What makes a martial art?
A martial art is a trained system of fighting and self-defence, practised with rules, values and often ritual. Most Indian styles share:
- Stance and balance: low, wide stances lower the body's balance point (centre of gravity), so it is harder to push you over.
- Breath control and focus, often linked to yoga.
- A teacher-student bond: the teacher (gurukkal, ustad or guru) is respected; training starts with a salute.
- Step-by-step training: body first, weapons later.
- Values: discipline, self-control, using skill only to protect.
Kalaripayattu: the kalari system
Kalaripayattu comes from Kerala and is one of the oldest surviving martial arts in India. It is taught in a kalari, a training ground often dug below the ground level.
- Meythari: body training, kicks, jumps and animal-like poses for strength and flexibility.
- Kolthari: fighting with wooden sticks of different lengths.
- Ankathari: metal weapons such as sword, shield and spear.
- Verumkai: bare-hand fighting, the highest stage.
Masters also learn marma (vital points of the body) and oil massage to heal injuries. The northern and southern styles differ in moves and focus.
Other regional styles
| Style | Region | Main tool / idea |
|---|---|---|
| Silambam | Tamil Nadu | Long bamboo staff, fast spins, circular footwork |
| Gatka | Punjab | Wooden stick-sword (soti) and shield; linked to Sikh tradition |
| Thang-ta (Huyen Langlon) | Manipur | Sword (thang) and spear (ta); also an unarmed form |
| Mardani khel | Maharashtra | Patta (long flexible sword), stick, quick turns |
| Mallakhamb | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra | Gymnastic poses on a wooden pole or rope, built to train wrestlers |
| Kushti (pehlwani) | North India | Wrestling on soft earth in an akhara |
| Lathi khela | Bengal and nearby | Bamboo stick fighting |
| Paika akhada, Pari-khanda | Odisha, Bihar | Sword and shield drills, linked to folk dance |
Many styles also shaped dance and theatre: Kathakali and Chhau use moves and footwork from martial training.
Practice today: benefits and safety
- Health: strength, flexibility, stamina and balance.
- Mind: focus, patience and confidence.
- Self-defence, especially useful for girls and women.
- Heritage and jobs: performances, tourism, coaching and films keep the arts alive.
Safety: learn from a trained teacher, warm up, use soft or wooden weapons first, and never try weapon moves alone. Challenges: fewer teachers, loss of old knowledge and turning an art only into a show. Sport bodies and festivals now help these arts grow again.
Key formulas and definitions
- Lower, wider stance â lower balance point â steadier body
- Kalari stages: Meythari (body) â Kolthari (sticks) â Ankathari (weapons) â Verumkai (bare hands)
- Silambam = staff (Tamil Nadu) | Gatka = stick-sword + shield (Punjab) | Thang-ta = sword + spear (Manipur)
- Mallakhamb = pole/rope gymnastics | Kushti = wrestling in an akhara
- Every style: stance + breath + discipline + respect
Worked examples
1. Why does a fighter bend the knees and spread the feet in a stance?
This lowers the balance point and widens the base. A push now has to move the balance point outside a wider base, which is much harder, so the fighter stays steady.
2. A student in Kerala has finished body training and stick fighting. What comes next and what is the last stage?
Next is ankathari (metal weapons). The final stage is verumkai, fighting with bare hands.
3. Match the tool to the style: bamboo staff, pole, sword and spear.
Bamboo staff â Silambam; pole â Mallakhamb; sword and spear â Thang-ta.
4. Give two reasons why traditional martial arts are important today.
They keep people fit and teach self-defence, and they protect cultural heritage through performance, coaching and festivals.
Common mistakes
- Thinking martial arts are only about fighting. They also teach discipline, health and, in kalari, healing.
- Mixing up the regions: silambam is from Tamil Nadu, gatka from Punjab, thang-ta from Manipur.
- Believing weapons come first. Every style starts with body training and stance.
- Calling mallakhamb a fighting style with weapons. It is gymnastics on a pole or rope that trains strength for wrestling.