Discussion on Shaster Vidya

[GurjantGnostic]

15 minutes ago, Koi said:

Gatka is more for display, not a serious martial art by any standard. These sorts of "display arts" can be found all over the India subcontinent (and middle East). And i did gatka for about a year (always had interest in martial arts)

Baaki it depends on what's available to you. If kendo is available to you, go for it.

What is seen is a display. I'm willing to bet there are some Gatka practitioners who understand the application as well. 

It does seem from a distance that Shastar Vidya in it's various forms is more concerned with the martial application. 

There's benefit to do anything...with the proper perspective of what that thing is, and how it applies. 

[Koi]

8 hours ago, GurjantGnostic said:

What is seen is a display. I'm willing to bet there are some Gatka practitioners who understand the application as well. 

It does seem from a distance that Shastar Vidya in it's various forms is more concerned with the martial application. 

There's benefit to do anything...with the proper perspective of what that thing is, and how it applies. 

Of course there is benefit to anything. But I suppose it really depends on what you want to learn. If you want to learn something exhibitionist and display type, then by all means go for gatka. But if you want to learn a deadly fighting art, then best to look elsewhere. 

in the end, rather do gatka than nothing, geez if nothing else you'll get some exercise. But in this case, as the OP seems to want to learn a proper martial art, do anything (kendo) rather than gatka.

[KulwinderM]

Kendo seems less practical in all honesty. It might help with better reaction times, but gatka is more athletic and perhaps a better workout as well.

[ipledgeblue]

14 hours ago, ChardikalaUK said:

 

The day of the sword has long passed.

 

well not really. Even Guru Hargobind ji and Guru Gobind Singh had guns. so why did they still use swords and have Singhs wear kirpaana?

Guns run out of bullets too!

[ipledgeblue]

13 hours ago, GurjantGnostic said:

What is seen is a display. I'm willing to bet there are some Gatka practitioners who understand the application as well. 

It does seem from a distance that Shastar Vidya in it's various forms is more concerned with the martial application. 

There's benefit to do anything...with the proper perspective of what that thing is, and how it applies. 

the application of gatka is to do a dance, and also score points by hitting various parts of the body. In british indian army it was used as a fencing game, and its origins are from khutka - a sword dance from Persia.

In almost all gatka akharas they do silly things against maryada such as hitting the opponents dal/shield on purpose!!! There's even some weirdo gatkabajis who slap their thighs IN FRONT of the shastar parkash ( as in go up to the shastar parkash and do a thigh slap) LOL !

Also the chakri spinning move, the application of that is how to basically commit suicide in front of a volley of arrows !!!

You can probably see where I am going, many of these gatka ustads are just shameless in what they are teaching....

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Koi said:

Of course there is benefit to anything. But I suppose it really depends on what you want to learn. If you want to learn something exhibitionist and display type, then by all means go for gatka. But if you want to learn a deadly fighting art, then best to look elsewhere. 

in the end, rather do gatka than nothing, geez if nothing else you'll get some exercise. But in this case, as the OP seems to want to learn a proper martial art, do anything (kendo) rather than gatka.

In gatka I see people swinging the sword tooo fast it amuses me. However, I think it needs a lot of time & dedication foe this art?

[ipledgeblue]

5 minutes ago, singhsince1981 said:

In gatka I see people swinging the sword tooo fast it amuses me. However, I think it needs a lot of time & dedication foe this art?

No it doesn't....

No dedication in spinning the chakri rope.

OR hitting the other person's shield.

NO dedication in smashing stuff on top of people's bodies or heads.

Only thing I can think of for time and dedication is when they cut fruit blindfolded. Again I don't know how this would apply in a fight with MOVING targets???!!

[Guest]

Interesting. Is there any place where we can see puratan style gatka? Traditional gatka as in Khalsa in the 1700s or is it all lost?

I heard Samurai is very very dangerous. The sword is deadly. But its japanese. Are Sikhs allowed to practice that?

[ipledgeblue]

1 hour ago, singhsince1981 said:

Interesting. Is there any place where we can see puratan style gatka? Traditional gatka as in Khalsa in the 1700s or is it all lost?

I heard Samurai is very very dangerous. The sword is deadly. But its japanese. Are Sikhs allowed to practice that?

Singh is also dangerous, I don't really know what its like but if it is dangerous than it's good!!!

[jkvlondon]

14 hours ago, Koi said:

Gatka is more for display, not a serious martial art by any standard. These sorts of "display arts" can be found all over the India subcontinent (and middle East). And i did gatka for about a year (always had interest in martial arts)

Baaki it depends on what's available to you. If kendo is available to you, go for it.

south Indian/Keralan martial arts are closest I am guessing to the proper vidhiya given for battlefield  close fighting , I remember watching a video of a tiny women teaching the skills she had learnt frm her father to class and she was in her advanced years and getting the better of young men .it is called Kalarippayattu

I bought a couple of books on it

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/9384030511/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0195655389/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

interesting that they have descriptions of Marma points which are close to Chinese Dim  Mak points.