Gatka (ਗੱਤਕਾ) is a traditional combat-training system developed by Sikhs in Punjab State. The word Gatka means "stick", and it derives from the training of the soldier using a stick that imitates a sword.
Sikhism is a relatively new religion in India, in which the appearance of a man putting a big turban on his head is distinctive. It was founded by Guru Nanak at the end of the 15th century. It is a monotheistic religion that holds a universal thought of human equality based on anti-casteism, which is a critical fusion of Islam and Hindu.
Gatka has been systematically rebuilt in the late 20th century as a culture that symbolizes their ethnic and religious identity and is actively practiced as youth sports martial arts or show performances.
As India as a whole comes to terms of economic development, the Sikhs play a significant role in preserving traditional 'Indianism' with its strong religious conservatism.
The reason why Sikh is so conservative and rich in martial spirit is because of its history.
In the era of the Mughal empire, Sikh has always been at the forefront of repression, because of its strong faith toward their God and enthusiasm for the thought of human equality and democracy. During that time, many wars took place, and many Sikhs, including the dominant spiritual leaders called Guru, were sacrificed.
In this period, the remarkable fighting spirit of Sikhs was fostered, and the idea of "Saint Warrior" was established, and at the same time, the foundation of the Sikh martial arts might have been fixed.
Eventually, the indomitable Sikh's soul finally gained independence by taking advantage of the Mughal Empire collapse, overthrew the Afghan forces coming from the west, and in 1799 founded the Kingdom of Sikh, whose capital city was Lahore, in nowadays Pakistan.
It is said that under the reign of the Sikh monarchy, diversity was respected, and all religions were equally entitled, and Christians, Muslims, and Hindus were equally involved in the administration.
However, the prosperity of the independent kingdom does not last long and was annexed by the British after twice of Sikh War in the mid 19th century.
The British ruler focused on the high level of fighting ability of Sikh, secured the rights of the Sikhs and recruited them at the same time in large numbers as the main force of their army and deployed them in major cities throughout India.
In the Great Indian Rebellion (Sepoy Mutiny) that broke out in 1857, Sikh stood on the British side and suppressed Indian people, and since then the Sikhs kept cooperating with British colonial rule.
In the Saragarhi War that broke out in 1897 between the Afghan powers advancing to the east and the British Indian Empire, the only 21 Sikh units that had been isolated alone continued fighting against 10,000 Afghan forces for hours, and the proud Sikhs chose the death of honor rather than surrender.
The British parliament has rewarded their honor with the award of a medal of honor.
After British rule was enough established, Sikh's practical martial arts strengthened the meaning of basic training for soldiers and centered on the use of bamboo and rattan sticks simulated swords instead of real swords.
This stick centered military practice is the source of the name "Gatka(stick)".
Eventually, the Sikh Forces also advanced into the British army, being feared by the nickname of The Black Lion in World War I. It is said that their Bible: Guru Grant Sahib was always carried on every battlefield.
In the ensuing World War II, 60% of British-Indian troops were Sikhs as its main force, and they clashed with the Japanese army on the Malay Peninsula and showed spectacular activity on the Myanmar Front and the Italian Peninsula.
However, after India's independence, the characteristics of Sikhs who have a strong faith and combat ability have pushed forward to the independence movement of Punjabi under the radical leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the 1970s and 80s and consequently, It caused a bloody disaster of armed invasion to the holy place Golden Temple by the Indian government.
Golden Temple is guarded by armed security still now
It seems that this kind of Indian government's response was probably a major reaction to Sikhs who were at the forefront of suppressing Indian people as a symbol of British colonial military power.
However, when resisting the Mughal Empire, cooperating with the British colonial government, and trying to fight for independence against Indian republic government, what is always at the root of them is to protect their faith. There is no doubt at all.
The strong pride and spirit of the Sikhs, who carry a history of struggle and bloody war, are strikingly different in the rapidly modernizing Indian society. Gatka martial arts is the symbol of such their soul.
Nihang Ashram / Anandpur Sahib
Even today, to maintain the tradition of such warriors, Gatka has been handed down and practiced, especially among the Samurai clan called Nihang.
This Nihang is a unique group of people who have their own ashram different from the general Gurudwara Temple, and they practice their self-sufficient training life centered on martial arts training, and the performance of their martial art is highly sophisticated.
It is said that they earn income while promoting the performance of the Sikh warriors by traveling around in various places all over India.
In recent years, Gatka is also popular as a general youth sport that revives the Sikh identity, and it seems that many girls participate it too.
The school of Gatka gathers around sacred places such as Golden Temple, Amritsar, and Anandpur Sahib, and so on.
Together with its impressive visuals, it is a valuable presence that keeps the original North Indian martial arts scene.
Weapons being used there begin with bamboo and rattan sticks common in India, Talwar sword and shield, Barcha (spear), Dagger, Kukuri knife, Chakram ring-shaped throwing weapon, etc.
It seems that some of the masters have passed on Pan-Indian science of weaponry called Shastar Vidya and ancient empty hand technique called Malla Yuddha.
Members of Nihang Ashram
The first part of the video above, "Chakkar" is a ring rotating technique that symbolizes the holy wheel weapon "Sudarshan Chakra" of Lord Krishna.
Chakkar symbolizes sacred Chakra
The Punjab State located at the northwestern tip of the Indian subcontinent has a Chakkar, and Tamil Nadu State at the southernmost tip shares the same technique under the name of Chakra Chutru.
Silambam Ring, Chakra Chutru
It goes without saying that the underlying idea is the Pan-Indian thought of 'Sacred Wheel = Chakra'.
The highly developed Stick rotating technique by Silambam and Lathi Khela is inherited in the name of Marathi in Gatka of Sikh, and mere stick rotating to Chakkar ring rotating, the appearance of "wheel" become more distinct.
Throwing Wheel Weapon "Sudarshan Chakra" with Krishna
On the other hand, it is said that the traditional blue costume of Nihang and its decoration imitate the blue body color of Shiva and its outfit.
The appearance of Nihang is the copy of Shiva
Chakkar imitates Sudarshan Chakra that is the discus weapon of Vishnu Krishna. A figure of Nihang that imitates Shiva. It's very clear that Sikhism basically owes much of its thought to Hindu.
Historically, Sikhs, who are sometimes suppressed Hindu and suppressed by Hindu, sometimes fought each other, are undoubtedly members of the Pan-Hindu family that share many ideas and symbols.
Even for foreigners who do not have strong faith like them, it may be said that Sikh's existence symbolizes Indianness by its visual impact vividly.
When I visited India for the first time in a while at the end of 2018, I first entered Kolkata and traveled from there directly to Bangladesh for about a month. After that, I re-entered India, and when seeing an ordinary Sikh man rolling a turban on his head in a rural town in West Bengal, I suddenly caught up by the strong feeling of " I have come back to India again!"
As a martial arts nerd and Indian freak, I would like to continue to support Gatka martial arts and Nihang's Saint Warriors who symbolize the Sikhness most impressively.
Reference: Sikhs in the British Indian Army - Wikipedia Gatka - Wikipedia https://www.indiangatkafederation.com/
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