Silambam Martial Art

Silambam Martial Art

Subject : Culture

Context : Recently, a migrant worker who choreographed and performed a sequence of Silambam had won the top prize at a talent competition.

Concept :

About Silambam Martial Art

• It is considered as the best form of self-defense technique and is often practiced as a sport.
• 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.