| The
word Silambam immediately brings out the
picture of two or more martial artists
fighting or training with long staff. In
Silambam there are many different types of
weapons. But this art can be safely said to
have deviated a little from Kalarippayattu
in the sense that the long staff has been
given a major part while other weapons have
been given only a minor roll. But the long
staff techniques are so advanced and
sophisticated that almost all kalari
practitioners will find it very difficult to
stand up to the true Silambam specialist.
Why Silambam places so much emphasis on
long staff and sidelines all other
conventional weapons of kalari? There can be
many reasons for this. The first and
foremost is the easy availability of the
wild trees from which the long staff are
made. Then unlike the swords, spears etc., a
wooden staff can be owned and carried by the
common man. Sage Agasthya in his Agasthyar
Kampu Soothram describes the uses of long
staff: While traveling the staff can be used
to clear the bushes and thorny trees, can be
used to pick fruits from trees, will help to
escape from wild animals, can be used to
check the depth of streams before crossing
them and so on. It can be seen that in rural
areas of India a long stick has multiple
uses and the stick can be obtained from wild
trees and practically there is no expenses
to get one. Then a spear head can be
attached to the long staff and turn an
already lethal weapon onto a more deadly
one. The swords, pattas and other weapons
were mainly used in battle field and
certainly special training did exist in
olden days.
The British rulers confiscated all of the
weapons of warfare from the Tirunelveli
district of present day Tamilnadu and the
masters who escaped and went into hiding
from the colonialist forces just could not
afford to keep the conventional weapons.
There may be many other reasons but one can
assume from the available records that the
art of Silambam is a complete martial art
comprising of empty hand sets, long staff,
swords and shields, daggers, katars,
flexible swords, chain flails, battle axes,
halberds and many other weapons, some of
which are not normally used in
Kalarippayattu.
Here is a short description of the
weapons used in Silambam:
1. The
long staff
The long staff is the
main and in some schools the only weapon
used in Silambam. The long staff is usually
a stick cut from certain wild trees and
hardened using some traditional methods. The
length of the staff is from the ground up to
the nose of the standing practitioner and
about one inch to one and a half inches in
diameter. Some people use bamboo or rattan
staff.
2. The short stick or
kurunthadi
Same as the muchaan or
kuruvati used in Kalarippayattu. Some times
two sticks are used. This short stick
training was used as a stepping stone for
more sophisticated swordsmanship.
3. Madu or Maru or
Kavari
Two deer horns fixed in
such a way that when the weapon is held in
the hand one of the horns projects from the
thumb side of the fist while the other
projects from the little finger side. Used
usually in pairs, one held in each hand,
this Madu or Maru or Kavari can be used with
devastating effect, both for offence and
defense. Since the wild life acts and other
anti poaching rules put restrictions on the
use of wild deer horns, in modern times this
weapon is made of steel. This weapon is used
only in Silambam and no other martial art in
the world uses this.
4. Sword and shield
No special description is
necessary
5. Patta
Patta or Ko Patta is
specially designed sword mainly used by
Kings. (Ko = King hence the name Ko Patta).
It is a double edged sword. The grip is
perpendicular to the blade and there is a
wrist/forearm guard that extends up to the
elbow. When gripped, the blade will extend
from the knuckles of the warrior. The Patta
acts as an extension of the arm of the
warrior.
6. Surul Patta or
flexible sword
Same as urumi in
Kalarippayattu but often longer and having
multiple blades and used in pairs.
7. Chendu
Chendu is a long staff with a battle axe,
spear and another hook like device all at
the same end. Similar to the western
halberd.
8. Lesam
A chain flail. A kuruvati
or kurunthadi with a length of chain
attached to one end. Some designs have a
barbed ball at the free end of the chain
9. Katari or Katara
One cubit in length and
sharp on both edges and somewhat zigzag in
shape. It is held like a hacksaw and the
finger guards extend upward to the forearms
10. Valari
The same as boomerang of
the Australian aborigines.
11. Idikkattai or
Knuckle Duster
Knuckle dusters made of
buffalo horns are used as an accessory
weapon for empty hand fighting and to hit
the vital points in the human body.
Vajramushti another Indian martial art that
uses knuckle dusters called as Hora, ,made
from horns or animals.
Many different types of
knives, machetes and battle axes are used
for training and fighting in addition to the
above mentioned weapons. |
