Silambam’s growing presence in Tamil Nadu: How the ancient Tamil martial art is breaking barriers

Sunday mornings at Chennai’s Kannagi Nagar serve sights not like anything.

On intersections, using pillion on bikes and biking alongside parallel roads are the kids of Kannagi Nagar, armed with their prized possessions: the Silambam employees ( kambu).

Come 6am, they diligently make their option to a small floor flanked by busy Housing Board settlements to study the ancient Tamil martial art below the strict steering of Master Lakshmipathi, a Kannagi Nagar resident himself. They start with heat up, practise fast footwork, and transfer on to duel and showcase in fast succession.

Kanishka, at present in Class II, speaks solely in shy smiles however transforms as quickly as she touches her  kambu. In seconds, the employees turns into an extension of her physique as she strikes with poise and management, and ends with a full cut up on the floor. Kanishka is simply considered one of over 70 college students of Lakshmipathi, all hailing from the locality.

I ask, “Why Silambam?” “It is our  parambariya kalai. We should not ignore it,” says 14-year-old Vishal with a severe nod, with out pausing as soon as to assume. “It feels really nice to learn something that is ours.”

It is this very sentiment that spearheads Silambam’s apparent resurrection over the final three to 4 years.

With a historical past of greater than 5 thousand years, some literature means that Silambam was used for warfare and self-defence in the Sangam period by South Indian rulers. Though there is recorded proof of palm manuscripts that implies the artform’s presence as early as the 4th Century BC, it is more likely to have been a survival approach developed by hunter-gatherers. However, when the British arrived in India, the artform took on a performative function used primarily for showcases.

With the finish of colonial rule, Silambam’s identification as a martial art type was unveiled, as soon as once more, because of its presence in celluloid.

The stick in use now, is made from cured and versatile cane bamboo, whereas for iterations of the stick — m aan kambu,  vael kambu,  surul vaal and daggers — completely different supplies like wooden, iron and metal are used.

Today, Silambam is clearly having its second in the solar. It is steadily marking its presence by slicing throughout socio-economic backgrounds and adapting to city areas and viewpoints whereas additionally holding on to its staunch Tamil identification.

 A quiet revolution 

In Housing Board settlements like Chennai’s Kannagi Nagar and Nochikuppam, Silambam is a silent software for empowerment and rehabilitation.

Lakshmipathi says, “A few years ago, I went for a job interview and I was told that I was not eligible because I am from Kannagi Nagar. This made me wonder about our children’s future.”

This realisation coupled with the want to vary the public notion of the locality being riddled with crime and gender-based violence, led him to begin Silambam lessons for youngsters seven years again.

“Silambam requires focus and discipline. I strongly believe that the classes will divert their attention from other miscreant activities and take them on a good path. It will prepare them for life,” says Lakshmipathi who is a supply govt by day.

In 2021, when the Government of Tamil Nadu recognised the weapon-based artform’s eligibility for 3% sports activities quota, it catapulted the curiosity. “It was a huge encouragement, and we started seeing a lot of support from the parents since then.”

Coimbatore-based Tholkappiyan echoes this sentiment. The Silambam trainer who hails from a working class background now runs Tholkalai Silambam, a faculty that has grown to turn into a three-legged institute throughout faculties and faculties in Coimbatore with 300 college students.

Master Lakshmipathi
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas

“Around 60% to 70% of students come for certificates that will help them in the future. After the pandemic, there is an exponential rise in interest,” says Tholkapppiyan.

The stigma surrounding the artform as a ‘rural sport’ has additionally diminished. He says, “Earlier, people would ask,  Enna, kuchi suthurathu thane? (It’s just rotating the stick, right?).Now, the sport is being taken seriously.”    

An city lens 

Cut to a extra city panorama, and Silmbam has effortlessly managed to merge into the social material of cities like Chennai. Much like working, biking and boxing, the martial art has turn into commonplace in the early-morning cityscape.

“When I was looking for traditional Silambam classes in the city, over a decade ago, there were no recommendations nor could I find any classes,” says Chennai-based visible artist, educator and worldwide Silambam practitioner Aishwarya Manivannan. Eventually she discovered her guru ‘Power’ Pandian  asan, and was capable of begin. However, she was the solely lady in her class of round 30.

“On the contrary now, if you just drive around in the mornings, you can see that almost every single public park has Silambam classes. You see children carrying the  kambu in public transport and parents with children on bikes, on the way to classes… Clearly, a lot more people are aware of Silambam being our own ancient martial art,” says Aishwarya, including that the sheer variety of individuals studying the artform has “skyrocketed”.

Aishwarya Manivannan
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas

Unlike some conventional artforms which have gained solely recognition with no lively implementation, Silambam has steadily seen individuals taking over the apply.

“You can learn and practise Silambam now as a martial art, performing artform or sport. It is interesting to see how something so rooted in Tamil culture has evolved through thousands of years to become this,” says Aishwarya. In a current open workshop, Aishwarya had a motley crew of designers, academics, docs, engineers and school college students as enthusiastic members.

The martial art is additionally seeing trendy interpretations and variations. Hareni, a 24-year-old skilled Bharatanatyam dancer from Manapparai in Tiruchi, is making an attempt to merge the two artforms in efficiency. “The footwork for both, though not the same, can be synced. Silambam is considered masculine, while Bharatanatyam is considered a more feminine form of art. Merging the two would give it the character of both,” says Hareni. Moreover, she hopes this innovation will additional Silambam’s recognition and make it extra dramatic.

More not too long ago, Tholkappiyan says that adults are taking over lessons to type health routines round the sport. “Silambam sculpts the body and mind. We see a lot of adults who are disillusioned with gyms, coming in, among them a few learn because of its Tamil roots,” says Tholkappiyan.

For Aishwarya, Silambam is merely meditation by way of motion. “It is refreshing and gives me so much energy. The journey has been empowering in so many different ways, not just physically but emotionally as well.” She says that many have a tendency to have a look at martial arts as ‘violence’ or ‘aggression’. But by way of the apply, this notion will get debunked.

“We end up becoming calm and connected with our surroundings, body and mind. It grounds us and gives us wings at the same time.”