Gatka - Martial art of Sikhs

[David Jamieson]

I think that there are many ties between India and China, especially regarding how martial arts methods are transmitted through time.

Having said that, I do believe each nations/peoples martial arts have long been separate and unique, but, it is not difficult to see many similarities that may indeed have the same origin.

Have a look at Gatka weapons and weapons sparring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C54ie5mCLU

:)

[sanjuro_ronin]

I think that there are many ties between India and China, especially regarding how martial arts methods are transmitted through time.

Having said that, I do believe each nations/peoples martial arts have long been separate and unique, but, it is not difficult to see many similarities that may indeed have the same origin.

Have a look at Gatka weapons and weapons sparring:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C54ie5mCLU

:)

Funny you should bring this up, me living in Brampton and all, LOL !
A friend invited me to one of their "training sessions" and it was quite interesting, very formalized and ceremonial, very religious and no actual sparring outside of pre-arranged choregraphed routines.
After wards they asked my opinion and I, of course, gave it, LOL !
A few agreed but a couple thought that I was too harsh so I quickly volunteered to test their views.
I was told that was forbidden.
About a week after that I met up with my friend again and he and a few others wanted to try ther hand at "full contact" sparring with the wooden replicas and I said, great, let's play.
Of course there was a rude awkening in realizing that what they THOUGHT happens, doesn't , there was the rude awkening that their "twirling attack" is useless against someone that moves in ( LOL) and there was the very rude awkening of fighting someone that doesn't follow the set pattern of their "dance".

[David Jamieson]

Funny you should bring this up, me living in Brampton and all, LOL !
A friend invited me to one of their "training sessions" and it was quite interesting, very formalized and ceremonial, very religious and no actual sparring outside of pre-arranged choregraphed routines.
After wards they asked my opinion and I, of course, gave it, LOL !
A few agreed but a couple thought that I was too harsh so I quickly volunteered to test their views.
I was told that was forbidden.
About a week after that I met up with my friend again and he and a few others wanted to try ther hand at "full contact" sparring with the wooden replicas and I said, great, let's play.
Of course there was a rude awkening in realizing that what they THOUGHT happens, doesn't , there was the rude awkening that their "twirling attack" is useless against someone that moves in ( LOL) and there was the very rude awkening of fighting someone that doesn't follow the set pattern of their "dance".

Rude awakening s in martial arts are simply learning moments. :)
If it cannot be recognized by the person, then there is a failure to perceive reality at play.

Any art that uses shape as the only vehicle of transmission and doesn't test the mettle so to speak is fraudulent in it's offerings as a martial art.

But, in the context of cultural art form, then it makes sense to promote it as such and give it value and meaning in that respect and to not try and convince people that it is something that it is clearly not.

Nothing wrong with ritual combat as long as it is recognized as such, approached as such and dealt with as such. :)

[JamesC]

Funny you should bring this up, me living in Brampton and all, LOL !
A friend invited me to one of their "training sessions" and it was quite interesting, very formalized and ceremonial, very religious and no actual sparring outside of pre-arranged choregraphed routines.
After wards they asked my opinion and I, of course, gave it, LOL !
A few agreed but a couple thought that I was too harsh so I quickly volunteered to test their views.
I was told that was forbidden.
About a week after that I met up with my friend again and he and a few others wanted to try ther hand at "full contact" sparring with the wooden replicas and I said, great, let's play.
Of course there was a rude awkening in realizing that what they THOUGHT happens, doesn't , there was the rude awkening that their "twirling attack" is useless against someone that moves in ( LOL) and there was the very rude awkening of fighting someone that doesn't follow the set pattern of their "dance".


They have my respect for actually seeking to test their stuff out, even if it didn't work.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Rude awakening s in martial arts are simply learning moments. :)
If it cannot be recognized by the person, then there is a failure to perceive reality at play.

Any art that uses shape as the only vehicle of transmission and doesn't test the mettle so to speak is fraudulent in it's offerings as a martial art.

But, in the context of cultural art form, then it makes sense to promote it as such and give it value and meaning in that respect and to not try and convince people that it is something that it is clearly not.

Nothing wrong with ritual combat as long as it is recognized as such, approached as such and dealt with as such. :)

Agreed.
Sikh's are a very militant bunch, that's for sure.

[David Jamieson]

Agreed.
Sikh's are a very militant bunch, that's for sure.

Yeah, well, when we look at how they are treated in India and the history of how they have been under constant attack since their religions inception, then it is easy to see what's up with all the wailing and gnashing of teeth. :)

Not too mention the bloody stupid things said in the punjabi newspapers about martyrs, guru's favourites, etc etc. Big stink about one of the writers that was or is employed by one of the big 2 punjabi papers in your town.

The more integration we get in this country, the more we get to see how each cultures thought processes carry burdens of error that are magnificent in some cases! Even our own culture does this, but, you can't touch your nose to your elbow is how it goes.

Anyway, here nor there. I thought this was all too similar a method of practice as what one would find in tma of all sorts but in particular of the chinese varieties which is indicative of the cross cultural back and forth over centuries and millenia.

[sanjuro_ronin]

Anyway, here nor there. I thought this was all too similar a method of practice as what one would find in tma of all sorts but in particular of the chinese varieties which is indicative of the cross cultural back and forth over centuries and millenia.

I think that every MA has far more in common than dissimilar.
People just tend to point out the differences, typically because they want to believe they are doing something/are part of something unique.

[David Jamieson]

I think that every MA has far more in common than dissimilar.
People just tend to point out the differences, typically because they want to believe they are doing something/are part of something unique.

I agree.

Martial Arts is presented in ludicrous degrees of complexity.
And then when you ask anyone who actually has put their time in and given/taken with them...they will invariably state it's the basics that work and that will be the bread and butter of your efforts when your martial art has to be used for realz.

edumication is where it at.

[TaichiMantis]

Anyone see gatka in person?

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19199018

By Lisa Fernandez lfernandez@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/26/2011 01:55:46 PM PDT
Updated: 10/26/2011 09:43:18 PM PDT


Sikhs are not unfamiliar with battle, neither physical nor political, here in Silicon Valley.

And on Saturday, the community is holding its first international Sikh martial arts competition at the San Jose Gurdwara Sahib, or Sikh temple, in the Evergreen hills.

The battle is over who will be the best "gatka" expert, the one who best masters a sword, a stick and a shield in an ancient rite of Sikh combat.

"This is the first international gatka contest held in California," said Sukhdev Bainiwal, a member of the San Jose Sikh temple who is in charge of the battle. The first such contest was held nine years ago in Toronto.

He said about 200 competitors from California, New York, Houston, Maryland, New Jersey, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and India will participate. There are four age categories, from the under-7 group to those who are in their 60s.

The winners share a total of $9,000 in cash prizes.

Gatka may be best compared to the eskrima, the martial arts of the Philippines. Bainiwal said this form of martial arts is deeply infused in the Sikh religion; the sixth guru first used this technique on the battlefield.

"It's more spiritual and more meditative," Bainiwal said.

Members of the San Jose Sikh temple lobbied their global community to host this competition. In April, the second phase of construction on the temple was complete, making the $32 million, 110,000-square-foot complex the largest and most expensive in the country.

The gatka competitions will be held on one stage inside the worship hall and on one outdoor stage. The temple is at 3636 Murillo Ave. and the contest runs from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The public is invited to watch for free.

To watch gatka videos, go to www.yudh.net.

[taai gihk yahn]

but it's pretty cool...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15480741

(started here to get attention, until it's banished to another forum)

[David Jamieson]

but it's pretty cool...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15480741

(started here to get attention, until it's banished to another forum)

ok, it's cool. But does it go beyond society for creative anachronism like any other ancient battlefield art that can't really be practical or applied with efficacy in this day and age?

wearing armoured shoes with bladed tips isn't de rigueur these days you know.

[GETHIN]

Thanks for sharing that - what a shame if this art was lost.

[taai gihk yahn]

ok, it's cool. But does it go beyond society for creative anachronism like any other ancient battlefield art that can't really be practical or applied with efficacy in this day and age?
no, it does not; it is purey a cultural heritage convention; like a lot of TCMA...


wearing armoured shoes with bladed tips isn't de rigueur these days you know.
u apparently do not work in the field of healthcare... ;)

[bawang]

ok, it's cool. But does it go beyond society for creative anachronism like any other ancient battlefield art that can't really be practical or applied with efficacy in this day and age?

wearing armoured shoes with bladed tips isn't de rigueur these days you know.

some people like to attach electrodes to their genitals. some people like to help preserve their rich and ancient traditional cultures.

[Ray Pina]

Very cool.

.... the article specified that it's not a system intended for combat but for entertainment.

[hskwarrior]

Very cool.

.... the article specified that it's not a system intended for combat but for entertainment.

Really? thats the only thing you take away from that article? WOW.......LMAO

[PalmStriker]

Very cool.

.... the article specified that it's not a system intended for combat but for entertainment.
You misread. The other practice mentioned was used for entertainment.

[PalmStriker]

Also, TCMA missed "the list" but still a force to be reckoned with, historically. :D http://listverse.com/2010/04/20/top-10-greatest-historical-warriors/

[taai gihk yahn]

some people like to attach electrodes to their genitals. some people like to help preserve their rich and ancient traditional cultures.

and for some people, that's the same thing! :eek:

[Vajramusti]

ok, it's cool. But does it go beyond society for creative anachronism like any other ancient battlefield art that can't really be practical or applied with efficacy in this day and age?

wearing armoured shoes with bladed tips isn't de rigueur these days you know.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some misunderstandings perhaps. The person in the video is trying to revive shastar vidya as an art. The total art has indeed faded. But, Part of it is not creative anachronism. The weapons shown were actually used not too long ago. Parts of it are extant.
The Sikh sword is till alive in the gathka and there are Sikhs who practice gathka. Real Sikhs still carry the kirpan- the Sikh dagger. The lathi is practiced by Sikhs and many non Sikhs.
Some of the other weapons are old Indian weapons. But the trishul-- the three pronged spear is still carried by some wandering ascetics.And some right wing fanatics came out witha few in some marches.
In the massive violence in the Punjab and Bengal in the 1940s which resulted in huge migrations- many kinds of weapons were used.
I just came back from Inida where I traveled by train, plane, cycle rickshaw and bus. In a desert area I traveled by bus. The bus driver wa a congenial Sikh. He had a Sikh sword behind his seat for practicing gathka. It would have been foolish for anyone to take over his bus.

joy chaudhuri

[GeneChing]

There's a photo album w/12 cool pix if you follow the link.

Sikhs stage martial arts battle at new temple in San Jose (http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_19225775)
By Bruce Newman
bnewman@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/29/2011 09:06:02 PM PDT
Updated: 10/30/2011 09:51:39 AM PDT

The first international Gatka tournament held in California -- Yudh (Battle) 2011 -- produced a swell of excitement among Sikhs on Saturday, attracting hundreds of fans to San Jose's Sikh temple.

Gatka is a Sikh martial art involving a sword, a stick and a shield.

Almost everyone arrived wearing traditional Sikh dress, some leaving their shoes next to their cars in the parking lot. For many pilgrims from other parts of the state, it was the first opportunity to see the recently completed $20 million Main Di Wan Hall, in the shadow of whose inspiring minarets the competition unfolded.

Before the formal competition began in the 18-and-older division at midafternoon, there were several demonstrations of foot movements. One fellow in a white chola -- the traditional martial arts uniform -- an orange turban and a yellow blindfold leaped and whirled on the grass, a crescent-shaped sword in each hand.

The actual competition was carried out with bamboo sticks instead of swords.

"This gets the youth involved with the religion," said Sukhdev Singh Bainiwal, one of the organizers. "So this event is a very big deal for us."

Gatka got its start in ancient times when one Sikh successfully battled an army of 125,000.

"That can only be done if you're spiritually enlightened," Bainiwal said. "We're here to fight the inner fight against the ego and all that."

The tournament website explained that the aim of the duels was to perform the task with agility, speed and good will." The rules specifically prohibit "twirling," "stabbing" and "strikes to the groin" -- in keeping with the spiritual nature of the event.

"A Sikh is supposed to be a superperson," said Raj Singh, one of the contest's referees. "The time may come when you need to pick up a sword -- which could happen, depending on the situation -- and defend yourself."

Sponsors contributed to the $20,000 budget for the event. There was an ice cream sponsor and a pizza sponsor, both giving out free samples to a crowd that came and went all day.

At about 2 p.m., the competitors were summoned to their judging stand.

"Finish up your ice cream and get to your akhara (wrestling arena)," the announcer said.

Then someone spray-painted concentric circles on the grass, and the fighting began.

[Ray Pina]

You misread. The other practice mentioned was used for entertainment.

"Shastar vidya often gets confused with Gatka, a stick-fighting technique that was developed during British occupation of Punjab and was widely practised among Sikh soldiers in the British army.

Though it is a highly skilled art it was developed for exhibition rather than mortal combat. It is much easier to practise in public."

Shastar vidya = subject

subject confused with Gatka, stick fighting art.

Though it= subject .... is a highly skilled art.... developed for exhibition.

However, I did not need to diagram that sentence to know the art is in line with Shaolin Kung Fu in terms of modern relevance.... instead of a three section staff he has a matchlock rifle and chain male.

It's cool. I appreciate the cultural significance. Just wanted to put things into proper perspective because the people here are crazy.

[SanHeChuan]

The only living master of a dying martial art (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15480741)

Heart And Soul (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00l846f)

[omarthefish]

http://kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62238

[Taixuquan99]

"Shastar vidya often gets confused with Gatka, a stick-fighting technique that was developed during British occupation of Punjab and was widely practised among Sikh soldiers in the British army.

Though it is a highly skilled art it was developed for exhibition rather than mortal combat. It is much easier to practise in public."

Shastar vidya = subject

subject confused with Gatka, stick fighting art.

Though it= subject .... is a highly skilled art.... developed for exhibition.

However, I did not need to diagram that sentence...

Two sentences, you kook. The subject of the second sentence is "it", and context, specifically that "it" is much easier to practice in public, suggests that it's not SHOOTING A MUSKET.

[GeneChing]

Follow the link for the vid. It's not that gruesome. It's actually quite enjoyable. Totally SFW. They've lifted a few qigong stunt tricks and taken it on a totally different spin (love the song and dance part of it).

November 24, 2011, 6:11 PM HKT
Gruesome Punjabi TV Act Grips Chinese Internet (http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/11/24/gruesome-punjabi-tv-act-grips-chinese-internet/)

A video showing a group of Sikh warriors performing extreme stunts on regional Indian television has shot them to fame on the Chinese Internet over the last few days.

On Chinese video sites, where it was posted earlier this week, the video had collected more than 2.4 million views by Thursday afternoon.

But the seven-minute video, edited from a televised talent show performance, is not for the faint of heart.

While it’s loosely inspired by Gatka, the traditional Sikh martial art popular in India’s state of Punjab, the performers decided to do away with all the spiritual fluff and the ritual dancing. These guys are testosterone-fueled Punjabi fighters; there is nothing subtle about their act. While the top-viewed clip on YouTube, where the show has also attracted views in the millions, describes them as the “Warriors of Goja,” they actually call themselves the “Bir Khalsa Group,” Punjabi for brave warriors. They’re Gatka-fighter-meets-G.I.-Joe-meets-*******.

The performance, first aired on regional television over a month ago, starts innocently enough with spinning chakkars, wheel-like symbolic weapons. But the performers combat pants and spike-studded armbands suggest they’re up to something a little more hardcore.

Wooden sticks, typical of Gatka, still make an appearance, but instead of twirling them gracefully, the warriors bash them on each other.

They are shown chewing on what looks like glass, smashing bricks with a hammer on their faces and pulling a car with their teeth. And it gets worse: one guy gets simultaneously run over by a car and a motorbike while another plunges four or five meters, bare-chested, through tubelights. The grand finale shows three of them sandwiched between beds of nails while (just to make sure it really hurts) others hammer them down.

While parts of the stunts may have been faked, the blood at the end of the show looks real enough. After the performance, one of them proudly twirls his mustache and makes a victory sign with his blood-stained fingers.

The three judges look understandably horrified. But this doesn’t stop them from handing them a wad of cash – 300,000-rupees ($5,750) in total –and praising them for having won the contest as well as their hearts.

The performance appears to be a revelation for many in China, where Shaolin monks practicing “iron body” kung fu have long wowed crowds by bending metal rods with their bare hands and lying on beds of nails while other monks pound their stomachs with hammers.

“I’m guessing Shaolin iron body kungfu must have come from India,” one viewer, Snow Love in Summer, wrote on the video site Youku, noting that Bodhidharma, the monk who supposedly founded Shaolin kung fu in the 5th or 6th century, is said to have come to China from India. “No wonder India dares to be so arrogant in the face of the Celestial Kingdom,” wrote osis-chen, a user of the popular Sina Weibo microblogging service, employing a popular slang term for the Chinese government.

But the clip also stirred debate about whether such violence is appropriate for reality television, with some condemning the display as a craven ploy to drive ratings. Wrote one Weibo user going by the handle WW_005_SimpleLife: “There’s nothing at all to applaud about this — one of them is bleeding by the end. Do reality contest shows really need to be so bloody to attract eyeballs?”

Similar acts – though rarely of comparable violence – are often broadcast on Indian reality shows. As a result, while their performance is now a global sensation, in India few have taken notice. Ajay Santhi, who works in the programming division of ETV Networks, told us he hadn’t even heard of the stunt aired by his company’s regional offshoot.

Chinese television also brims with reality shows, though cultural authorities have recently announced plans to significantly cut down on the amount of “entertainment” programs that are allowed to appear on the Chinese airwaves in what they say is a bid to improve the country’s cultural environment.

If that crackdown holds, this might not be the last Indian reality show clip to go viral on the Chinese Internet.

[GeneChing]

The Day's Best | 11.24.11 (http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/11/24/1669160/the-days-best-112411.html)
http://media2.newsobserver.com/smedia/2011/11/24/16/33/13jkhT.St.156.jpg
An Indian female Sikh warrior performs the Gatka, a traditional Sikh martial arts, with male counterparts during a Sikh religious procession in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011. The procession was held to mark the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru, who was executed in 1675 in Delhi.
Love the composition of this photo. I was web surfing Gatka and came across it.

[TaichiMantis]

Great find! and it features a female warrior :D

[Xiao3 Meng4]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu9nwzr1XUg&feature=player_embedded

[uki]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu9nwzr1XUg&feature=player_embeddedawesome find!!!

[GeneChing]

I do admire the inventiveness of Gatka's hard qigong (for lack of their term). I though about posting this on our Martial Arts World Records and Stunts (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52601) thread but I'm still fascinated by Gatka so I'm ttt-ing this one.

9-year-old martial arts prodigy eyes Guinness record (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/martial-arts-prodigy-guinness-record-manpreet-singh/1/187884.html)

A nine-year-old boy in Punjab is set to become the youngest expert performer of Gatka -- a traditional martial art of the Sikhs. During the process, he would also be able to claim the distinction of being the toughest boy of his age as he would have to endure more than two dozen coconuts cracked on his forehead with a baseball bat.

The boy, Manpreet Singh, who studies in fourth standard at a school in the border town Taran Taran, is a member of Bir Khalsa Gatka Dal, an organisation that recently got recognition by the Guinness Book of World Records for a stunt. The members of Bir Khalsa Gatka Dal have been trained to perform extreme stunts, including performances with swords and spiked maces.

The group reinvented the Sikh martial art from the time of the sixth Sikh guru, and one of its members, Guru Hargobind, was second runner-up on India's Got Talent in September 2010. The performance bagged the top position in a similar contest on another channel last year.

A seven-minute video of the group's performance in Hyderabad had also become an internet sensation. It got over 64 lakh views within four days after it was posted across Chinese sites Youku, Tudou and Sina Weibo. Manpreet was the youngest performer at both the shows.

After following a strict training schedule, Manpreet is now able to do death-defying routines, such as allowing his uncle and trainer Kamaljit Singh to shatter tubelights on his chest. "I want to set a Guinness record as the youngest boy for my performances and stunts," Manpreet said.

The young boy also nurtures an ambition to promote awareness against drug abuse in Punjab, while motivating other children of his age to take up traditional sports and martial art.

"Everyone tells I am too young for performance and launching movement against social maladies. They all underestimate me. I want to go to England after completing studies to promote the art," he said.

Manpreet is also scheduled to participate in a talent-hunt programme in Czechoslovakia in central Europe in July.

The boy's father Harinder Singh, a journalist with vernacular newspaper Ajit, said that Manpreet started learning the basics of the Sikh martial art when he was only two years old.

"He accompanied his uncle Kamaljit Singh to local performances. The uncle got him an outfit of martial arts performers. Since then, he did not look back," said Harinder. His performance has even motivated several youth to take up the sport.

Kawaljit, a 31 year-old leader of the group managing a computer and phone repair shop for livelihood, said that he took over from founder of the group Amarjit Singh in 1996. He attempted to innovate and added new acts to the traditional art.

"This attracted several young men to sport and shun drugs. But, Manpreet is our hero," he said. "My nephew has brought us laurels."

Kawaljit added: "We are not imitating the martial art. Unlike WWE, it is real. Our swords have sharp edges. They sometimes hurt too."


Follow this link below for the coconut break. It's a horrid posture for the kid to adopt for such a stunt.

Boy! He's a tough nut (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4301682/Boy-Hes-a-tough-nut.html)
Manpreet Singh
Simon de Trey White / Barcroft India
Published: 07th May 2012
A BOY lies back while a coconut is cracked on his forehead with a baseball bat — to prove he’s the toughest ten-year-old yet.

As the world’s youngest master of Sikh martial art Ghatka, Manpreet Singh also likes smashing light tubes on his chest.

The lad from India’s Punjabi region, declared: “I’m not afraid to do any stunts.”

[webcastGreg]

Those must be the tubes they make that aren't filled with Mercury. Otherwise that would be a tremendously toxic stunt.

[GeneChing]

Given that this was in India, it's probably the cheapest most toxic fluorescent tubes available.

Here's more coverage from an earlier record break last month by the same group. It leaves two outstanding questions. #1. What is it with Gatka and breaking coconuts on the forehead with a baseball bat? #2. There was a competition for breaking forehead with a baseball bat in Rome...seriously?


Small town Gatka team becomes Guinness World Record holder (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-19/india/31367189_1_coconuts-sikh-martial-art-tarn-taran)
Yudhvir Rana, TNN Apr 19, 2012, 03.36PM IST

TARN TARAN: Tarn Taran based Bir Khalsa Gatka Group has earned the distinction of holding the Guinness World Record of breaking maximum number of coconuts placed on the forehead with a baseball bat during a competition held in Rome for the world record on April 18th.

Chief coordinator of the event Sanjiv Karan Singh told TOI over phone from Rome on Thursday that Bir Khalsa Gatka Group successfully broke 59 coconuts in one minute. The earlier record of breaking coconuts placed on forehead was 41, he added.

The eight member team including coordinator left for Rome on April 15th for participating in the world record event. Kanwaljit Singh who broke the coconut placed on the forehead of another member of team, Harpreet Singh, said "It is like a dream coming true, we never thought we will be able to do this but we have done it for our country".

He said the members of the group had been practicing coconut breaking at Tarn Taran regularly for the past three months. "We have scaled one peak and now we will scale others to register more records on the name of India" he said. He said they would arrive back on April 20th.

Bir Khalsa Gatka Group had earlier earned applause in several reality TV shows in India. Sanjiv Karan Singh said the Group would give a 4-day performance of Gatka (Sikh martial art) in Japan in July. He said Gatka not only teaches self defence but also to build tolerance in the person.

Singh however rued the fact that a small district team had made the world record in an international event but didn't get any recognition or support from the government.

"The boys are doing everything from their own resources. I wish government recognizes their potential and extends help to promote them" he said.

[enoajnin]

You should invite them to TCKFMC IV!!!

[GeneChing]

We could make fluorescent tube breaking and breaking coconuts on the forehead with a baseball bat as new events.

NOT!

As if iron crotch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LvFaUvq9Vo&f) wasn't enough. ;)

[GeneChing]

3,000 to 4,000 tubelights, all filled with mercury, no doubt.

Mercury, cinnabar, dantian. It all makes sense. ;)

Gatka lads from Tarn Taran make it to Guinness Book (http://sikhsangat.org/1699/gatka-lads-from-tarn-taran-make-it-to-guinness-book/)

http://sikhsangat.org/wp-content/themes/goodnews/framework/scripts/timthumb.php?src=http://sikhsangat.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bir-khalsa.jpg&h=275&w=599&zc=1
Amritsar, Punjab: At a time when Punjabi youth in the border belt are losing the prime of their age to rampant drug addiction, Tarn Taran-based Bir Khalsa Gatka Group has brought laurels to the state by making it to the Guinness Book of World Records. The group broke the maximum number of coconuts placed on the forehead with a baseball bat during a contest organised in Rome on April 18.

The seven-member team of the Gatka group, comprising Sikh youths from Tarn Taran, broke 59 coconuts in one minute. The earlier record of breaking coconuts placed on forehead was 41 in a minute.

Sharing their experience with mediapersons here today, Kanwaljit Singh, who led the Gatka group, said: “It is a proud moment for all of us. During the contest, five members of the team placed coconuts on the head of their colleague Gurpreet Singh while Kanwaljit broke these with a baseball bat”.

Gurinder Singh, a team member, said they had been practicing very hard prior to the competition. “We are now eying a record where our group members will jump from a 30-ft stand made of 3,000 to 4,000 tubelights, breaking them all in the process”.

The other team members are Naseeb Singh, Harpreet Singh, Ranjot Singh and Balwant Singh. After Rome, the team is all set to participate in similar events in Japan and Czechoslovakia in the coming months.

The group has around 200 members and a number of them are from humble background. The group first hogged the limelight after it got a platform in a TV show on an entertainment channel a couple of years ago. However, it hasn’t received any financial aid. Manmohan Singh Bhagowalia, general secretary of Shiromani Gatka Federation of India, said the group members had been managing affairs from its own resources. He said their victory in Rome would help clear misconceptions about Sikh identity abroad.

[GeneChing]

I must confess that I'm fascinated with this style. I only cut&pasted two pix - there are more if you follow the link.


*******, Indian style! The eye-watering antics of men and boys playing with swords and chewing glass tube lights (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2157599/Bir-Khalsa-Eye-watering-antics-men-boys-playing-swords-chewing-glass-tube-lights.html?ito=feeds-newsxml)
By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 07:20 EST, 11 June 2012 | UPDATED: 16:05 EST, 11 June 2012

With eye-watering stunts, plenty of blood, cringe worthy moments and more than a few bruises, the stars of ******* became international celebrities.

Now a group of Indians are looking to do the same with performances that include being run over by cars, hanging each other by their heads, chewing glass tube lights and playing with swords and spiked maces.

The outrageous group, who call themselves Bir Khalsa (The Brave Pure) and perform to packed village fields in rural Punjab, claim their stunts are from of an ancient and almost forgotten martial art.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/11/article-2157599-138DB3A9000005DC-304_634x422.jpg
Outrageous: The group, who call themselves Bir Khalsa (The Brave Pure), perform to packed village fields in rural Punjab
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/06/11/article-2157599-138DB26F000005DC-184_634x422.jpg
Bright spark: Amandeep Singh, 20, a member of the Bir Khalsa Sikh Martial Arts Group, chews fluorescent strip lights in Amritsar, India

The group practice the ancient Sikh martial art of Ghatka, a fighting technique that is passed down from generation to generation and only Sikhs are allowed to perform.

The 450 strong group have members whose age ranges from 10-year-old children to 34-year-old grown men.

The group's extreme stunts, which often leave several of their members heavily bleeding, made them into stars on India's Got Talent recently, with judges and the audience covering their eyes in between shocked glances.

Founder and head coach of the group, Kamaljeet Singh Khalsa, pointed out that Sikh hardmen were used to police their countrymen during British rule in India because of their fearsome fighting reputation.

He said: 'Sikhs are a race of warriors and we have always endured hardship since the beginning, so we do not feel pain.'

Kamaljeet says his group does extreme stunts to focus attention of the ancient practice of Ghatka.

He added: 'We are trying to revive the art of Ghatka from oblivion, which has been limited to only local fairs in Punjab.

'Other martial arts such as kung fu and jiujitsu are famous worldwide but we have allowed Ghatka to be forgotten. We push ourselves to do the most difficult stunts to raise awareness and respect for this ancient art.'

Kamaljeet said he is happy to let children play with daggers and swords, claiming it is not dangerous if they are properly trained.

He said: 'We train children using wooden swords but as they grow confident with age we train them using iron Kirpans (Sikh ritual daggers) when they turn six.

'We only let them do stunts under our supervision never on their own.'

However, Kamaljeet says his own parents were against him practicing Ghatka because of the frequent bleedings and broken bones.

He said: 'My mother used to scold us every time we arrived home bleeding son we started stitching ourselves up before going home.

'But now our parents, especially our fathers, are extremely proud of us for bringing fame to our town and community.'

The group has had their share of injuries in the past. He said: 'One of our members had a axe lodged in his head after a slight miscalculation. He later had inch deep gash in his head.

'Another time, one of our stunts went bad when one of the fire eaters used kerosene instead petrol and ended up burning himself,' he said.

'Both of them were in hospital for a few months but now both are absolutely fine and still do stunts.'

Bir Khalsa's success has led to a number of similar groups coming up through out Punjab, but none do crazy stunts that they are prepared to do.

'Groups have sprung all over Punjab trying to imitate us and we get hundreds of children and adults who want to join our group,' he said.

The group recently established a world record in Italy for breaking maximum number of coconuts placed on forehead with a baseball bat.

The group broke a total of 59 coconuts in a minute while they were placed on the forehead of one of the team members, breaking the previous record of 41 coconuts.



Unbeatable Performance of BIR KHALSA GROUP of PUNJAB (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLqUqLd9_RU)

[Lucas]

respect!!!

[Sardinkahnikov]

The group has had their share of injuries in the past. He said: 'One of our members had a axe lodged in his head after a slight miscalculation. He later had inch deep gash in his head.

Well, imagine if it was a gross miscalculation. Guy would have loped his own head off probably.

[mawali]

I like it, and its great press! I would rather prefer the functional and operational use of some level of skill. The stunts are on the level of kungfu circus tricks and I do know Sikhs are known for their courage and bravery. Show some skill in attack, defense and me like more!

[GeneChing]

Gatka By BBC Show "Desi DNA" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PllesuGevI#!)

Those are twin hooks (http://www.martialartsmart.com/45-007.html) and a dao (http://www.martialartsmart.com/weapons-chinese-weapons-broadswords.html)! :eek:

[GeneChing]

Shock and awe: Sikh martial arts wows Chinese soldiers (http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/shock-and-awe-sikh-martial-arts-wows-chinese-soldiers/article1-1150705.aspx)
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Emeishan, Chengdu, November 13, 2013
First Published: 16:51 IST(13/11/2013)
Last Updated: 17:18 IST(13/11/2013)

The martial drill by Indian soldiers lasted for about 20 minutes but it was apparently enough to leave personnel of the 1st Battalion Infantry Division of 13 Group of the PLA in shock and awe. On the last day of the Hand-in-Hand joint training exercise, some Chinese soldiers were shaking their heads about the "Gatka"--martial art practiced by Sikh warrior clans--performed by the personnel from the 16 Sikh Light Infantry during the exercise.

The performance had started with stick fights but soon props like swords, nails and hammers were added. For example, one part involved the smashing of a coconut by an Indian soldier with a hammer as a fellow-soldier balanced the fruit on his head.

One display had an Indian soldier lying on a bed of swords with two more soldiers balanced on him on beds of nails -- on top of each other. Selected Indian soldiers were trained in Gatka by a specialist for four months, an officer said.

The training clearly paid off.

"It was a very strong show. I had never seen anything like it. I have seen Bollywood singing and dancing but this was very tough. This was very different. It must have hurt," said Major Zhang.

The refined Chinese display of the martial art Kung Fu was also appreciated by the Indian soldiers and officers.

On the last day, the exercise culminated in a hail of bullets, grenades, anti-tank rockets and mortar shells as soldiers from both countries took on a group of "100 terrorists" in a simulated anti-terrorism operation.

The misty hills of Emeishan added to the setting as the soldiers attacked the terrorists' housed in a well-fortified location with tunnels and caves.

"It was a very professionally carried out exercise. Though our modules of training are different, the soldiers coordinated well," Colonel Gaurav Srivastava, commanding officer of the Sikh Light unit said.

Language was a problem but a group of translators helped the soldiers in understanding each other, he added.

The soldiers also got a taste of each other's culture with the contingents holding common dinners and cultural programmes.

Hadn't heard much on Gatka in a while.

[GeneChing]

Celebrate The Martial Spirit With Hola Mohalla in Anandpur Sahib (https://www.india.com/news-travel/celebrate-the-martial-spirit-with-hola-mohalla-in-anandpur-sahib-3596900/)
Hola Mohalla: A Colourful Display of Sikh Martial Arts
Updated: March 7, 2019 12:02 PM IST
By Charu Chowdhary

https://s3.india.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Hola-Mahalla.jpg
Photo Credit: GettyImages

For those looking to celebrate Holi in a different manner, Hola Mohalla in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab is worth the experience. Unlike the festival of Holi, when people playfully smear colour on each other, Hola Mohalla is an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate physical agility and martial art skills. The three-day long event is happening from March 22 to 24 this year. The reason why Sikhs indulge in martial-art demonstrations and battle re-enactments in Anandpur Sahib, is to celebrate the foundation of the Khalsa (Sikh brotherhood).

What started as a form of protest against the Mughals by Guru Gobind Singh in 1701, has today become the Sikh’s colourful display of pageantry. The impressive and colourful procession of Nihangs, in their traditional attire participating in mock battles, sword fights, and wrestling is a welcome change from playing with colours on Holi. The Nihangs are the prestigious armed sect of the Sikhs; who wear a striking costume of blue tunics and orange scarfs, and don thick twisted moustache and large, embellished turbans.


sikhexpo (https://www.instagram.com/p/BjFmbg2ny6D/?utm_source=ig_embed)
"The Lions of Punjab. During the festival of Holla Mohalla, Sikhs from around the world converge to the historical city of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India. It is a day full of color and extraordinary displays of martial arts. Men and Women donned in traditional clothing walk around the fields proudly with their heads held high. Thousands gather around to witness skilled horsemen from across the lands participate in various maneuvers displaying their amazing talents and skills." •amazing capture and caption by @22gvisuals 🙏🏽

This annual Sikh festival is held a day after Holi. There’s also weapon exhibition, poetry reading followed by kirtan, singing, dancing and community service such as Langar (voluntary community kitchen) where free traditional meals are served to everyone irrespective of their religion or caste.

The highlight of the festival is the horse-riding show where the riders gallop bare back – performing stunts by riding astride two horses at once. It is estimated that over 100,000 Sikh devotees attend the festival every year because of which the whole town comes alive during this time of year.

The journey from Delhi to Anandpur Sahib by car takes upto 6 hours to reach. There are several trains that cover the distance in about the same time as well. The nearest airport is at Chandigarh, about 75km from Anandpur Sahib.

Published Date: March 7, 2019 12:00 PM IST
|
Updated Date: March 7, 2019 12:02 PM IST


This sounds amazing.

[GeneChing]

Lone shopworker swiftly sees off THREE knife-wielding raiders - and reveals martial arts training gave her confidence to fight back (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7912121/Lone-shopworker-swiftly-sees-THREE-knife-wielding-raiders.html)
Sundeep Kaur, 24, was working at a shop in Coulby Newham, North Yorkshire
At around 2pm on Friday, three thugs burst in demanding she hand over cash
Ms Kaur bravely defended her father's store - spraying the thugs with dye
There have not yet been any arrests and police are appealing for information
By JAMES WOOD FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 11:04 EST, 21 January 2020 | UPDATED: 11:56 EST, 21 January 2020

This is the incredible moment a brave shop worker fends of three knife-wielding attackers all by herself.

Sundeep Kaur, 24, was running her father's shop alone in Coulby Newham, North Yorkshire, when the hooded thugs walked in.

She said she knew it was 'fight or flight' time as the suspects burst in on Friday afternoon to demand cash.

But the thugs quickly found out they'd picked the wrong shop.

As one of the masked trio brandished a knife at her, brave Ms Kaur stepped towards them, whipped out a can of criminal identifier spray and aimed it at their faces.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/01/21/16/23684190-7912121-One_of_the_knife_wielding_raiders_appears_to_threa ten_Ms_Kaur_ur-m-21_1579622762906.jpg
One of the knife-wielding raiders appears to threaten Ms Kaur, urging her to hand over some cash

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/01/21/16/23685392-7912121-image-a-1_1579622568330.jpg
Brave Ms Kaur (pictured in front of her father's shop) whipped out some criminal identifier spray and began fighting back

The spray is a red gel which stays on the skin for around seven days.

'It's hard to really have time to think, the first thing to do was to defend myself,' she said.

'I kind of just saw the knife and I thought "I don't want to get hit by this." I pushed back and moved forward to them.

'I tried to aim in the face and get the ones trying to get away. They did run pretty quick,' she added.

'I don't really think it's a hero move. You can either fight or flight really.'

Incredibly, Ms Kaur took a moment to compose herself, rang the police, before continuing on with her shift as normal.

She said: 'I kind of just had a breather, police came and I started calming down.

'I just opened up again back to normal.

'I was just kind of glad they ran off.

'I felt a bit of an idiot in case I did get hurt, I was in two minds afterwards.'

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/01/21/16/23685398-7912121-After_she_fended_off_the_attackers_pictured_sprayi ng_the_thugs_M-m-19_1579622743967.jpg
After she fended off the attackers (pictured, spraying the thugs), Ms Kaur took a moment to compose herself, rang the police, before continuing on with her shift as normal

Ms Kaur, from Stockton, said the shop is run by her father, Gurcharan Singh, who's had it for around 10 years.

She says she's previously trained in Gatka, a Sikh martial art, something which gave her the confidence to stand up and be counted.

Police are now hunting the suspects.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: 'We can confirm that police are investigating an attempted robbery.

'No arrests at present. Inquiries are ongoing.' I gotta get me some of that gel. ;)

THREADS
Successful Street Applications (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?49825-Successful-Street-Applications)
Gatka (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?60215-Gatka-Martial-art-of-Sikhs)

[GeneChing]

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81hqt3

[GeneChing]

What a find!


Legendary Sikh sword bought by Canadian businessman (https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/04/08/legendary_sikh_sword_bought_by_canadian_businessma n.html)

By Tim Alamenciak Staff Reporter
Tue., April 8, 2014 3 min. read

https://images.thestar.com/6_nqenAGWXsKMTU693p6e3a1qos=/1200x595/smart/filters:cb(2700061000)/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/gta/2014/04/08/legendary_sikh_sword_bought_by_canadian_businessma n/sikhsword3.jpg

Bob Dhillon is bringing a major piece of Sikh history to Canada thanks to a fateful flub.

The Calgary-based businessman was part of a delegation to India in February with Gov. Gen. David Johnston when he picked up a copy of The Tribune, an English-language newspaper. A front-page story caught his eye — a U.K. auction house was selling the sword of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

“It’s like they’re auctioning off King Arthur’s sword,” said Dhillon.

Singh was responsible for uniting the Sikh tribes in the early 19th century and founded the Sikh Empire, based in the Punjab region from 1799 to 1849.

“People think of it as the most proudest moment of the Sikh community. A lot of people, if you say who was the greatest Sikh ever, after the prophets they would say Maharaja Ranjit Singh.”

When Dhillon returned from India, the Sikh history buff researched the sale. It was legitimate, he found, so he put in a bid using a printed form.

But Dhillon thought he was bidding in Canadian dollars.

“They sent us a form and I said, ‘I’ll bid this much.’ In my mind it was a Canadian dollar bid,” he said, laughing. “It clearly said pounds.”

The preauction estimate for the sword was £10,000 to £15,000 ($18,295 to $27,440 Cdn).

Dhillon’s bid was enough to beat out every other one in the blind process. He won’t say just how much he spent on the sword, but plans to share it with any institution that would like to show it.

The sword, about 85 centimetres long, is a curved talwar-style blade with engravings in Punjabi script and an engraved silhouette of Singh. It’s expected to arrive in Canada later this week.

Dhillon hopes it prompts Canadian-born Sikhs to learn about their history.

“After the empire was conquered by the British, most Sikh artifacts remain in the hands of private collectors or museums in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“I am humbled that after 165 years, my family can help our community once again become the custodian of our own history. This is probably the first time such an artifact will be held in Canada.”

Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra, co-ordinator of the Centre for Indo-Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia, praised Dhillon’s approach.

“A lot of philanthropists will purchase an item of historical significance and it will just be locked away in a vault,” said Sandhra.

She hopes the sword will make a stop at the Sikh history museum in Abbotsford, where the university is located.

“It’s very nostalgic for the community to look back and see that artifacts are still in existence to prove that he (Singh) was a real-flesh human being,” she said. “You can . . . go back to that time period and touch a piece of history.”

The auction also highlighted just how much history, particularly from the South Asian region, could potentially be locked away in the U.K.

“The U.K. is a treasure box that nobody can even imagine. How many attics, and these boxes and safety deposit boxes in people’s homes,” said Dhillon. “I think the whole country is a hidden museum.”

London-based Mullock’s auction house kept the source of the sword secret, he said, adding the auction included more than 500 Sikh historical items, some of which he also bought.

He speculated that a member of the British Empire in South Asia may have taken them out of the country and tucked them away in an attic.

Sandhra said the removal of artifacts from South Asia was a frequent occurrence.

“When it comes to imperial history, everything was written about our communities from a European, kind of hierarchical perspective of what they imagined us to be in South Asia,” said Sandhra.

“But the pieces that actually showcased who we were and what we were, we don’t even have control over. I think that’s why a lot of people like Bob want to take that control back to a level and be able to bring it back to the community.”