Silambam – 5000-years-old- Martial Art Form from Tamil Nadu-India

Silambam is s traditional martial art form from Tamil Nadu.

Silambam or silambattam is a weapon-based Indian martial art from Tamil Nadu, but also traditionally practised by the Tamil community of Sri Lanka and Malaysia. The word silambam refers to the staff which is the main weapon used in this system. Masters are called asaan while grandmasters are addressed as periyasaan or iyan.

Legend:

Oral folklore traces silambam back several thousand years to the siddha (enlightened sage) Agastya. While on his way to Vellimalai, Agastya discussed Hindu philosophy with an old man he met, said to be the god Murugan in disguise. The old man taught him of kundalini yoga and how to focus prana through the body’s nadi (channels). Agastya practiced this method of meditation and eventually compiled three texts on palm leaves based on the god’s teachings. One of these texts was the Kampu Sutra (Staff Classic) which was said to record advanced fighting theories in verse. These poems and the art they described were allegedly passed on to other siddha and eventually formed the basis of both silambam and the southern style of kalaripayat.

History:

References to silambam in Silappadikkaram and other works of Sangam literature show that the art has been practiced as far back as the 2nd century BC. The bamboo staff – along with swords, pearls and armor – was in great demand with foreign traders, particularly those from Southeast Asia where silambam greatly influenced many fighting systems. The Indian community of the Malay Peninsula is known to have practiced silambam during the period of Melaka’s founding in the 14th century.

The soldiers of Kings Puli Thevar, Veerapandiya Kattabomman and Maruthu Pandiyar (1760–1799) relied mainly on their silambam prowess in their warfare against the British Army. Indian martial arts suffered a decline after the British colonists banned silambam along with various other systems. They also introduced modern western military training which favoured fire-arms over traditional weaponry. During this time, silambam became more common in Southeast Asia than its native India where it was banned by the British rulers. The ban was lifted after India achieved independence. Today, silambam is the most well-known and widely practiced Indian martial art in Malaysia where demonstrations are held for cultural shows.

Weapons:

Silambam’s traditional weapon of choice is a bamboo staff.

Silambam’s main focus is on the bamboo staff. The length of the staff depends on the height of the practitioner. Ideally it should just touch the forehead about three fingers from the head, typically measuring around 1.68 metres (five and a half feet). Different lengths may be used depending on the situation. For instance, the sedikuchi or 3-foot stick can be easily concealed. Separate practice is needed for staffs of different lengths. Listed below are some of the weapons used in silambam.

Silambam: staff, preferably made from bamboo, but sometimes also from teak or Indian rose chestnut wood. The staff is immersed in water and strengthened by beating it on the surface of still or running water. It is often tipped with metal rings to prevent the ends from being damaged.

Maru: a thrusting weapon made from deer horns

Aruval: sickle, often paired

Panthukol: staff with balls of fire or weighted chains on each end

Savuku: whip

Vaal: sword, generally curved

Kuttu katai: spiked knuckleduster

Katti: knife

Kuttuval: dagger

Kattari: native push-dagger with a H-shaped handle. Some are capable of piercing armor. The blade may be straight or wavy.

Surul pattai: flexible sword

Muchan / Sedikuchi: cudgel or short stick, often wielded as a pair.

Popularity:

Silambattam 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.

-Proud to be an Tamilan