The Word 'gatka'

[simmal tree]

Gatka is a 39 inch fighting stick (soti).

Shastar Vidya is the art of weaponry / art of war.

[Akali_Sodhi]

u are really angry arnt u mr sall....me thinks u should do some naam simran or smthing....all this anger cnt be good for u sikhs.

[piddu]

i have been taught sv (lol) sounds like rs(radhasoami)...but i was told i cant use it...it is only to keep the art alive...so whats the point of knowing warfare if it cant be used????????

[Gurbar Akaal]

i have been taught sv (lol) sounds like rs(radhasoami)...but i was told i cant use it...it is only to keep the art alive...so whats the point of knowing warfare if it cant be used????????

There is no strict rule on the use of the art for your own defence, what is taught is that the first step would be to circumvent any situation and difuse it, only a fool goes out looking for trouble. If you need to defend yourself then you must do what is needed, ive never heard of Niddar Singh saying that you cannot use the art that he teaches, many students who have had incidents on the streets have used techniques and defended themselves. If you was really "taught" (rather then turning up to a random class once), you would have known that.

One last point, whether you ever get into a fight in your whole life and use the art is of no point, if you can avoid trouble and live your life then that is the best route to take. Just because you learn how to fight doesnt neccessarily mean you have to go out and rumble with people. Learning the art is based upon the respect of a tradition, so that future generations can uphold something that was passed down by the Gurus, rather then not give it any respect and let it get lost like many other arts that have been lost by the Sikhs.