Indian Martial Arts -- Will they survive?
Indian Martial Arts – Will they survive?
Overview
Much is known about Indian philosophical disciplines, Indian Arts, Mathematics, and Sciences – but not much is known about a very important aspect of our Society – Martial Arts. While quite a lot of us know about the accomplishments of Baudhayana and Varahamihira, how many can claim to have even the remotest knowledge about the pioneers of “scientific” fighting?
Admittedly, most of these pioneers are unnamed, unsung heroes; but they shaped a lot more than just fighting and warfare as it was in Ancient India (and to a certain extent even in the modern day). The development of Traditional Indian Medical systems is possibly very closely tied with Indian Martial Arts. For example, The knowledge of “Pressure points” (Vital Points if we were to literally translate it) – “Marma Vidya” (11) – was a direct result of grueling experimentation in the Art and Science of Fighting. The knowledge thus acquired (of Marma Vidya) effectively led to the next level in Medicine – the more “enhanced aspects of Ayurveda” wherein the Masters of these systems could reputedly heal major ailments caused by energetic imbalances by merely manipulating the Marmas (distribution centers of the flow of “Prana” in the body). Remnants of this knowledge still exist in the Martial Arts of Kerala (in the Fighting-system called Kalari Payat). This essay will try to trace the history and many faces of Indian Martial Arts through it’s illustrious past into the future.) – was a direct result of grueling experimentation in the Art and Science of Fighting. The knowledge thus acquired (of Marma Vidya) effectively led to the next level in Medicine – the more “enhanced aspects of Ayurveda” wherein the Masters of these systems could reputedly heal major ailments caused by energetic imbalances by merely manipulating the Marmas (distribution centers of the flow of “Prana” in the body). Remnants of this knowledge still exist in the Martial Arts of Kerala (in the Fighting-system called Kalari Payat). This essay will try to trace the history and many faces of Indian Martial Arts through it’s illustrious past into the future.
Initially Fighting was simply Survival
Before Fighting became a Science, it was simply survival.
“Man is a social animal” – we’ve all come across this saying in the course of our lives. So if we took the “social” out of the mix, Man is an animal. And that’s what he was before he grew social. As we all know, most animals fight. For an animal fighting is as natural as the phenomena of Eating, sleeping, living. In the wild – if you were an animal, everything is automatically a fight. A fight to protect your home-turf, a fight to protect your food, a fight to acquire the right to mate (we call it family these days) and so on…if you get the hang of what I’m saying. Anyone who’s seen documentaries on wilderness and wildlife will know this for a fact – Fighting was/is an integral part of animal life. Even the harmless herbivorous animals will fight – for all the reasons listed above (and perhaps many others not listed). So, if you happen to buy into the Evolution theory, you will know that we (Human beings) also evolved from a state of existence such as that described above. So fighting is/was almost an automatic response to threats (predators, bigger humans, etc)…well almost…since our ancestors also learnt that “It is wiser to live to fight another day than die fighting today…” before they could articulate it (Hence the “Fight or Flight response” – depending on the circumstances). Well, to fight off large predators or to acquire food, they (early humans) began hunting with “weapons” of various degrees of primitiveness. To fight off each other (in the struggle of intra-group dominance), they probably started with primitive (bite, gouge eyes, punch, slap, kick) techniques of hand-to-hand combat (and most of us, even today, when pushed into a corner will react in exactly that way).
How Fighting became a Science
As time went by, our ancestors figured out which entities are threatening and which are benign. Predators had always been the greatest threats and so they invented “weapons” to deal with them. Also, as they started “socializing” (living in groups, moving from fulltime hunters to gatherers); each of these social groups started developing the need to assert dominance over the others, thus giving rise to the sciences of the battle --- bare-hands fighting, wrestling, weaponry, warfare-tactics. Bare-hands fighting and wrestling have had a very illustrious and long history in India. In fact, Ancient treatises such as the Dhanur Veda (8) and the Malla Purana supposedly deal with warfare and martial techniques in great detail. and the Malla Purana supposedly deal with warfare and martial techniques in great detail.
When the conditions of combat went beyond the rudimentary “bite, kick, slap, scratch” of animalistic reflexes, and the early man had to figure out ways to get the “edge”. For example:
In course of fighting (or watching some others fight), one of them might have realized that simply throwing a punch at the target doesn’t have as much an impact as throwing a punch at a target a few inches behind the opponent’s head. Also, a kick could have greater impact than a punch…or a stick would be a more effective tool for fighting than a hand or a leg…
Therefore, as countless such refinements happened, the animal reflex of fighting turned into a Science, where the experts (or those with a penchant for this kind of an affair) would spend hours, months, perhaps even years studying and understanding the mechanics of the human body. They figured out which would the best way to lock a joint (in a human limb); what would be the optimal pressure applied to a pressure point in the human body to bring the body under their control. In course of these efforts at studying the human body, the early Martial scientists started unearthing the mysteries of the physical body. We could easily assume that the need to stay alive (both from natural ailments, as well as human-caused ones) was the driving force behind both the Science of fighting and the science of medicine.
Martial Sciences in the Indian Context
This transformation (changing from a basic instinct to a science) had happened in every culture since antiquity (and though we might not notice it, it IS happening even today all over the world – the scale might have changed, but the process still lives on). Before we go into a little more detail about the various facets of Indian Martial systems, let us first look at the general distinct categories that exist in it.
The Martial Systems can be categorized into two general branches:
Even though I have differentiated between Striking and Kicking, these two normally go together – some systems focus more on the hand-strikes (Karate Do) as opposed to others that focus more on leg-strikes (Tae Kwon Do). Henceforth, when I mention striking, I will be referring to both hand and leg striking.
So how do these all come together in the Indian context?
Just as the Greeks had what is known as Pankrase (or Pankration) (a combination of striking and grappling)in India developed Malla Yuddha (again a combination of striking and grappling) – also known as “Malla Krida” which later on (with the advent of the Persians), also came to be known as “Kusti” (or Kushthi). Historically, Bheema (of Mahabharata fame), Hanuman (of Ramayana fame), Balarama (of Mahabharata fame) were all renowned wrestlers (or Malla Yodhas). One of the distinct and most ancient forms of this is reputed to be “Vajra Mushti” (5, 6, 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. , 6, 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. , 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. ) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques.
How the Science became an Art
As with any skill, the practice of the Martial techniques calls for immense focus of mind and body. To learn even the seemingly simplest of techniques (say a side kick) takes weeks (or month even) of practice and dedication. As a corollary, great discipline and focus of the mind follows naturally. The early practitioners of these techniques must have spent countless hours throughout their lives, practicing and honing the skills they saw/learnt/developed. In due course, possibly, the phenomena of learning, analyzing and executing these techniques took on a meditative and expressionistic aspect for them. After a certain level of proficiency was attained, the practitioner would begin to express his/herself through the practice. This is how, the Martial Sciences became the Martial Arts.
So what are the implications of the Martial Arts?
The practice of Martial Arts is a very important facet of various Cultures. I have already mentioned the disciplinarian, expressionistic and meditative aspects of the Martial Arts. There are also the philosophical and ethical underpinnings unique to each Culture that is carried forward with its Martial Arts. While Martial aspects seem to deal with idea of self-defense and self-preservation, there are also valuable social, moral and philosophical lessons one might learn from the practice of Martial Arts.
The Japanese have two categories of their Martial phenomena – Bu-Jutsu and Budo. Each of these has overlapping techniques, but the underlying philosophies differ greatly. Bu-jutsu deals with the effectiveness of Warrior techniques (which can be used in the battlefield as tools of war). Budo deals with the “Way” of Warriors (Budo translates as the “Way of the Warrior”) and deals with the socio-ethical and moral aspects of using Martial techniques. The techniques are identical, but their underlying significance is as disparate as the earth and the sky.
Similarly in Indian Martial techniques there were the “Jutsu” aspects and the “Do” aspects (albeit not so much in nomenclature as in spirit). While I believe is that the “Jutsu” aspects have been lost because of various external (outside influence) and internal (within India/Indians) reasons, the “Do” aspects are still alive (though they might be slowly dying out due to neglect). The great Indian treatise of “Natya Shastra” (techniques invented and taught by Lord Shiva) reveals the 108 Karanas (combined movement of hands and feet in dance) and 32 Angaharas (sequential arrangement of various Karanas to gain mastery over mind, body and Prana) that constitute ‘Tandav’ - Lord Shiva’s Dance-form. Of these, the 108 Karanas (according the Bharata Muni’s narration of Lord Shiva’s revelation) “might be employed in dance, fight, personal combats and other special movements like strolling” (9). What this signifies is that Martial Techniques were codified into Classical Dance forms and Dance treatises since the Vedic period. It is reputed that just like the systems such as Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the practice of the 108 Karanas also were excellent methods of training and cultivating the internal energy (known as Prana or Chi). It will be interesting to find out whether there are any living teachers of this aspect of Indian Classical dance (most of the modern day Dance Gurus seem to be too engrossed with the external facets of dance as opposed to the more internal, energetic/yogic aspects of it).). What this signifies is that Martial Techniques were codified into Classical Dance forms and Dance treatises since the Vedic period. It is reputed that just like the systems such as Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the practice of the 108 Karanas also were excellent methods of training and cultivating the internal energy (known as Prana or Chi). It will be interesting to find out whether there are any living teachers of this aspect of Indian Classical dance (most of the modern day Dance Gurus seem to be too engrossed with the external facets of dance as opposed to the more internal, energetic/yogic aspects of it).
A few relatively well-known Indian Martial Arts styles are Kalari Payattu (1), Thang Ta (10) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).), Thang Ta (10) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).
Now, before I continue, I must admit that a lot of what I have written thus far (and will write further) is based on my personal inference/research, rather than any direct practical knowledge (Although I have learnt/practiced Goju Ryu Karate and still practice Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan). In fact, what drove me to write this essay is my quasi-knowledge about something that should have been more prevalent knowledge in India but unfortunately is not.
This might sound a tad clichéd, but centuries of Colonial rule have rendered yet another family of treasure-worthy Indian knowledge system (or a group of such systems) almost completely dysfunctional, in fact almost extinct.
History has it that The British outlawed practice of Indian Fighting Systems (especially after the First War of Independence in 1857) and those who dared to practice and were caught, would be subjected to punishments such as amputation of various body parts. According to the “Kalari” schools (and teachers), British Raj cracked down hard on the teachers and practitioners of this system of Martial Arts (and Medicine). Only by grace of the then King of Kerala, did the Kalari schools manage to retain their knowledge and traditions, in secrecy.
Now, to add to the distinction between various types of Martial Arts, let me introduce you to two more. Based on the reliance on different aspects of the human body, Martial Arts are also categorized into:
Various Martial Arts in the world today fall in various shades of the Gray Scale between these two categories. To be very succinct, Hard Martial Arts rely purely on strength, technique, joint manipulations, striking etc (External aspects), while Soft Martial Arts tend to focus more on the “Internal aspects” – specifically dealing with the life-force energy varyingly called “Prana” (12), “Chi” or “Ki”. The Soft Martial Arts deal with sensitizing the mind and body to the subtle nuances of firstly one’s own Prana-flow and then of the Prana-flowing in the environment (in an opponent). Preliminary training deals with learning how to feel and control the flow of Prana within oneself. The higher levels of training deals with how to “project” this energy externally to subdue an opponent in combat or to modify the flow of Prana in another person’s body, in order to cure a particular disorder/illness (according to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, all ailments in the human body (or for that matter in the larger macrocosm) arise from imbalances in the flow of this Energy). ), “Chi” or “Ki”. The Soft Martial Arts deal with sensitizing the mind and body to the subtle nuances of firstly one’s own Prana-flow and then of the Prana-flowing in the environment (in an opponent). Preliminary training deals with learning how to feel and control the flow of Prana within oneself. The higher levels of training deals with how to “project” this energy externally to subdue an opponent in combat or to modify the flow of Prana in another person’s body, in order to cure a particular disorder/illness (according to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, all ailments in the human body (or for that matter in the larger macrocosm) arise from imbalances in the flow of this Energy).
The flow of Prana in the body happens via meridians (or channels) that run throughout the body (like the nervous system). This complex system of Prana-channels form certain vital plexuses called “Marma” (11). According to Ayurveda (and the Marma Shastra as practiced by Kalari Payat practitioners) there are 108 vital Marmas and almost any major ailment can be cured by manipulation of these Marmas. According to some traditions of Kalari Payat, the knowledge of only 64 of these 108 Marmas remain. Even the knowledge that is available today is shrouded in mystery and passed on in the Guru-Shishya system by the Kalari Payat experts in Kerala. I have heard from a friend of mine (who learnt Kalari Payat for a few years), that one has to dedicate 12-14 years of his/her life towards the Art, before the Guru (after considering the mental, ethical disposition of the student) even thinks about imparting this deadly knowledge to his student.). According to Ayurveda (and the Marma Shastra as practiced by Kalari Payat practitioners) there are 108 vital Marmas and almost any major ailment can be cured by manipulation of these Marmas. According to some traditions of Kalari Payat, the knowledge of only 64 of these 108 Marmas remain. Even the knowledge that is available today is shrouded in mystery and passed on in the Guru-Shishya system by the Kalari Payat experts in Kerala. I have heard from a friend of mine (who learnt Kalari Payat for a few years), that one has to dedicate 12-14 years of his/her life towards the Art, before the Guru (after considering the mental, ethical disposition of the student) even thinks about imparting this deadly knowledge to his student.
The ideal practitioners of the Martial Arts have been (since antiquity) ethically bound to learn to undo whatever damage they can inflict upon another. These ethical obligations (and perhaps a great compassion generated by deep meditative states attained during practice of these Martial Arts) led the great men and women who practiced these arts (Kalari Payat is but one derivative of the Dhanur Veda) to learn how to undo any damage inflicted by striking a Marma point. As a natural extension of this, it also led to the science of Marma Chikitsa, in which the expert manipulates the Marma points to cure ailments.
Growing up in India, I had always encountered raving proponents of some Japanese or Korean Martial Arts. I even knew of a few Chinese Martial Arts schools, but very rarely had I heard of these traditional Indian schools. I heard of Kalari Payat at least a decade after I heard of Kung Fu. There has never traditionally been any attempt by the Indian Government (or any social body for that matter) to try and preserve or spread the knowledge of these arts. The traditional schools of Kusti (Akhadas) lie in dismal states. There was always an element of condescension while the topic of pehelwans (the practitioners and heirs of the Malla Purana) came up. The negative image (of "lack of sophistication" immediately springs to mind when considering men in loin-cloths (langotis) wrestling in the mud) has been (admittedly) a great shortcoming on our part rather than the pehelwans’. I remember how some boys in my college would be jeered at because they chose to go to a traditional “Akhada” instead of a modern “Gym” to “workout”. Soon, disgusted with the ridicule they faced, they gave up their Guru, Akhada and started flexing their biceps in the new “sophisticated” gym.
The biggest problem with us Indians (as a result of those centuries of Colonialism) is that we do not appreciate anything that isn’t first considered appropriate (or even worthwhile) in the West. Ayurveda wasn’t cool (and was flogged as being a Quackery) before the West started moving en-masse towards it. Ditto with Yoga – which is now slowly gaining re-acceptance in the Indian minds.
Will the (already very bleak) future of Indian Martial Arts have to suffer the same neglect and lack of consideration that Yoga and Ayurveda faced in the past? Aren’t we as a nation and an unbroken Culture and heritage obligated to keep this wonderful tradition alive? Only time will tell – but we might start giving greater thought to these martial arts because they are becoming “cool” in the West these days…
So let me ask you this, dear reader…Can we help Indian Martial Arts survive?
References
Overview
Much is known about Indian philosophical disciplines, Indian Arts, Mathematics, and Sciences – but not much is known about a very important aspect of our Society – Martial Arts. While quite a lot of us know about the accomplishments of Baudhayana and Varahamihira, how many can claim to have even the remotest knowledge about the pioneers of “scientific” fighting?
Admittedly, most of these pioneers are unnamed, unsung heroes; but they shaped a lot more than just fighting and warfare as it was in Ancient India (and to a certain extent even in the modern day). The development of Traditional Indian Medical systems is possibly very closely tied with Indian Martial Arts. For example, The knowledge of “Pressure points” (Vital Points if we were to literally translate it) – “Marma Vidya” (11) – was a direct result of grueling experimentation in the Art and Science of Fighting. The knowledge thus acquired (of Marma Vidya) effectively led to the next level in Medicine – the more “enhanced aspects of Ayurveda” wherein the Masters of these systems could reputedly heal major ailments caused by energetic imbalances by merely manipulating the Marmas (distribution centers of the flow of “Prana” in the body). Remnants of this knowledge still exist in the Martial Arts of Kerala (in the Fighting-system called Kalari Payat). This essay will try to trace the history and many faces of Indian Martial Arts through it’s illustrious past into the future.) – was a direct result of grueling experimentation in the Art and Science of Fighting. The knowledge thus acquired (of Marma Vidya) effectively led to the next level in Medicine – the more “enhanced aspects of Ayurveda” wherein the Masters of these systems could reputedly heal major ailments caused by energetic imbalances by merely manipulating the Marmas (distribution centers of the flow of “Prana” in the body). Remnants of this knowledge still exist in the Martial Arts of Kerala (in the Fighting-system called Kalari Payat). This essay will try to trace the history and many faces of Indian Martial Arts through it’s illustrious past into the future.
Initially Fighting was simply Survival
Before Fighting became a Science, it was simply survival.
“Man is a social animal” – we’ve all come across this saying in the course of our lives. So if we took the “social” out of the mix, Man is an animal. And that’s what he was before he grew social. As we all know, most animals fight. For an animal fighting is as natural as the phenomena of Eating, sleeping, living. In the wild – if you were an animal, everything is automatically a fight. A fight to protect your home-turf, a fight to protect your food, a fight to acquire the right to mate (we call it family these days) and so on…if you get the hang of what I’m saying. Anyone who’s seen documentaries on wilderness and wildlife will know this for a fact – Fighting was/is an integral part of animal life. Even the harmless herbivorous animals will fight – for all the reasons listed above (and perhaps many others not listed). So, if you happen to buy into the Evolution theory, you will know that we (Human beings) also evolved from a state of existence such as that described above. So fighting is/was almost an automatic response to threats (predators, bigger humans, etc)…well almost…since our ancestors also learnt that “It is wiser to live to fight another day than die fighting today…” before they could articulate it (Hence the “Fight or Flight response” – depending on the circumstances). Well, to fight off large predators or to acquire food, they (early humans) began hunting with “weapons” of various degrees of primitiveness. To fight off each other (in the struggle of intra-group dominance), they probably started with primitive (bite, gouge eyes, punch, slap, kick) techniques of hand-to-hand combat (and most of us, even today, when pushed into a corner will react in exactly that way).
How Fighting became a Science
As time went by, our ancestors figured out which entities are threatening and which are benign. Predators had always been the greatest threats and so they invented “weapons” to deal with them. Also, as they started “socializing” (living in groups, moving from fulltime hunters to gatherers); each of these social groups started developing the need to assert dominance over the others, thus giving rise to the sciences of the battle --- bare-hands fighting, wrestling, weaponry, warfare-tactics. Bare-hands fighting and wrestling have had a very illustrious and long history in India. In fact, Ancient treatises such as the Dhanur Veda (8) and the Malla Purana supposedly deal with warfare and martial techniques in great detail. and the Malla Purana supposedly deal with warfare and martial techniques in great detail.
When the conditions of combat went beyond the rudimentary “bite, kick, slap, scratch” of animalistic reflexes, and the early man had to figure out ways to get the “edge”. For example:
In course of fighting (or watching some others fight), one of them might have realized that simply throwing a punch at the target doesn’t have as much an impact as throwing a punch at a target a few inches behind the opponent’s head. Also, a kick could have greater impact than a punch…or a stick would be a more effective tool for fighting than a hand or a leg…
Therefore, as countless such refinements happened, the animal reflex of fighting turned into a Science, where the experts (or those with a penchant for this kind of an affair) would spend hours, months, perhaps even years studying and understanding the mechanics of the human body. They figured out which would the best way to lock a joint (in a human limb); what would be the optimal pressure applied to a pressure point in the human body to bring the body under their control. In course of these efforts at studying the human body, the early Martial scientists started unearthing the mysteries of the physical body. We could easily assume that the need to stay alive (both from natural ailments, as well as human-caused ones) was the driving force behind both the Science of fighting and the science of medicine.
Martial Sciences in the Indian Context
This transformation (changing from a basic instinct to a science) had happened in every culture since antiquity (and though we might not notice it, it IS happening even today all over the world – the scale might have changed, but the process still lives on). Before we go into a little more detail about the various facets of Indian Martial systems, let us first look at the general distinct categories that exist in it.
The Martial Systems can be categorized into two general branches:
- Armed fighting
- Unarmed fighting
- Armed Fighting: Historically, this system was about using weapons to fight. The first weapons were probably crude club-like instruments made out of rocks and wood (yeah – “Hagar the Horrible” ring a bell anyone?). These eventually evolved into the famous Mace (or Gada of Bheema/Duryodhana fame). The other commonly used weapons were “Bows and Arrows”, swords, tridents, spears, sticks, staves, and the chakras (Sri Krishna fame).
- Unarmed Fighting: This is my topic of interest (primarily) and I shall elaborate a little more in depth on this…
- Grappling
- Striking
- Kicking
- Throwing and Joint-locking
- Grappling: Grappling systems are perhaps the most basic and natural instinctive technique of fighting. For example: Kusti, Sumo
- Striking: Using hand-strikes to hurt the opponent(s). For example: Boxing, Karate
- Kicking: Using kicks (legs) to hurt the opponent(s). For example: Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do
- Throwing: using throwing and joint-locking techniques to subdue the opponents. For example: Judo, Aikido, and Hapkido.
Even though I have differentiated between Striking and Kicking, these two normally go together – some systems focus more on the hand-strikes (Karate Do) as opposed to others that focus more on leg-strikes (Tae Kwon Do). Henceforth, when I mention striking, I will be referring to both hand and leg striking.
So how do these all come together in the Indian context?
Just as the Greeks had what is known as Pankrase (or Pankration) (a combination of striking and grappling)in India developed Malla Yuddha (again a combination of striking and grappling) – also known as “Malla Krida” which later on (with the advent of the Persians), also came to be known as “Kusti” (or Kushthi). Historically, Bheema (of Mahabharata fame), Hanuman (of Ramayana fame), Balarama (of Mahabharata fame) were all renowned wrestlers (or Malla Yodhas). One of the distinct and most ancient forms of this is reputed to be “Vajra Mushti” (5, 6, 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. , 6, 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. , 7) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques. ) (or Thunderbolt Fist) – a combination style of striking, grappling and throwing techniques.
How the Science became an Art
As with any skill, the practice of the Martial techniques calls for immense focus of mind and body. To learn even the seemingly simplest of techniques (say a side kick) takes weeks (or month even) of practice and dedication. As a corollary, great discipline and focus of the mind follows naturally. The early practitioners of these techniques must have spent countless hours throughout their lives, practicing and honing the skills they saw/learnt/developed. In due course, possibly, the phenomena of learning, analyzing and executing these techniques took on a meditative and expressionistic aspect for them. After a certain level of proficiency was attained, the practitioner would begin to express his/herself through the practice. This is how, the Martial Sciences became the Martial Arts.
So what are the implications of the Martial Arts?
The practice of Martial Arts is a very important facet of various Cultures. I have already mentioned the disciplinarian, expressionistic and meditative aspects of the Martial Arts. There are also the philosophical and ethical underpinnings unique to each Culture that is carried forward with its Martial Arts. While Martial aspects seem to deal with idea of self-defense and self-preservation, there are also valuable social, moral and philosophical lessons one might learn from the practice of Martial Arts.
The Japanese have two categories of their Martial phenomena – Bu-Jutsu and Budo. Each of these has overlapping techniques, but the underlying philosophies differ greatly. Bu-jutsu deals with the effectiveness of Warrior techniques (which can be used in the battlefield as tools of war). Budo deals with the “Way” of Warriors (Budo translates as the “Way of the Warrior”) and deals with the socio-ethical and moral aspects of using Martial techniques. The techniques are identical, but their underlying significance is as disparate as the earth and the sky.
Similarly in Indian Martial techniques there were the “Jutsu” aspects and the “Do” aspects (albeit not so much in nomenclature as in spirit). While I believe is that the “Jutsu” aspects have been lost because of various external (outside influence) and internal (within India/Indians) reasons, the “Do” aspects are still alive (though they might be slowly dying out due to neglect). The great Indian treatise of “Natya Shastra” (techniques invented and taught by Lord Shiva) reveals the 108 Karanas (combined movement of hands and feet in dance) and 32 Angaharas (sequential arrangement of various Karanas to gain mastery over mind, body and Prana) that constitute ‘Tandav’ - Lord Shiva’s Dance-form. Of these, the 108 Karanas (according the Bharata Muni’s narration of Lord Shiva’s revelation) “might be employed in dance, fight, personal combats and other special movements like strolling” (9). What this signifies is that Martial Techniques were codified into Classical Dance forms and Dance treatises since the Vedic period. It is reputed that just like the systems such as Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the practice of the 108 Karanas also were excellent methods of training and cultivating the internal energy (known as Prana or Chi). It will be interesting to find out whether there are any living teachers of this aspect of Indian Classical dance (most of the modern day Dance Gurus seem to be too engrossed with the external facets of dance as opposed to the more internal, energetic/yogic aspects of it).). What this signifies is that Martial Techniques were codified into Classical Dance forms and Dance treatises since the Vedic period. It is reputed that just like the systems such as Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, Tai Chi and Chi Kung, the practice of the 108 Karanas also were excellent methods of training and cultivating the internal energy (known as Prana or Chi). It will be interesting to find out whether there are any living teachers of this aspect of Indian Classical dance (most of the modern day Dance Gurus seem to be too engrossed with the external facets of dance as opposed to the more internal, energetic/yogic aspects of it).
A few relatively well-known Indian Martial Arts styles are Kalari Payattu (1), Thang Ta (10) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).), Thang Ta (10) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).) and Gatka (4) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).) (a relatively newer system – practiced by Sikhs).
Now, before I continue, I must admit that a lot of what I have written thus far (and will write further) is based on my personal inference/research, rather than any direct practical knowledge (Although I have learnt/practiced Goju Ryu Karate and still practice Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan). In fact, what drove me to write this essay is my quasi-knowledge about something that should have been more prevalent knowledge in India but unfortunately is not.
This might sound a tad clichéd, but centuries of Colonial rule have rendered yet another family of treasure-worthy Indian knowledge system (or a group of such systems) almost completely dysfunctional, in fact almost extinct.
History has it that The British outlawed practice of Indian Fighting Systems (especially after the First War of Independence in 1857) and those who dared to practice and were caught, would be subjected to punishments such as amputation of various body parts. According to the “Kalari” schools (and teachers), British Raj cracked down hard on the teachers and practitioners of this system of Martial Arts (and Medicine). Only by grace of the then King of Kerala, did the Kalari schools manage to retain their knowledge and traditions, in secrecy.
Now, to add to the distinction between various types of Martial Arts, let me introduce you to two more. Based on the reliance on different aspects of the human body, Martial Arts are also categorized into:
- Hard/external Martial Arts, and
- Soft/internal Martial Arts
Various Martial Arts in the world today fall in various shades of the Gray Scale between these two categories. To be very succinct, Hard Martial Arts rely purely on strength, technique, joint manipulations, striking etc (External aspects), while Soft Martial Arts tend to focus more on the “Internal aspects” – specifically dealing with the life-force energy varyingly called “Prana” (12), “Chi” or “Ki”. The Soft Martial Arts deal with sensitizing the mind and body to the subtle nuances of firstly one’s own Prana-flow and then of the Prana-flowing in the environment (in an opponent). Preliminary training deals with learning how to feel and control the flow of Prana within oneself. The higher levels of training deals with how to “project” this energy externally to subdue an opponent in combat or to modify the flow of Prana in another person’s body, in order to cure a particular disorder/illness (according to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, all ailments in the human body (or for that matter in the larger macrocosm) arise from imbalances in the flow of this Energy). ), “Chi” or “Ki”. The Soft Martial Arts deal with sensitizing the mind and body to the subtle nuances of firstly one’s own Prana-flow and then of the Prana-flowing in the environment (in an opponent). Preliminary training deals with learning how to feel and control the flow of Prana within oneself. The higher levels of training deals with how to “project” this energy externally to subdue an opponent in combat or to modify the flow of Prana in another person’s body, in order to cure a particular disorder/illness (according to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, all ailments in the human body (or for that matter in the larger macrocosm) arise from imbalances in the flow of this Energy).
The flow of Prana in the body happens via meridians (or channels) that run throughout the body (like the nervous system). This complex system of Prana-channels form certain vital plexuses called “Marma” (11). According to Ayurveda (and the Marma Shastra as practiced by Kalari Payat practitioners) there are 108 vital Marmas and almost any major ailment can be cured by manipulation of these Marmas. According to some traditions of Kalari Payat, the knowledge of only 64 of these 108 Marmas remain. Even the knowledge that is available today is shrouded in mystery and passed on in the Guru-Shishya system by the Kalari Payat experts in Kerala. I have heard from a friend of mine (who learnt Kalari Payat for a few years), that one has to dedicate 12-14 years of his/her life towards the Art, before the Guru (after considering the mental, ethical disposition of the student) even thinks about imparting this deadly knowledge to his student.). According to Ayurveda (and the Marma Shastra as practiced by Kalari Payat practitioners) there are 108 vital Marmas and almost any major ailment can be cured by manipulation of these Marmas. According to some traditions of Kalari Payat, the knowledge of only 64 of these 108 Marmas remain. Even the knowledge that is available today is shrouded in mystery and passed on in the Guru-Shishya system by the Kalari Payat experts in Kerala. I have heard from a friend of mine (who learnt Kalari Payat for a few years), that one has to dedicate 12-14 years of his/her life towards the Art, before the Guru (after considering the mental, ethical disposition of the student) even thinks about imparting this deadly knowledge to his student.
The ideal practitioners of the Martial Arts have been (since antiquity) ethically bound to learn to undo whatever damage they can inflict upon another. These ethical obligations (and perhaps a great compassion generated by deep meditative states attained during practice of these Martial Arts) led the great men and women who practiced these arts (Kalari Payat is but one derivative of the Dhanur Veda) to learn how to undo any damage inflicted by striking a Marma point. As a natural extension of this, it also led to the science of Marma Chikitsa, in which the expert manipulates the Marma points to cure ailments.
Growing up in India, I had always encountered raving proponents of some Japanese or Korean Martial Arts. I even knew of a few Chinese Martial Arts schools, but very rarely had I heard of these traditional Indian schools. I heard of Kalari Payat at least a decade after I heard of Kung Fu. There has never traditionally been any attempt by the Indian Government (or any social body for that matter) to try and preserve or spread the knowledge of these arts. The traditional schools of Kusti (Akhadas) lie in dismal states. There was always an element of condescension while the topic of pehelwans (the practitioners and heirs of the Malla Purana) came up. The negative image (of "lack of sophistication" immediately springs to mind when considering men in loin-cloths (langotis) wrestling in the mud) has been (admittedly) a great shortcoming on our part rather than the pehelwans’. I remember how some boys in my college would be jeered at because they chose to go to a traditional “Akhada” instead of a modern “Gym” to “workout”. Soon, disgusted with the ridicule they faced, they gave up their Guru, Akhada and started flexing their biceps in the new “sophisticated” gym.
The biggest problem with us Indians (as a result of those centuries of Colonialism) is that we do not appreciate anything that isn’t first considered appropriate (or even worthwhile) in the West. Ayurveda wasn’t cool (and was flogged as being a Quackery) before the West started moving en-masse towards it. Ditto with Yoga – which is now slowly gaining re-acceptance in the Indian minds.
Will the (already very bleak) future of Indian Martial Arts have to suffer the same neglect and lack of consideration that Yoga and Ayurveda faced in the past? Aren’t we as a nation and an unbroken Culture and heritage obligated to keep this wonderful tradition alive? Only time will tell – but we might start giving greater thought to these martial arts because they are becoming “cool” in the West these days…
So let me ask you this, dear reader…Can we help Indian Martial Arts survive?
References
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalarippayattu
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_martial_arts
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silambam_Nillaikalakki
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatka
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra_Mushti
- http://www.vajra-mushti.com/message.htm
- http://www.bjj.com.au/john_article_web_7.html
- http://www.atarn.org/india/dhanurveda_eng.htm (The Dhanur Veda)
- http://www.shadowyoga.com/natyayoga.html
- http://themanipurpage.tripod.com/culture/thangta.html
- http://www.lifepositive.com/Body/martial-arts/marma-adi/marma-shastra.asp
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prana
posted by Implicate Order at 9:11 AM
2 Comments:
Wow. That's some detailed stuff - good one :)
Dwai,
You had left a note on my blog offering me to write for medhajournal. I'm most willing! Let me know the details.
Cheers,
Akshay
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