Silambam

Introduction

Silambam is a popular variant of martial arts which is performed with the aid of some specific weapons, primarily with bamboo sticks. It is widely performed in the regions of Tamil Nadu (India) which is also the birthplace of the game, where it emerged in around 1000 years BCE. The Tamil Sangam literature has the early records of Silambam.

It's an ancient weapon-based martial art. The word Silambam etymologically means "staff from the hills" with the word meaning of "Silam" being "hills" and "Kambu" being "staff or sticks". The game is usually played on an even hard surface where the players use a bamboo stick with its length equivalent to their heights. Overall, there are 16 forms of footwork present in this martial art.

Some of the most popular ways of Silambam Guru Vanakkam (an honourable act towards the Gurus and the audience), mentioned as follows -

Long Stick Guru Vanakkam - Here, the fighters use one-inch width bamboo stick as a weapon with a height up to their eyebrow level.

Double Short Stick - In this form, two different short sticks, each being 3 feet are used to hit or block the opponent.

Chopper Knife - The fighters in this form defend themselves with the aid of a chopper knife.

Objective

The primary focus of the fighters is to use the bamboo stick as a weapon to defeat the opponents. The length of the weapon stick depends on the height of the fighters. In the battle, the fighter holds the weapon by stretching the arms around 3-quarters full.

From this position, the fighters can initiate all the attacks by moving their wrist. The attacker may bluff by disguising any attacking move with another move.

History of Silambam

Silambam is an ancient martial art from Tamil Nadu. Its origin belonged to the early Dravidian era. In the era of 1760-1799, during Pulidevan's and Veera Pandiya Kattabomman's time; the art was reformed to fight against the Britishers.

Post that, Silambam went popular throughout the country and its native state. But being a furious act, the Britishers banned the sport. The ban was lifted in India after independence. In 2004, All India Silambam Federation was duly registered in the Government of Tamil Nadu.

On 20th March 2009, the executive meeting of silambam was held and concluded to form the Asian Silambam Federation. Later, on 17th August 2010, another executive committee meeting held in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu where the decision of the formation of the World Silambam Federation in India was taken.

Weapons Used:

Bamboo staff- It is the main weapon and the length of the bamboo staff depends on the height of the practitioner.

Maru- a thrusting weapon which is made from horns of deer.

Aruva (sickle), Savuku (a whip), Vaal (curved sword), Kuttu Katai (spiked knuckle duster), Katti (knife), Sedikuchi (cudgel or short stick).

Origin:

It is believed to have originated somewhere around 1000 BC and it was brought by the sage Agastya Munivar.

Sillappadikkaram and many other works of Sangam literature mentions about the practice and it dates back to 2nd century BC whereas oral folk tales traces it back even further around 7000 years.

But according to recent surveys and archaeological excavations, it has been confirmed that Silambam was practiced from at least 10,000 BC.

Ban and Evolution:

It was employed in warfare by most rulers of south India. The soldiers of the Tamil ruler Veerapandiya Kattabomman used silambam to wage war against the British colonists, there was a ban on it by the end of the 18th century.

Silambam art is very old art

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