Silambam
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Silambam (Tamil: சிலம்பம்) or Silambattam (Tamil: சிலம்பாட்டம்) or Chilambam, is a traditional Dravidian martial art based on stick fighting. This style supposedly originates from the Kurinji Hills in present day Kerala, 5,000 years ago, where natives used bamboo staves to defend themselves against wild animals. As per Sangam literature, the Kurinji Hills was one of the five physiographic divisions within Tamilakam, which became known as Keralam after the arrival of Brahmins. The Narikuravar of the Kurinji Hills used a staff called Chilambamboo as a weapon to defend themselves against wild animals, and also to display their skill during their religious festivals. The Hindu scholars and yogies who went to the Kurinji mountains to meditate got attracted by the display of this highly skilled spinning Chilambamboo.
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[edit] Overview
Silambam is a mainly a form of stick or walking staff fighting. The length of the staff is roughly 1.68 meters (five and a half feet). Size of the staff is related to the height of the silambam player. It should just touch the forehead about three fingers from the head, although different lengths are used in different situations. The 3 feet stick called "sedikutchi" can be carried covertly. Separate practice is needed for staves of different lengths. The usual stance includes holding the staff at one end, right hand close to the back, left hand about 40 centimeters (16 inches) away. This position allows a wide array of stick-and-body movements, including complex attacks and blocks. Unarmed silambam utilizes several routines based on the movements of animals, primarily snake and eagle forms.
[edit] Beginners
Beginners are taught Footwork patterns and they must master them before learning spinning techniques and patterns, and methods to change the spins without stopping the motion of the stick. Footworks (Kaaladi) are the key aspects of Silambam and kuthu varisai (bare hand version). There are sixteen of them among which four are very important. Gradually, fighters study footwork to move precisely in conjunction with the stick movements. The ultimate goal of the training is to defend against multiple armed opponents.
Footworks (Kaaladi) are the key aspects of Silambam and kuthu varisai (bare hand version). Traditionally, the masters first teach kaaladi for a long time, then proceed to kuthu varisai which is also called kai silambam (hand silambam). The teaching of kuthuvarisai trains oneself to get a feel of silambam stick movements using our bare hands, that is, fighters have a preliminary training with bare hands before going to the stick.
In Silambam as well as kuthu varisai the kaaladi (foot work or foot step) is the key in deriving power for the blows. Kaaladi teaches how to advance and retreat, to get in range of the opponent without losing our defence as well as it aids very much in hitting and blocking. It also strengthens the body immensely enabling the person to receive blows (non lethal) and still continue the combat. The whole body is used to create power. There are sixteen of them among which four are very important. Gradually, fighters study footwork to move precisely in conjunction with the stick movements.
When the student reaches the final stage, the staff gets sharpened at one end. In real combat the tips may be poisoned. The ultimate goal of the training is to defend against multiple armed opponents. The expert in this field knows varmakkalai (art of pressure points) and knows where to strike anywhere in the body to produce fatal or crippling effects by the least use of power. In a man-to-man combat an expert would just slide his stick to opponents wrist many times during combat. The opponent in the heat of battle may not notice this and feels sudden pain in his wrist and throws the stick automatically without knowing what hit him/her. When two experts match against each other one may challenge the other that he will hit his big toe. Hitting the big toe can produce crippling effects on the fighter making him/her abandon the combat. This is called "solli adithal" (challenging and successfully hitting) and this phrase is often used in Tamil movies most often by the leading characters in different contexts like "challenging and successfully revenging".
[edit] Unique Nature Of Silambam.
Almost all cultures have some forms of stick fighting. But what is unique in silambam beyond its unconquerable vastness is the nature of silambam combat itself.
Most stick fighting style grip the stick in the center using poker grip (both hands facing down), Silambam prefers hammer grip (main hand facing down behind the weak hand which faces up). The strong hand grips the stick about a distance hand's width and thumb's length from the end of the stick and the week hand is a thumb's length away from the strong hand. Actually the weak hand is just touching the stick and it is just for guiding the movement of the stick. Silambam stresses ambidexterity (use of both hands) and besides the preferred hammer grip there are other ways of gripping the staff.
When facing man to man a fighter held his/her stick in front of the body stretching his arms three quarters full. From there he/her starts all his attacks by the sheer movement of the wrist. In fact most of the silambam blows are derived from wrist movement. Wrist is the key component of silambam. The bow gets speed from the wrist and power from the body through kaaladi (foot work or foot steps).
Since the stick is held in front, Silambam strikes are telegraphic, that is, the Silambam fighter does not intend to hide his intentions from the opponent. He/she beats the opponent by sheer speed, overwhelming him/her with continuous non-stop rain of blows. In Silambam, one blow leads to (aids) another. Besides there are cheating blows (one blow disguised as other). In addition to the blows Silambam has a vast variety of grappling methods called Poottu (locks). A fighter must always be careful while wielding his/her stick or he/she will be grappled and lose the fight. The locks can disable the fighter or simply capture his/her stick. There also counters or openings (Thirappu) for these locks. But the counters must be used before the lock gets finished. In addition to locks, Silambam also has many different types of evading an attack like, blocking, parrying, receiving (with the stick), rotary parrying, hammering (with the stick), kolluvuthal or sliding (attacking and blocking simultaneously) and purely evading moves like sitting or kneeling, moving out, jumping high and so on.
A person who is trained in other staff martial arts but not in Silambam will find its very difficult to match against the Silmbam fighter because of the unique nature of Silambam.
The speed of Silambam is unparalleled, some serious research is needed on this topic. Because of the way the stick is held and the relatively thin diameter of the stick blows to the groin are very frequent and difficult to block.
[edit] Versatility of Silambam
Besides its uniqueness silambam is vast. For example Silambam not only uses hammer grip but poker grip and ice pick grip as well. Some blocks and hits are performed using poker grip. Ice pick grip is used in single hand attacks. The stick is held like a walking stick and just hand gets inverted using the wrist.
Against multipe attackers Silambam practitioners do not held out their sticks as they do in man to man combat. Instead they use pose. There are numerous poses in silambam (snake, tiger, eagle and so on). Using poses makes difficult for the opponents to predict the attack and counter attack.
There are numerous sub sects in Silambam like Nagam-16 (cobra-16), kallapathu (the thieves ten), kidamuttu (the goat head butting), kuravanchi, kalyanavarisai (similar to quarterstaff, thulukkanam (Turkish sequence) and so on. Each of these sub sects is unique and may differ from one another in grip, pose, foot work used, method of attack, length of the stick, movement of the stick etc.
Much of the vast techniques and styles in Silambam have been lost due to various invasions of the Tamil Nadu, especially the British. The use of guns means the stick has lost much of its combat superiority. Also, the British who ruled for nearly 200 years completely banned the art.
Its emphasis on the staff distinguishes Silambam from Northern Kalaripayattu considered similar to Southern Kalaripayattu where fighting techniques emphasize empty hands or simple sticks or swords.
Silambam, Kuthu varisai, a bare hand technique literally meaning punching sequence, maduvu (deer horn), surul or churul (long double edged flexible blade), kathi kuthu (knife thrust), Val payattu or val veesu or vaal veechu (sword play), sheela or cheela (two finger defense) are all closely related and can be called as a single group of martial arts.
[edit] History
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| Part of a series on Indian martial arts |
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| Various Indian martial arts |
| Pehlwani - Kalarippayattu - Malla-yuddha - Vajra Mushti / Vajra Mukti - Chakram - Kabaddi - Silambam Nillaikalakki - Gatka - Thang-Ta - Other arts |
| Notable Practitioners |
| The Great Gama - Phillip Zarrilli - Jasmine Simhalan - Jyesthimallas - Gobar Goho - Imam Baksh Pahalwan - Paul Whitrod - Gulam - Guru Har Gobind - John Will |
| Related articles |
| Kshatriya - Yoga - Indian mêlée weapons - Dravidian martial arts - Khanda - Marmam - Ayurveda - Sri Lankan martial arts - Foreign influence on Chinese martial arts |
Silambam was patronized by the ancient Chola, Chera and Pandya kings of South India during the Sangam period. It hase been extensively used by Maravar pada of Travancore army.
The references to "Silappadikkaram" in Tamil Sangam literature dating back to the 2nd century refer to the sale of Silamabam staves, swords, pearls and armor to foreign traders. The ancient trading centre at the city of Madurai was renowned globally and said to be thronged by Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians among others who had regular sea trade with the ancient Tamil kings. The silambam staff was one of the martial art weapons, which was in great demand with the visitors.[1][2]
After the art spread to the Malay world, "Silambam" came to refer to the art as well as the weapon. Several Malay martial arts such as Silat also incorporated the silambam.
The Maravar pada of Travancore kings used "Silambam" in their warfare against enemies. The soldiers of King Veerapandiya Kattabomman (1760–1799) relied mainly on their prowess in Silambam in their warfare against the British Army.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Raj, J. David Manuel (1977). The Origin and the Historical Developlment of Silambam Fencing: An Ancient Self-Defence Sport of India. Oregon: College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Univ. of Oregon, pp. 44, 50, & 83.
- ^ Sports Authority of India (1987). Indigenous Games and Martial Arts of India. New Delhi: Sports Authority of India, pp. 91 & 94.
[edit] External links
- Silambam.com
- Silambamindia.com
- Silambam.in
- Kerala History
- Rediff.com: 5000-year-old Indian martial art form attracts tourists
[edit] See also
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