out the northeastern region. Some of the oldest art forms are still popular. Among them is Cheibi, an ancient martial art.

Recently, the All Manipur Cheibi Association of Manipur organized the 9th State Level Cheibi Championship 2008 at the Khuman Lampak Main indoor stadium of Imphal.

The championship, which was organized to further popularize and promote the martial art, had about 180 participants from 21 clubs of Manipur.

Cheiba is one of Manipur’’s ancient martial art forms. Earlier, it used to be practiced with a sword and a shield, which has now been replaced by a stick encased in soft leather and a shield made of leather. The contestants duel and the one who scores the maximum points is declared the winner.

“Cheibi is a game that we look up to in Manipur. There is a lot of discipline involved in the game. It has now been organized at the national level and I believe that once it reaches the international level, Cheibi will take Manipur forward,” said Kamalkumar Singh, a Cheibi player of Manipur.

Daina Devi, another Cheibi player, said, “Cheibi is an indigenous game that was played by our forefathers. We play it as we like it and playing the game that our forefathers played motivates us. So we are participating in the Cheibi competition.”

The popularity of Cheibi got a boost when the All Manipur Cheibi Association was founded in 1998. The association will now be organizing the first national level Cheibi competition in December. The event will witness the participation of contestants from all over the country.

Manipuris believe that promoting Cheibi will not only give a boost to the martial art but also help in keeping the legacy of their forefathers alive. (ANI)

[GeneChing]

Love the pic. Click the link to see.

Martial arts with a cutting edge (http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Martial-arts-with-a-cutting.4675100.jp)
Published Date: 08 November 2008

STUDENTS were treated to a spectacular sword-dancing display.

The Baba Deep Singh Gatka Group performed a traditional Sikh gatka at South Tyneside College's Hebburn campus as part of a celebration of diversity.

It was the first time the Birmingham-based group had performed the gatka in North East England.

Gatka is an ancient martial art which originated in northern India, and was used by the Sikhs of Punjab to defend themselves against Moghul oppression during the time of the sixth Sikh guru.

Event organiser David Hunter, equality and diversity manager at the college, said: "We were all extremely excited about the gatka, and, as far as we are aware, this was the very first time it has been staged in the region.

"As well as being very visual, the performance was really thought-provoking.

"We felt that it was an ideal way to celebrate the rich cultural diversity we have here at the college."

Gurdev Singh Bal, regional officer of the national council of faiths and beliefs in further education, said: "We are proud to work with South Tyneside College to develop multi-faith projects that inform students and staff of different faiths and cultures."

"The college is working very hard to ensure all staff and students are treated with respect, and these projects helped them to find out more about what it means to be a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or Sikh in South Tyneside."

[sanjuro_ronin]

On a side note, Sifu Paul Whitrod of the Chow Gar Southern Mantis has said that in his training of Indian MA, he has "unlocked" some stuff in his SPM.

[GeneChing]

This sounds like a researcher's dream for Indian MA.
Fusion of martial arts and dance at Kalinga festival (http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/59720)
Kalinga (Orissa), Tue, 13 Jan 2009 ANI

Kalinga (Orissa), Jan 13 (ANI): Artists presented a rare fusion of marital arts and classical dance at the Kalinga festival in Bhubaneswar.

Dance troupes showcased different martial dance forms during the two-day festival that concluded on Sunday.

The Kalinga festival, dedicated to the traditional Indian martial art forms, is organised annually by the Orissa Government in collaboration with Art Vision, as a medium to bring together the traditional martial art forms of India under one roof.

The festival, currently in its seventh year, was held at the footsteps of the Dhauli stupa, a Japanese Buddhist Temple located on the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar.

"I saw that to have a festival like this would encourage the growth and improvement and also the recognition of this form. Moreover, the Tourism Department wanted to do something here which was not yet utilized as a space for tourist attraction," said Ileana Citaristi, Secretary, Art Vision.

The statue of Lord Buddha provided a background to festival spinning around the theme of "War to Peace," as it began with the outburst of movements and sounds, which accompany the performance of martial artists.

Every year, the festival opens with a modern choreography based on martial art and then showcases traditional martial dance forms from different parts of the country.

"We have so many brilliant traditional martial art forms such as Kalarikantha and Jhao. I think it is great that there is an attempt to bring it together for people who may or may not know much about dance and about movement arts," said Diya, one of the performers.

The martial dances are an amalgamation of various martial art postures, which are blended in graceful dance forms.

Performing to the beats of music with their swords, spears and shields, they enthrall audiences with their rhythm and precision of movement.

Martial art forms are developed and practiced in India since ancient times.his festival is a unique outlet and a great medium to create awareness about different martial art forms amongst the masses.

The festival which spins around the theme of "War to Peace," has an apt venue as it was at the Dhauli hills that the legendary Indian Emperor Ashoka the Great fought his last and most gruesome war before forsaking the battleground forever, converting to Buddhism and turning into an apostle of peace.

Orissa has come to be associated with one of India's major centres for performing traditional dances.

It also holds some of the biggest festivals of classical Indian dances like the Konark Dance Festival and the Puri Beach Festival, which are big tourist draws. By Sarda Lahangir (ANI)

[GeneChing]

...but kudos for the girls and extra points for the spelling. ;)
Martial arts ring in Ram Navami (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090403/jsp/jharkhand/story_10766499.jsp)
ANTARA BOSE
Ram Navami flags put on sale at Sakchi market in Jamshedpur. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, April 2: This year at Ram Navami, the girls of Pardesi Para in Sonari were not dressed in their best outfits. Colourful frocks and salwar suits gave way to warrior attire, with swords and bamboos completing the look.

Thinking out of the box. That is what girls of the Sonari locality did and came up with the idea to exhibit their martial arts skills this Ram Navami.

For the first time, girls aged between eight to 14 years took the trouble of learning the art to combat from professionals at the Lalan Akhara in Sonari to complete the tradition at the festival.

Every year, Paona Memorial Arts and rural Development Services (Apmards), a martial arts troupe from Thoubal district of Manipur, come to display acts of valour and bravery during Ram Navami festival. But this time, they could not make it.

“The girls were dispirited when they learnt that the group could not display their acts this time. Thus they decided to get themselves trained in sword, spear fights and wrestling for a fortnight to perform this year,” said Sabtu Sona, the trainer of the girls.

The group of 16 girls thus practised day in and day out to put up the show.

“If others can do it, why wont we? Girls get few chances like this and we wanted to do complete justice to it. So we practised for hours after coming back from school. We got seven acts to display,” said Pratibha Sagar, an 11-year-old in the group.

They practised as if there is no word called exhaustion in their books.

“We had 15 days time and we knew we had to put our best foot forward,” said Neha Sona, another girl of the group.

“They showed dedication like no other person. They might not be as fast as the professionals but they will gradually pick up,” said a professional at Lalan Akhara.

Even the organisers were happy with the involvement of neighbourhood girls in the festival. That is why, though the boys wanted to put up the act they organisers chose the girls to perform the martial arts.

“There are about 50 akharas in the city and boys get the chance to perform through them every year. I wanted to make it special for the girls who wanted to perform. Seeing their dedication, I think we should continue this in years to come,” said Banna Singh Janghel, one of the organiser of the festival.

[yutyeesam]

India's getting into MMA:

http://www.tigersgym.com/index1.html

[GeneChing]

I wish it said a little more about what Thang-Ta is exactly.
Guru G. Gourakishor, the master of Manipuri martial art form (http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/90875.htm)
Apr 24th, 2009 | By Sindh Today

Imphal, April 24 (ANI): Guru G. Gourakishor Sharma was recently conferred the coveted Padamshree award for 2008-2009 to honour his lifetime contribution to Manipuri Martial Art, Thang-Ta.

Born into a family having a long tradition of martial arts, the Manipuri martial art, “Thang-Ta� came naturally to Gourakishor, who since childhood developed deep interest in this art form.

Trained under the shadow of his father Late Gurumayum Sanajaoba Sharma and various eminent Manipuri gurus, Gourakishor has participated in various festivals and tournaments.

Gourakishor has dedicated his life to the propagation of the art form, and started a school –‘The Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Association’ in the vicinity of his home at Keirao in Imphal in 1958.

Gourakishor has established the institute as a leading center for promoting Manipuri art and culture.

The Padma award is a recognition for his tireless efforts to preserve Thang-Ta.

“I’m very happy to receive this award. The art of Thang-Ta in Manipur has been on the verge of extinction but today with the acknowledgement of the Government in the form of this award, the art will be saved and revived. This is the only reason that I’m so happy,� said G.Gourakishor Sharma, Padamshree awardee.

Gourakishor efforts have been recognized at various levels and honours have come to him regularly.

The late Maharaj of Manipur, Shri Bodhachandra Singh, awarded him a Gold Medal. Manipuri Sahitya Parishad gave him the title of ‘Kala Ratna’ in 1985 for his outstanding contribution to the field of “Thang-Ta�.

He is also the first person to receive the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy award in 1983.

Gourakishor is associated with cultural Organization of Manipur like Manipur State Kala Akademi, Department of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur and Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy. He has also he taught “Thang-Ta� in various institutes in the state.

His efforts have provided an opportunity for the youth of the state to contribute to the art form. Gourakishor many students have taken part in festivals in India and abroad as well.

“My father has built a platform for us to move ahead with regards to this art form. Through his achievement, the younger generation can benefit a lot. Thereafter, they can take Thang-Ta to an International level,� said G. Bisheshor Sharma, Gourakishor’s son.

“I’m so happy for my father as he has bagged a prestigious award. It’s a joyous occasion for all of us,� said G. Lakshana, daughter.

Guru Gourakishor has published books on the indigenous tribes of Manipur like the Aimol, Maring and Chiru and also written scripts for plays such as Govinda Nirupan, Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (Seven years of Devastation) and Haokhong Shimaikhu.

His achievement in preserving the rich culture and tradition of the state sets an example in the Manipuri society worthy of emulation. (ANI)

[GeneChing]

What's the point of moving like Shah Rukh Khan with out Preity or Kareena?
New dose of good ol’ martial arts
- Kalarippayattu classes to get out-of-shape cadets fighting fit (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100310/jsp/calcutta/story_12196807.jsp)
POULOMI BANERJEE

Want to be a cop? First learn to move like Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se or Asoka — but without Preity or Kareena for company.

“Bend your body from the waist. Join your hands in front of your face. Keep the legs parallel. Your upper body should resemble a table top,” instructed Sariful Islam Mallick. His wards — a few of them huffing and puffing to strike the basic gaja vadibu pose at this special Kalarippayattu class — were half-a-dozen cadets at the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Barrackpore.

Kalarippayattu, a form of ancient martial arts from Kerala, is now the chosen technique to keep our cadets physically fit and mentally agile.

That, for some, is easier said than done. “Many of the cadets are overweight and physically inefficient. They are having some trouble coping with Kalarippayattu. A few though are showing an affinity for it,” said Mallick, the 27-year-old Calcuttan who has spent years picking up the art from masters in Kerala.

“This is the first time that an indigenous martial arts form has been included in the curriculum of the PTC in Bengal,” said Sanjay Singh, the special IG in charge of the centre. The decision to include Kalarippayattu in the syllabus is in keeping with the new methodology of cop training.

“All over the world training academies are adopting a new concept of workout which is called plyometrics. Our study showed that Kalarippayattu closely follows the tenets of plyometrics, which is why we decided to include it in the curriculum,” explained Singh.

“I was approached by the authorities last September and after giving a presentation at the academy in November, I started taking classes from January,” said Mallick.

Getting the cops in shape and improving their physical and mental strength is the focus of the Kalarippayattu course. “It helps stability and body balance, improves body-mind coordination, increases stamina and strength and also helps release stress,” said the tutor at the training centre.

Based on the tenets of plyometrics, Kalarippayattu is a movement-based aerobic exercise and burns fat by increasing body metabolism. “It involves a lot of jumps, leg kicks, punches and animal movements. I am not teaching them the use of weapons like swords,” Mallick said.

Classes are held at the centre for 90 minutes, Monday through Thursday. “It is a compulsory subject for the entire duration of the course,” said Singh. And at least the fitter among the force do not seem to mind the new grind.

“It’s a good self-defence technique. We don’t always have arms with us,” said Kuntal Banerjee, 28. Colleagues Dendup Sherpa and Mir Shakir Ali added that Kalarippayattu “improves fitness” and “helps release stress”.

[Vajramusti]

I wish it said a little more about what Thang-Ta is exactly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gaurijog.com/images/ThangTaManipur.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gaurijog.com/Game-and-Martial-Folk-D

[GeneChing]

I'm trying to imagine America protesting wushu on America's Got Talent (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57404&highlight=heroes&page=2) for being too violent.

More on Gatka (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=894863&postcount=81)

Gatka performer’s ouster from TV show irks Sikhs (http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_gatka-performer-s-ouster-from-tv-show-irks-sikhs_1419471)
Published: Friday, Aug 6, 2010, 1:23 IST | Updated: Friday, Aug 6, 2010, 0:26 IST
By Ajay Bharadwaj | Place: Chandigarh | Agency: DNA

Sikh organisations have strongly protested the ouster of seven-year-old Manpreet Singh from a reality show on a TV channel last week after he demonstrated gatka, a traditional martial art. The judge on the show reportedly found the gatka “too violent”.

Gatka Federation of India and Punjab Gatka Association have demanded that Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh take action against the organisers of the show.

HS Grewal, general secretary of Gatka Federation of India, said the incident had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs and gatka performers. Gatka, he said, was a traditional martial art not only of Sikhs but of the entire country. It was considered mother of all martial arts, he said.

“It is an art by which one becomes extremely graceful and dignified,” Grewal said, adding that Punjab Olympic Association had also recognised the martial art and the state education department had incorporated it school curriculum.
He said the Akal Takht jathedar had been apprised of the incident and urged to seek an apology from the TV channel for “insulting Sikh sentiments”.

[GeneChing]

Why Bengaluru likes Martial arts

From professional dancers to engineers, everyone's into martial arts these days. What makes it so popular and what do the experts think of it?
By Veena Basavarajaiah
13 Jun 2011, Citizen Matters
bookmark email print

What is the connection between dance, which is an art, and a martial art form like Kalaripayattu from Kerala, which is meant to develop defensive and offensive physical skills? Judging by its popularity in dance training, the connection is a strong one. Kalaripayattu is characterised by fluid acrobatic play, flexibility, sweeps, kicks, and the use of weapons and other elements of combat. It also instils a disciplined way of life that propagates a strong mind in a strong body. Inevitably, many dancers find it an invaluable for techniques that can be used in performances.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2732/Kalari_at_Nritarutya-S_pic_article.jpg
Kalari is fast catching up as a means to prefect your dance moves. Pic: Nritarutya

Apart from helping develop physical fitness and flexibility, Kalaripayattu also provides a detailed knowledge of the marmas (pressure points) and incorporates Ayurvedic treatment such as therapeutic and strengthening herbal massages. Its aesthetic quality and unique physical form provide many artistes with a powerful tool of expression.

Jayachandran Palazhy, the director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (ACMA), considers it a rich body of knowledge with a unique form and physicality that lends itself to various interpretations. Combat is one of its facets, and it has had a tremendous influence on traditional performing art forms like Kathakali. Apart from including it as a part of the training regimen at ACMA alongside Bharatnatyam, Ballet and Contemporary dance, he is also interested in deconstructing its movement principles as a choreographer.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2740/City_dwellers_practicing_Kalaripayattu_for_fitness __therapy_and_a_holistic_way_of_life_pic_article.J PG
City dwellers practicing Kalaripayattu for fitness, therapy and a holistic way of life. Pic Courtesy: Ranjan Mullaratt (Kalari Gurukulam)

Kirtana Kumar, a Bangalore based theatre director, works with Kalari to engage with indigenous forms. Here text, voice and body are seamlessly interwoven as modes of expression, moving away from what she considers the postcolonial 'face actor' tradition, where theatre is limited to voice and facial expressions.

A martial art form is highly recommended as a mode of fitness too. Umesh Naidu, a Taekwon-Do practitioner and a full- time dancer with Nritarutya Dance Company, applies principles of martial art to understand movement from a different perspective. He says that dance thus becomes a spiritual practice for him, like practicing a ‘Tul' or a pattern in Taekwon-Do.

Chitra Arvind , director of Rhythmotion dance company was exposed to Kalaripayattu for the first time a decade ago in London and ironically was taught by a foreigner. As a student at the Natya institute of Kathak and choreography she was trained in ‘Thang tha' (sword and spear), a martial art from Manipur that involves choreographed combat . She incorporated the structure of this form in historical and mythological dance dramas to depict valour and warfare. She currently uses the nuances of martial art forms in her independent work to transcend beyond the traditional narrative aspect and explore abstract conceptualisation. Also trained in Chauu (tribal martial dance with origins in Orissa) she wonders how this extremely graceful martial art, adorned with beautiful masks and colorful attire was once used to attack or kill.

Stressing on the commercial value of martial arts Mayuri Upadhye, the director of Nritarutya says that the city not just endorses but celebrates the form in itself through the performing arts. Many famous film stars and cricketers are often seen 'performing' Kalaripayattu in advertisements for various products. Martial arts have now donned the role of cultural ambassadors like many other performing arts, promoting tourism and earning revenue for the nation.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2763/Children_can_start_training_in_Kalaripayatty_from_ age_7_onwards._It_instals_in_them_a_focused_mind_i n_a_focused_body_pic_article.JPG
Kalaripayattu helps the children focus better. Pic: Courtesy: Ranjan Mullaratt (Kalari Gurukulam)

Martial arts can be applied in the realm of education too says Madhu Natraj, the director of Bangalore based Stem Dance Kampni. She says the inclusion of Kalari into a school's activities can provide a very exciting, codified, artistic approach to physicality and strength. This especially in a society where children's need to experience and innovate with the body is limited to boring physical education classes or competitive sports only. Palazhy, however, stresses the need for deeper research into the history, heritage and technique of Kalari, especially its potential impact on the emotional, physical and psychological growth of children, before assimilating it as a core subject in schools.

Though devoted practitioners believe that the art form should not be used for exhibition (performance) today its popularity is not due to its 'pure' form. For example, Ranjan Mularatt, who moved to Bangalore 11 years ago to establish Kalari Academy, runs an institute that trains city dwellers in this martial art. Apart from performing artistes, many of his students are software engineers who treat it as a means of releasing stress through an art form that they have heard about on Discovery channel! Totally impressed by the ‘low altitude flying' in Kalari, Shreekanth Rao , an engineer and an actor, humorously says that he learns the form, "just for kicks!".

Undoubtedly, the performing arts have managed to expand the realm of martial arts beyond conventional frontiers. Martial arts now cater to the needs of practitioners of theatre, dance, movement, choreography, and films; and address areas of therapy, health, fitness and more in Bengaluru. Many foreigners opt for training and treatment in Kalaripayattu as a holistic approach to cleansing their bodies and minds.

The original article was commissioned by the Goethe-Institut as part of a joint project with Citizen Matters on Art & the City. This version is produced by Citizen Matters. This kills me. Here in America, we're all "That's not real martial arts. It won't work on the street. That's just dance." Over in India, it's "This will improve your dance!" I love India! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576)

[Sardinkahnikov]

My brother trained in Kalaripayattu briely. I remember him saying that it stressed flexibility and lots of open handed attacks

[GeneChing]

Portrait of an artiste as a perfectionist (http://www.thehindu.com/arts/art/article2147279.ece?homepage=true)
SHONALI MUTHALALY
GRACE AND SIMPLICITY Shaji K. John Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/00670/01_MP_SHAJI_3_670757f.jpg
Kalari expert Shaji K. John talks to Shonali Muthalaly about the hard physical training involved, tailoring the martial art for the urbanite and working with avant-garde artiste Chandralekha

“But why an interview?” “Why me?” “Why Kalari?” Expectant silence. “What is your story about?” Long pause. “Your angle?”

Convincing Shaji K. John, Kalaripayattu artiste and teacher, about this story is hard work. Although he's been performing and teaching the Kerala martial art for almost three decades now, inspiring a huge number of students and fans, Shaji is famously reticent and media shy. Yet, his reputation as an artiste and teacher is impressive. And, in this publicity-hungry age, artistes who don't bristle with press releases are a welcome change.

Hence we persevere. Attending a class at Shaji's school ‘Mandapa', a shadowy Kalari pit covered with traditional red tiles, makes him easier to understand. Set opposite Besant Nagar beach at the tranquil former residence, rehearsal and performance space of contemporary dance-choreographer Chandralekha, the class is tough and demanding.

Dedication and focus

With challenging poses and quicksilver movements, Kalaripayattu demands complete dedication. Focus, determination and discipline are essential for progress. As we catch our breath, we watch the senior students — two girls — practise fighting with sticks, swords and shields. They move with precision and grace.

Shaji doesn't bother with publicity because the skills he teaches aren't easy to acquire. In his necessarily-blinkered approach, only the pursuit of perfection matters. And in this pursuit, publicity is an unnecessary distraction.

For someone so resolute, it's ironic that he actually stumbled upon Kalaripayattu. “I was fascinated by Chitra Katha, stories of the North Malabar heroes — the warriors.” Living in Kaduthuruthy, a small Kerala village next to Kottayam, Shaji began classes with E.P. Vasudevan, who taught the North Malabar style of this martial art. “There is more emphasis on weapons, unlike the Southern style which is closer to Silambam and emphasises empty hand techniques.”

“I was 13 when I walked into my Guru's kalari. It was a special place, made of rock, with hard stone floors.” He adds seriously, “Gurus are pleasant — but still when you enter, it's intimidating. Scary because there are so many weapons all over the walls. And in the centre, people practising vigorously.”

Shaji's Chennai classes are tailored for the city urbanite, but he sounds faintly homesick for the sweaty rough and tumble of the Kerala pits where he learned to fight. “It's raw — a village art. Men with bare bodies in loin cloths,” he says, adding, “Classes are beautifully structured and systematic. If you're very good you can learn it in ten years.”

Kalaraipayattu is not just about physical training, it also involves healing. “When you hit someone, you may break their bones. We learn vital points. We study anatomy.” Artistes don't just heal themselves, and each other, they also tend to people from the village. “The medicine involves some Ayurveda but we also have our own preparations and mixes. Our own secrets.” Expertise comes with experience. “Every hand fracture is different… Doctors tell with an X-ray. We have to understand by touch.”

Not many parents today encourage their children to train in this martial art, since it requires so much sacrifice, with very few monetary returns. “My parents had no idea about degrees or status,” Shaji says, adding, however, that being the youngest of four sisters and three brothers probably took a lot of pressure off him. After two years of training, he competed in a district-level championship, which he won. Then, in 1986, his teacher sent him to Chennai, to work with Chandralekha for an avant-garde performance incorporating kalari movements within the fabric of Bharathanatyam.

“It was an Indian festival in Russia. Mikhail Gorbachev was president. I had come from a village, couldn't speak English and it was my first time abroad. But when you are so young you have no responsibility. I was given a specific sequence I had to perform — and that's all I was concerned about,” he shrugs. “I did my job.”

Once he was convinced that kalari was his life path, Shaji began to teach in Auroville. However, after four years of the “spiritual resort” life, he decided it was time to go home. “Then Chandralekha encouraged me to take classes.” In 1998 he began with one student.

How old is he now? “Very old,” he laughs. “Forty-one.” There's no fake modesty here. “I don't know what my personality is… I've been told I'm arrogant,” he states, adding blithely, “Well, I'm now a teacher, and gurus are a bit bossy only.” He adds, “I worked with Chandra and I learnt a lot from her. Her house is simple. No chairs — Just some oonjal (swings). She would sit on the floor...”

Today, his classes are still determinedly non-commercial, costing roughly one-third of what most gyms charge. “I'm not very money-minded. Simple living makes it simpler to deal with other people.” As for that trademark reticence? “I don't talk much unless I have something to communicate,” he states. “I do what I preach.” I think I would really like Kalari. Maybe I'll practice it in my next incarnation...

[Lucas]

this style was showcased on the show fight quest.

[GeneChing]

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/456/cache/martial-art-india_45677_990x742.jpg

December 18, 2011
Martial Arts Practice, India (http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/martial-art-india/)
Photograph by Nicolas Chorier

This Month in Photo of the Day: 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest Images

Kalaripayatu fighters practicing on a beach in North Kerala. Kalaripayatu is one of the most ancient martial arts, supposedly more ancient than Kung Fu. This photo was taken with no special setup, just during a regular practicing session. I was using a kite to lift the camera, in order to remain steady above the subject for more than an hour, without disturbing.
We expect no less of NG.

[mawali]

It seems that in many Bollywood movies of action, they is everything but Kalaripayyarit!
It isn't showcased as much and when it is, it tends to be substandard.
Now Shaolin Kungfu/wushu is the rage to the detriment of Kalari!

[Faruq]

Yeah, if only we could tell that to the Bollywood directors and producers. That may be a northern/southern thing though since Bollywood's north, and Kalari is practiced in the more central and southern regions. But Bollywood fight choreography is always substandard anyway for some reason. Every other part of the industry they've figured out, but the fighting for some reason remains and enigma to them.

[GeneChing]

I spend a month living in Pune, studying yoga. I wish I had known about this class.
Lathi Charge (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/lathi-charge/925428/)
Garima Mishra : Pune, Mon Mar 19 2012, 01:15 hrs

PMPML employee Narendra Suryavanshi has been conducting free Indian martial art classes for the past three years. He hopes that the art form will someday find a place in the Olympics

Every Saturday around 4 pm, 20-year-old Rasika Sillisidha Balge is spotted on the grounds of Golwalkar Guruji Vidyalaya in Aundh. A student of BMCC, she dons a completely different avatar once she reaches the venue. First, she offers a prayer followed by some warm-up exercises. Then, from the bunch of weapons, she picks up the lathi and starts performing various tricks that she has learnt from her Guruji. She twirls, swings and swirls the lathi in the air with lightning speed. Rasika completely immerses herself in practising Indian martial arts with different weapons like kathi, bhala, sword, daanpatta, barchi, katiyar and so on, one after the other.

For the past three years, over 35 students have been gathering at this venue every weekend to learn the art of working with ancient weapons from Narendra Dattatreya Suryavanshi. He does not charge a single penny for imparting training on the age-old skill, which also had a mention in epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. “My only aim is to revive this dying art form and bring it to a position so that it finds a place in the Olympics some day,” says 43-year-old Suryavanshi, who works in the administration department as a selection grade clerk of PMPML five days a week and devotes his weekends to training his students.

Suryavanshi himself learnt the art when he was 13 years old and based in Sangamner. “There were some performers who were a part of the famous play ‘Janata Raja’ who taught me the art,” he recalls. Though he kept practising it individually, it was only three years back that he decided to promote it amongst the younger generation. “I realised that the art was gradually losing its identity,” he adds. Today, he along with his students has formed a group called Shivdigvijay Mardani Lokkala Prabodhini, which aims to promote the Indian martial art. It takes minimum three years to master the art, says Suryavanshi.

The students, including four girls, are in the age group of 12 to 20 years. The youngest is 12-year-old Prateek Suryavanshi. The group recently performed at Bhimthadi Jatra. They are also regularly seen wielding their weapons at the Ganesh Festival and various cultural programmes. “Whenever we need to buy some additional weapon, we all contribute,” says Suryavanshi.

Do parents hesitate in enrolling their children for such dangerous tricks? He's quick to reply, “They are hesitant only till they don’t see me teaching. Till date, none of the students has received any major injury while performing these stunts.”

Working with these weapons and mastering them helps the students to build concentration, gain flexibility and become courageous. Besides, says Suryavanshi, it also imbibes the spirit of sportsmanship. “I am quite confident that if a situation arises, I can easily deal with at least 10 people with one lathi," says Rasika, who feels that every woman should learn this art. “Owning a pistol requires a licence but lathi, kathi and other such weapons which can easily be used for self-defence,” she adds.

Suryavanshi is currently trying to collaborate with others who are teaching similar art forms in different parts of the country. “We will work together towards bringing this game into the Olympics,” he concludes.

[Hebrew Hammer]

I wish I had caught this thread earlier into our discussion of India and MMA/Olympic Competition. Its a long thread to catch up through...

[GeneChing]

...yet good to see on the college level.
Kalaripayattu demonstrations in colleges too (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/kalaripayattu-demonstrations-in-colleges-too/article4112636.ece)
Staff Reporter

A lecture-demonstration series organised by the Travancore School of Kalaripayattu and the Public Education Department of the government has given a new lease of life to the ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu.

Following the success of the programme, titled ‘Health and confidence through Kalaripayattu,’ in various schools, the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board has joined hands with the institute to conduct similar sessions in colleges.

The first such college-level programme got under way at Government College for Women on Monday. It was inaugurated by Youth Welfare Board vice-chairman P.S. Prasanth. Papers exploring the origin and evolution of the art and its role at present were presented.

A press release issued by the institute said the plan was to conduct the classes in one college in a district.

G. Radhakrishnan, secretary and troupe leader of the martial arts school, led a 12-member group during the demonstration.

Aiming to revive Kalaripayattu by teaching the youth the basic principles of the art and its various benefits, both physical and mental, the school has staged performances in 20 schools. It has been conducting regular classes for free in two schools since the start of the academic year.

[Vajramusti]

ahhh, Kalari payit.

World's oldest codified systematized martial art still in existance (don't get me started on the wall paintings found in abydos during the earely 90's). Still practiced in parts of western and northern India, Kalari Payit predates even the Shaolin Martial Arts by more than 1000 years.

The first time i ever heard of the art was was in a travelogue and there was mention of a school and a short chat with the headmaster of this school. Pretty cool stuff, pretty rare and definitely not a prominently practiced art. Still quite rare.

There was a time, not so long ago that one would never have heard of this ancient martial arts system. What wonders the internet brings with it's ability to communicate the far flung and obscure.

peace
__________________________________________
Spme years ago there werea couple of food articles on the art in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts.
Back issues may still be available.I wrote a book review on the art.

[Kellen Bassette]

Since we've been talking about IMA on the '70's thread, (of all places), does anyone know of any traditional IMA still being practiced that have a full contact fighting tradition?

[JamesC]

There has to be some wrestling going on still somewhere. Pehlwani I think, right?

[Vajramusti]

It seems that in many Bollywood movies of action, they is everything but Kalaripayyarit!
It isn't showcased as much and when it is, it tends to be substandard.
Now Shaolin Kungfu/wushu is the rage to the detriment of Kalari!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True--many Indians do not know much about their own history and many aspects of culture
India is a big place and there are lots of diverse but still localized skills and artists.

So Bollywood often imports from the outside. The fun part of Bollywood are the songs.

But then most Chinese do not know good kung fu. The first time I went to Hong Kong I was seeking directions to a specific small kwoon- and I was directed to a club in the basement of a shopping center, to a gym with mirrors where young Chinese were using dumb bells to develop their biceps and admiring themselves in the mirrors.

[GeneChing]

Indian Martial Arts Kung Fu's Ancestor? By Harjit Singh Sagoo
May/June 2013 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1088)

[Vajramusti]

__________________________________________
Spme years ago there were a couple of good articles on the art in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts.
Back issues may still be available.I wrote a book review on the art.


Phillip Zarilli hasa book and articles on the art.

I have not yet received the current copy of Kung Fu magazine- hope it gets here soon.

[SKM]

An excellent website I found with a lot of information: Actualizing Power(s) and Crafting a Self In Kalarippayattu. (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/power.html)

Also an additional section entitled, Papers (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/papers.html), which has information about Mammam/Varman.

[Vajramusti]

An excellent website I found with a lot of information: Actualizing Power(s) and Crafting a Self In Kalarippayattu. (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/power.html)

Also an additional section entitled, Papers (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/papers.html), which has information about Mammam/Varman.
-------------------------------------------------
Zarilli's writing is good. I have reviewed his work for the now gone Journal of Asian Martial Arts
some years ago.

I am interested in seeing the current issue of Kung Fu but for some reason it has not arrived yet.

joy chaudhuri

[GeneChing]

Vidyut Jammwal to open martial arts university in Kerala (http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/04/26/319--Vidyut-Jammwal-to-open-martial-arts-university-in-Kerala-.html)
New Delhi,Cinema/Showbiz, Fri, 26 Apr 2013 IANS

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Not many know that Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal started learning an Indian martial art form, Kalaripayattu, when he was just three years old. Now, the 34-year-old actor is planning to open a university in Kerala where martial arts aspirants can seek expert training.

"People know about world martial art forms like Kung fu and Karate. But they are not aware of Indian martial art forms like Kalaripayattu. Also, we don't have many schools here that teach the art. I am working on opening a university in Kerala," Vidyut said in a group interaction here.

That's what he is looking forward to do apart from films.

The actor, who has worked in action thrillers like "Commando", "Force" and "Shakti", said his mother inspired him to be a martial artist.

"We are Rajputs. My father was in the army. He passed away many years back. I have always been taught to be strong and determined. While practicing martial arts or while doing stunts, whenever I get injuries, my mother tells me not to worry. She says 'You are not a loser'," explained Vidyut, who recently had to get a stitch on his chest for an injury he suffered during a stunt scene.

He admits he was confused about his professional life.

"I was always kind of confused with the career options. Before joining films, I had got good job opportunity to teach martial arts across the world. They were paying me a huge amount. But I wanted to be here and do something for the people. Also, my mother advised me that I should do what my heart says. That's how I became an actor," said the actor.

So far, Vidyut has shown an inclination towards the action genre, but he says he likes watching romantic movies.

"I like doing action films. But I can't watch them. I like watching romantic or comedy movies. I am also open to do action-drama," he said.

Vidyut is now busy shooting Tigmanshu Dhulia's "Bullet Raja" and Vipul Amrutlal Shah's "Commando 2".

Bollywood's 'khiladi' Akshay Kumar is said to be supervising Vidyut in "Commando 2". Vidyut said he has immense respect for Akshay's work and talent.

Vidyut says he doesn't have "any godfather".

"I have worked with John Abraham also in 'Force'. He is a fabulous actor. But my godfather is (Lord) Hanumanji," he added.

Commando 1 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1207751) & 2 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65816).