INTRODUCTION

Indian martial art 'Gatka' is associated with the Sikhs history and an integral part of an array of Sikh Shastar Vidiya developed during 15th century for self-defence. It was a battle technique of Sikh warriors during the martial period of great Sikh Gurus. The present form further perfected into a sport in the later 19th century. Gatka is performed & played in two sub-styles called Rasmi (traditional) and Khel (sport) respectively in the Northern India since 1920.

EFFORTS

Gatka was generally at public display during religious processions but Punjab Gatka Association (PGA), Chandigarh Gatka Association (CGA) and Gatka Federation of India (GFI), under the aegis of World Gatka Federation, have taken major initiatives for its revival and promotion by putting this rare martial art into practice as a sport in India and worldwide. It is a humble effort to revive this forgotten and dying art having a historical significance. In order to preserve, promote and showcase this rare Sikh martial art at national & international level, these Gatka sports organizations are producing a documentary film on Gatka.

METHODOLOGY

Gatka is a style of stick fighting between two or more practitioners, with wooden sticks (called Soti) intended to simulate swords. In Gatka, the "Stick" and "Farri" are also used to substitute the sword and shield respectively for practice and safety purposes. When one exponent attacks, the opponent blocks it and then counter-attacks the player. It entails a sequence of maneuvers involving pattern of footwork coupled with offensive and defensive skills.

REVIVAL & RULES

The World Gatka Federation with a visionary quest, is managing, standardizing, promoting and reviving this traditional art as a game at international level that was in vogue for self-defence since times immemorial. The Gatka Federation has formulated and standardized in-depth Gatka rules and regulations for playing of Gatka game at all levels and providing trainings to the budding Gatkebaaz through workshops, seminars and camps under the prescribed new Gatka rules book. Gatka weapons demonstrations includes Stick and Farri, Chakar, Chain, Dhal, Kirpan, Khanda, Katar, Talwar, Mace, Tir, Dang etc.The Gatka Federations are passionately longing from all the States as well as Central Government to award due gradations to Gatka game certificates at par with the certificates of other games.

BENEFITS

Gatka is a unique art to defend & display fighting skills and exercise self-control which is the best part of this time-tested martial art. Gatka practice also meant to enable youth to stay healthy and agile by keeping them away from the menace of drug abuse and other intoxicants to lead a disciplined and pious life.

RECOGNITION

The Punjab Government and School Games Federation of India (SGFI) have also incorporated the Gatka game into the school games. Various colleges and universities have also included Gatka into their sports calendars on our persistent appeals. Punjabi University Patiala has hosted 2nd All India Inter-varsity Gatka Tournament in January 2014. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) have also recognized Gatka and providing all support to Gatka Training Academy at Amritsar.

Gatka sport is being played with wooden sticks and requires two or more practitioners. In Gatka, the 'Stick' and 'Farri' are also used to substitute the sword and shield respectively for practice and safety purposes. When one exponent attacks, the opponent blocks it and then counter-attacks the player.

The traditional Gatka was generally at public display during religious processions but Punjab Gatka Association (Regd.) and Gatka Federation of India (Regd.) have standardized the Gatka as a game in India and continuously promoting, popularizing and reviving it as a game in Punjab as well as in India similar to other amateur games.

It is a unique art to defend, display fighting skills and exercise self control which is the best part of the martial art Gatka. It is also meant to enable youth to stay healthy and agile by keeping them away from the menace of drug abuse and other intoxicants to lead a disciplined and pious life. Earlier, only the boys could be seen performing this art but now girls have also adopted it and are performing well.

The natives captivated by martial art devised and developed fighting or defensive techniques with sticks on their motherlands as a method of training intended to simulate the swords such as the cavalry sabre or cutlass. In the USA during the early years of the 1900s, fencer, self-defence specialist and military engineer Andrew Chase Cunningham developed a unique system of stick-fighting using a walking stick, which he recorded in his book 'The Cane as a Weapon'.

Single-stick was a popular pastime in the UK from the 18th to the early 20th century and was an event at the Summer Olympics 1904. With the passage of time, despite the interest in the art declined but competitions in stick-fighting was re-introduced into the Royal Navy in the 1980s by commander Locker Madden. The art continued to gain a following amongst the martial art community in the UK, Australia, Canada and the US.

The origins of Martial Art are lost in antiquity but its purpose was primarily of self-defence. All martial arts on the globe shares a common root with other stick-fighting arts such as Stick-Fighting (USA), Arnis/Eskrima/Kali (Philippines), Gatka and Kalaripayattu (Indian), Singlestick (UK), Quarterstaff (European), Garrote Larense (Venezuelan), Stockfechten & Dussack (German), Kendo (Japanese) and Jogo do Pau or Juego del Palo (Portuguese), Donga/Sagenai (Ethopia), Intonga (South Africa), Bataireacht (Ireland), Aontroim Bataireacht (Canada, USA, Germany), etc. It is believed that Latin American & European stick-fighting arts were influenced by Indian dances or Indian martial arts.

The B�ton Fran�ais, also known as French stick-fighting, is a European historical fencing discipline which uses a staff about 1.2 m long (4 ft). The techniques have much in common with Long-sword and Quarterstaff. The B�ton was systematized in France during the 19th century and is still part of a set of skills associated with the modern French martial art of Boxe Fran�aise (Savate).

Canne de Combat is also a French martial art. As weapon, it uses a cane or canne (walking-stick) designed for fighting. Canne de Combat was developed in the early 19th century as a self-defence discipline and standardized in the 1970s for sporting competition. It is still being practised by French military and police forces.

Latin America also has its share of martial arts devoted to stick-fighting like Jogo do Pau (Portuguese) martial art focusing on the use of a staff of fixed measures and characteristics. El Juego del Garrote or Garrote Larense is a Venezuelan martial art that involves machete, garrote, and knife fencing.

Eskrima/Arnis/Kali is the traditional martial art of the Philippines, which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons. Knowledge of the Filipino fighting skills is mandatory in the Philippine military and police.

The following common Shastrs (Weapons) wre being used in traditional Gatka events:

• BARCHA : The spear is a long shafted weapon and has a hook at the spearhead used to pull away the opponent's shield.
• CHAKAR : The Chakar looks like a wagon wheel with weights at the end of each spoke. The chakar is wielded by grasping the centre and spinning it around, causing damage upon anyone coming too close to the spinning weights.
• CHAKRAM : The chakram is a flat steel ring, five to 12 inches in diameter, from half an inch to an inch and a half wide, and with a sharp outer edge. While not being used, it is carried �fixed� to the Turban. Several of different sizes were often carried on a pointed turban, the �dastar ungaa� or behind the back. It is held between the thumb and index finger and thrown towards the opponent with an underhand flick. Thrown with sufficient force and accuracy it can cut off a green bamboo three-quarter of an inch in diameter at a distance of thirty yards.
• DAHL OR SHIELD : It is nearly always round and varies in diameter from about eight inches to about twenty-four. Some are very nearly flat while others are strongly convex. The edges may be flat or rolled back in the reverse curvature of the shield. It is held by two handles fastened to ring bolds that pass through the shield and are riveted to bosses on the outside, sometimes formed to spikes. Between the handles there is a square cushion for the knuckles to rest against. The handles are so placed that, when tightly grasped, they force the backs of the fingers against the cushion giving a very firm and comfortable hold. These shields are nearly always of steel or leather.
• GURJ OR MACE : Indian maces have great variations in their shape. From simply curved steel bars to Persian influenced maces with openings in the head which gives a whistling sound when the blow was struck to plane massive heads. They often have guard hilts like the Khanda.
• KATAR : The Katar is a double-edged and straight bladed dagger used to pierce armour. The handle has two sidebars to provide protection and a better grip.
• KHANDA : This is a typical Indian sword and has a broad, straight blade, usually widening towards the point, which is blunt. Sometimes it is also double-edged.
• KIRPAN : The Kirpan is a short curved dagger and all Sikhs are required to carry it by tradition.
• LATHI : The lathi or quarterstaff is a wooden stick as tall as the warrior and made of oak.
• MARATI : The Marati is a bamboo stick with wooden or cloth balls on its ends. It is mainly used for training purposes but there are variations with blades or burning cloth on its ends, to attack and distract elephants and for psychological warfare.
• SOTI : This is made from fire hardened bamboo or ratan, 1m long and usually has a hand guard. It is mainly used for practice and �playing Gatka�, the training fight. For combat they were replaced by oak ore ironwood sticks, without hand guards.
• TAPAR : The battle-axe is very distinct from the normal axe and sometimes has a dagger concealed in the handle.
• TALWAR : The sword is usually curved with a thin and sharp blade. The Talwar is greatly respected and treated with care.
• TIR KAMAN : The bow and arrow is a potent weapon. The arrow is made of steel heads with reed shafts. The bow is also composite and made of layers of wood and steel.