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Gatka
(Contributor: Arun Singh - arun145@lycos.com)
Intro:
A Sikh martial art.
Origins and History:
Gatka is the martial art of the Sikhs, and is tied in with the
religion Sikhism. It's a weapons-based martial art, which was
imparted to the Sikhs in the time of Guru Hargobind Ji (the sixth
Guru of the Sikhs) by the Rajputs (Hindu warriors of northern
India) in the 16th century, in gratitude for their release from
imprisonment by the fledgling Sikh army of that time. The Sikhs
at that time opposed the Mughal Empire, which violently oppressed
both Sikhs and Hindus in the name of Islam.
The Tenth Master of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, was an extremely
proficient martial artist.
He continued to encourage the Sikhs to train seriously in the
martial arts, and in 1699 founded the Khalsa, a special Order,
to which all Sikhs would thereafter aspire to joining. The Khalsa
was subject to strict military and personal discipline, and were
enjoined to, inter alia, always carry 5 items with them: the Kanga
(a small wooden comb), Kachhehra (long drawers instead of a loincloth),
Kara (a steel bracer worn on the right wrist), Kesh (uncut hair)
and Kirpan (curved sword). The Khalsa was enjoined to train to
fight, and to vigorously resist the oppression of any religious
community, including Sikhs and Hindus. The wearing of the kirpan
represented the martial character of the Khalsa, and all Sikhs,
men, women and children, were encouraged to resist their Mughal
oppressors, and to train diligently in gatka.
Gatka was used succesfully by the Sikhs throughout the 16th and
17th centuries, in numerous battles against the Mughal forces.
Eventually, the Sikhs succeeded in deposing the Mughal overlords,
and in creating a new, tolerant rulership in the Punjab (the "Land
of Five Rivers", a region in modern-day India and Pakistan).
Gatka is, and has always been, taught as a spiritual exercise
in Sikhism. Sikhism requires its followers to become absorbed
in honouring the Name of God, and this is taught through the ecstatic
exercise of gatka. Sikhism and gatka are inextricably intertwined,
in many ways.
Description:
Gatka actually refers to the soti, a wooden stick used in training,
which is equipped with a basket hilt. The entire martial art is
based on the correct use of a vast array of melee (hand-to-hand)
weapons. The foundation of the art is the panthra, a basic form
and methodology for moving the feet, body, arms and weapons correctly,
in unison. Gatka is normally taught with rhythmic accompaniment,
and the object is to achieve fluid, natural and flowing movement,
without hesitation, doubt or anxiety. The attacking and blocking
methods are all based upon the positions of the hands, feet and
weapon(s) during the panthra dexterity exercise. Many weapons
are taught with special methodologies, in addition to the panthra
exercise.
There are set of unique "chambers" and other techniques, which
are unique to certain weapons, such as the khanda (two-edged sword),
the tabar (axe) and the barcha (spear).
The most common weapon used by gatka exponents today is the lathi
(a stick of varying length), but all of the other traditional
weapons are still taught. A common combination in that hands of
gatka practitioners of today and in the past is the sword and
shield.
The panthra exercise is a flowing, non-stop movement, and there
are no specific "techniques" as such in gatka. Rather, the methods
of attacking and defending are the same, and the application depends
on the circumstances at the time. The panthra exercise is practised
at the same time as the "Jaap Sahib" prayer is being sung. Also,
a three-beat-per-cycle is played by a drummer at the same time.
This assists in developing natural and flowing co-ordination.
Training:
Most gatka groups train in a religious or semi-religious situation,
such as in a gurdwara (a Sikh place of worship) or in a Sikh cultural
centre or school. However, in recent years a number of "Akhara"
(regiment or gymnasium) organisations have been founded, with
the express purpose of teaching and disseminating the skill of
gatka.
Gatka students always train with "both hands full", as this is
both an excellent exercise for matching the two halves of the
body and is emphasised as ideal for combat. Gatka emphasises the
superiority of having something in both hands, whether it's two
sticks, or a stick and a sword, or a sword and a shield or any
other combination.
At an advanced level, gatka is always tailored to the practitioner.
Hence the gatka practitioner will eventually focus all of his
effort on training his or her abilities with a chosen weapon or
combination of weapons.
Competition:
Gatka was never originally intended as a competitive sport. However,
recently a number of modern gatka organisations have introduced
competition. Normally, these are based on a "best of two" or a
"best of Five" hits contest between two practitiners.
How to find an instructor:
The best traditional gatka practitioners outside the Punjab are
known by word of mouth only. However, some organisations have
recently begun teaching their own variation of gatka, in schools
and clubs, in the same way as any other martial art. These organisations
usually advertise, too. However, their gatka may differ significantly
from the traditional form of the art, either by accident or design.
It may be fruitful to consult your local gurdwara (Sikh temple)
officials in order to find a reputable gatka instructor who is
willing to teach you. Discretion (most gatka experts disdain being
the centre of attention) and courtesy will be indispensable in
finding yourself a willing instructor in the art.
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