Chakram
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The chakram (Devanāgarī: चक्रम) is a throwing weapon that was used by the ancient Indians; it is a flat metal ring with a sharp outer edge from 5 to 12 inches (13−30 cm) in diameter.
The word comes from Sanskrit and means round, circle, or wheel. Earliest references come from the Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana (here the Sudarśana chakram is the weapon of the god Vishnu). It was used by Indian armies, mostly by Sikhs.
It has an effective range of 40 to 50 meters. Because of its aerodynamic shape (similar to an aeroplane wing) it is not easily deflected by wind.
Flying discs and Aerobies are somewhat similar, generally plastic devices for recreational purposes.
A much larger (and purely fictional) version of the chakram has been used in many fantasy and martial arts media. This version, most likely due to its size, is restricted mostly to being a melee weapon instead of a throwing one, with its fighting technique being similar to the acrobatic use of a hula hoop in circus acts.
[edit] See also
| Various Indian martial arts | Pehlwani, Kalarippayattu, Malla-yuddha, Vajra Mushti / Vajra Mukti, Chakram, Kabaddi, Silambam Nillaikalakki, Gatka and other arts |
|---|---|
| Notable Practitioners | The Great Gama, Phillip Zarrilli, Karl Gotch, John Will, Jyesthimallas, Gobar Goho, Imam Baksh Pahalwan, Paul Whitrod, Gulam |
| Related articles | Kshatriya, Yoga, Indian mêlée weapons, Dravidian martial arts, Ayurveda, Sri Lankan martial arts, Indian martial arts in popular culture, Foreign influence on Chinese martial arts |
