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Thread: Gatka - Martial art of Sikhs

  1. #31
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    coconuts cracked on the forehead with a baseball bat

    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 thread but I'm still fascinated by Gatka so I'm ttt-ing this one.
    9-year-old martial arts prodigy eyes Guinness record

    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
    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.”
    Gene Ching
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  2. #32
    Those must be the tubes they make that aren't filled with Mercury. Otherwise that would be a tremendously toxic stunt.

  3. #33
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    not to mention all the broken glass

    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
    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.
    Gene Ching
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  4. #34
    You should invite them to TCKFMC IV!!!

  5. #35
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    Right....

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

    NOT!

    As if iron crotch wasn't enough.
    Gene Ching
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  6. #36
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    mercurial madness

    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


    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.
    Gene Ching
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  7. #37
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    More Gatka stunts

    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
    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.


    Outrageous: The group, who call themselves Bir Khalsa (The Brave Pure), perform to packed village fields in rural Punjab

    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
    Gene Ching
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  8. #38
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    respect!!!
    For whoso comes amongst many shall one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all.

  9. #39
    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.

  10. #40
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    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!

  11. #41
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    Hey! Those aren't kirpans...

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  12. #42
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    I can see how the PLA would be impressed

    Shock and awe: Sikh martial arts wows Chinese soldiers
    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.
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  13. #43
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    Hola Mohalla

    Celebrate The Martial Spirit With Hola Mohalla in Anandpur Sahib
    Hola Mohalla: A Colourful Display of Sikh Martial Arts
    Updated: March 7, 2019 12:02 PM IST
    By Charu Chowdhary


    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
    "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.
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  14. #44
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    Score one for Gatka

    Lone shopworker swiftly sees off THREE knife-wielding raiders - and reveals martial arts training gave her confidence to fight back
    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.


    One of the knife-wielding raiders appears to threaten Ms Kaur, urging her to hand over some cash


    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.'


    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.

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  15. #45
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    Gatka - The Traditional Martial Arts Introduced By Sikhs

    Gene Ching
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