Whilst I realise that KIAI is a traditional Japanese swordsmanship organisation, In September I was fortunate enough to be invited to a demonstration of Gatka in my home town in the UK. For those of you who may know very little about Gatka, I have included a brief history and description of this weapons based martial art.

The art itself originated in the 16th century and plays a major part in the spiritual growth and religion of Sikhism. It was imparted by the Rajputs, who were Hindu warriors of Northern India in their gratitude for their release from imprisonment by the Sikh army. Gatka was used very successfully by the Sikhs against the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Mughuls violently oppressed both Sikhs and Hindus. Gatka is, and always has been, taught as a spiritual exercise in Sikhism and requires its followers to become absorbed in honouring the Name of God.

Gatka is a very basic and practical martial art and is based on a movement called the Panthra and is done to a three beat cycle played on a Nagara (war drum) at the same time. This is practised initially for hours on end using no weapons and is designed to improve the accuracy of footwork needed to keep the body in balance when using weaponry. It can be practised in many different ways utilising forward and backward and circular movement and is akin to Japanese taisabaki. When all the movements are learned well, they are combined with techniques and weapons. The goal is to be able to protect yourself and move and attack at every point at any time in an extremely hostile environment such as a battlefield

Students usually train with “both hands full”. It emphasises the superiority of having weapons in both hands, whether it’s two sticks, a stick and a sword, or a sword and a shield

There are three kinds of weapons that the art is based on:

• Lathi – a stick which is between one and three meters in length
• Flexible weapons such as chains, ropes, belts and whips
• The sword (Khanda) and dagger (Kirpan)

The Lathi is used in continuous swinging motion (Maroaara) which protects and attacks. The attack is made on the forward motion and is usually directed to the head of an attacker with the right and left hand but is also used to attack and protect the lower parts of the body. It is very dangerous when used correctly and the ideal material is either oak or ironwood.

The Khanda is the most typical Indian sword. It has a broad straight blade which widens to the point and is usually blunt. The hilt has a wide plate guard and wide finger guard which joins with the flat pommel where there is also a spike which acts as a guard for the arm, and a grip for the left hand when making a two handed cut.

The Khanda can also be used with a Dahl (shield) which is round and can range in size from 8 – 24 inches. They can also range in shape i.e. flat or convex. The Dahl is held by two handles on the reverse which pass through the shield. Between the handles is a cushion for the knuckles to rest against. The movements of sword and shield together very much resemble the movements of medieval Knights.
The Kirpan (dagger) has a curved blade and should be carried by every Sikh. Although not demonstrated on the day, the techniques and shape of the blade make the weapon very dangerous.

According to the Sikhs, God gave every warrior, every human, the same three gifts – the ability to shed a tear, the ability to smile and the ability to laugh. These Sikh warriors are also known as Saint Warriors. They are not only prepared to die for their race but are prepared to die for mankind and show the same compassion, respect, etiquette and strength of the Samurai. They also show respect to the weapons, going as far as praying to the weapons, as they have the ability to take life and much respect must be shown.

I was very pleased to be able to watch this demonstration and hope that this gives KIAI members a small insight into this fascinating weapons based system.

Nick Sleep