Let’s Promote Gatka

The Historical Martial Art

Sikh weaponry is an ancient taught bythe gurus, which includes more than adozen different types of weapons . TheGtka soti is an integral part of this vastarsenal of knowledge which is taught s abasic training for self defense and is abasic weapon before learning fencing .Gatka is actually called soti andthe battleof soti is parcticed in various form inindia and in over two dozen countriesoutside india.Guru Hargobind ji, the sixthPatshah, introduced the art of arms ,which began with Baba Buddha , to thesikhs. Later , Dasam Patshah GuruGobind singh ji combined this weaponryand martial arts in Gatka. In ancienttimes, armament education was usuallyplayed by sikhs but with the passage oftime, the common people also startedlearning different weapons and playingGatka . The basic principle of playingGatka is stop and knock which meansfirst stopping the opponent's blow andthen retaliating against that attack .

In fact , armament and Gatka waspopular as a martial art during theancient wars and was a popular sport ofthe Nihang singhs . The collection ofsikhs weapons includes many differenttypes of weapons including Kirpan,Sword , Shield, Dagger, Spear, Gandasi,Sajajang, Kamand toda, Gurj, Khanda,Tega, Jamdar, and Marhati besides horseriding, spear throwing , shooting,archery, wrestling, etc are part of sikhsports. Initially Gatka training wasparcticed only in gurudwaras or nihangsingh's cantonments or special aremasbut thanks to the selfless effforts ofnational gatka association of india ,gatka association of punjab andinternational sikh martial arts councilover the last decade and a half, thesesports schools and colleges sikhism hasstarted to be played in india and manymalls have also been hit .

But if we look at its background, thegatka games have been a part of theolympic games for a long time and thesubsequent games have becomeinternationally recognized today whilethe gatka games have not made muchprogress. There are a number of reasonswhy the interest of students in learninggatka has been declining day by day aschildren have been influenced bywestern culture instead of living in thetraditional Bana and have not becomeAmritdhari, disrespecting romans andwearing modern clothes. The excitementsubsided. In comparison to this cheapand easy game of self defense , the selfdefense games of some foreign countriesthat came to india have taken its place .The second ereason for this was that thepunjabis themselves, especially thatsikhs, were obsessed with theirhereditary game and did not pay muchattention to its propagation

In the year 1936, Gatka a popular sportof universities and colleges in undividedpunjab , was gradually forgatten on itsown merits . Even today, sports loversand children from ordinary householdsare involved in promoting the game.President of national Gatka Associationengaged in the promotion, anddissemination of gatka game. It is theresult of a decade and a half of hardwork by Harjeet singh grewal that todayGatka has again become a recognizedsports of schools, colleges anduniversities and has also become a partof khelo india youth games. However , itis imperative that this ancient sport begiven due respect and status in thecountry and abroad as well as to berecognized as a recognized sport so thatfuture generations will always rememberits heritage .

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