Context

• Recently, an Indian man in Singapore has won the top prize in a government-initiated competition for migrant workers for choreographing and performing a sequence of Silambam a traditional martial art form practised in India since the 4th century BC.

About Silambam martial art

• Silambam martial art is a weapon-based Indian martial art originating in South India in the Indian subcontinent. This style is mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature.

  

• It is an ancient weapon-based martial art that emerged in Tamilakam, which is now Tamil Nadu region of India.
• The term Silambam contains a meaning which itself reveals about the sport, silam stands for a ‘mountain’ and bam stands for bamboo which is the main weapon used in this form of martial arts.
• The bamboo staff is the main weapon and the length of the bamboo staff depends on the height of the practitioner.
• Besides this, there are more weapons used in Silambam which are as listed below:
  • Maru– thrusting weapon which is made from horns of deer.
  • Aruva– sickle
  • Savuku– a whip
  • Vaal– curved sword
  • Kuttu Katai– spiked knuckleduster
  • Katti– knife
  • Sedikuchi– cudgel or short stick

Origin Silambam Martial Art

• It is believed to be originated somewhere around 1000 BCE.
• 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.

Kuttu Varisai

• Kuttu Varisai is the unarmed combat component of Silambam and also a stand-alone martial art. It contains animal forms.

Source: IE

Art and Culture Current Affairs : Click Here