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{{Infobox Martial art<br />
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'''Gatka''' ({{lang-pa|'''ਗਤਕਾ'''}}, {{lang-hi|गतका}}, ''{{lang|pa-Latn|gatkā}}'') is the name of an [[Indian martial arts|Indian martial art]] associated with the [[Sikhs]] of the [[Punjab]] who practice an early variant of the martial art.<ref>{{cite news |last1=یاوری |first1=موسیٰ |title=’گتکا ہماری ثقافت ہے اور ہم نے اسے قائم رکھنا ہے‘ |url=https://www.bbc.com/urdu/sport-47317035 |work=BBC News اردو |date=26 February 2019 |language=ur}}</ref> It is a style of [[stick-fighting]], with [[waster|wooden sticks]] intended to simulate [[sword]]s.<ref name=Draeger>{{cite book |title=Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts |author=[[Donn F. Draeger]] and Robert W. Smith |year=1969 |publisher=Kodansha International Limited}}</ref> The Punjabi name ''gatka'' properly refers to the wooden stick used. The word originates as a diminutive of Sanskrit ''gada'' "mace".<ref>Ananda Lal, ''The Oxford companion to Indian theatre'', Oxford University Press (2004), {{ISBN|9780195644463}}, p. 129.</ref><br />
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It originated in Punjab in the 15th century but much of the Gatka forms practiced today in the west are Europeanised versions of what was the original martial art of Sikhs known as [[Shastar Vidya]]. There has been a revival during the later 20th century, with an International Gatka Federation was founded in 1982 and formalized in 1987, and gatka is now popular as a sport or [[sword dance]] performance art and is often shown during Sikh festivals.<ref name="hindu.com">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930235524/http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/27/stories/2006072712720300.htm Sikh martial art `Gatka' takes the West by storm.] ([[Press Trust of India]]). [[The Hindu]]</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
[[File:Singh.jpg|thumb|Singhs at World Gatka Cup]]<br />
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Gatka's theory and techniques were taught by the [[Sikh gurus]]. It has been handed down in an unbroken lineage of Ustads (masters), and taught in many akharas (arenas) around the world. Gatka was employed in the Sikh wars and has been thoroughly battle tested. It originates from the need to defend dharam (righteousness), but is also based on the unification of the spirit and body ([[miri piri]]). It is, therefore, generally considered to be both a spiritual and physical practise.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Pashaura|author2=Louis E. Fenech|title=The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8I0NAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA459|date=March 2014|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-969930-8|page=459}}</ref><br />
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After the [[Anglo-Sikh wars]] the art was banned by the new British administrators of India in the mid-19th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/81513/ancient-martial-arts-training-india/|title=Ancient but Deadly: 8 Indian Martial Art Forms and Where You Can Learn Them|date=2017-01-10|website=The Better India|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-11}}</ref> During the [[Indian Rebellion of 1857]], the [[Sikh]]s assisted the British in crushing the mutiny. As a consequence of this assistance, restrictions on fighting practices were relaxed, but the Punjabi martial arts which re-emerged after 1857 had changed significantly.<ref name=Victoria>[v MILITARY SIKHS: The Education of a Sikh Warrior. Victoria and Albert Museum.] 'An introduction to Shastar Vidiya - the education of a Sikh warrior' was a lecture by Nidar Singh, given as part of the Sikh Arts and Heritage Lecture Series at the V&A, 10 October 2001.</ref> The new style applied the sword-fighting techniques to the wooden training-stick. It was referred to as ''gatka'', after its primary weapon. Gatka was used mainly by the [[British Indian Army]] in the 1860s as practice for hand-to-hand combat.<br />
The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of the Government of India has included Gatka, with other three indigenous games namely Kalaripayattu, Thang-Ta and Mallakhamba, as a part of Khelo India Youth Games 2021 to be held in Haryana. This is a national sports event in India. {{cn|date=May 2021}}<br />
===Competition===<br />
''Khel'' (meaning sport or game) is the modern competitive aspect of gatka, originally used as a method of sword-training (''fari-gatka'') or stick-fighting (''[[lathi khela]]'') in medieval times. While ''khel'' gatka is today most commonly associated with Sikhs, it has always been used in the martial arts of other ethno-cultural groups. It is still practiced in India and Pakistan by the [[Tanoli]] and Gurjara communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/urdu/sport-47317035|title=Gatka is our culture and we have to maintain it|date=2019-02-26|website=BBC|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-08}}</ref><br />
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==Influence on Defendu==<br />
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The [[Defendu]] system devised by Captain [[William E. Fairbairn]] and Captain Eric Anthony Sykes borrowed methodologies from Gatka, [[jujutsu]], [[Chinese martial arts]] and "gutter fighting". This method was used to train soldiers in close-combat techniques at the Commando Basic Training Centre in [[Achnacarry]], [[Scotland]].<ref name=Janson>O. Janson. Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knife: The famous fightingknife used by British commandos and SOE during WW2. Gothia Arms Historical Society</ref><br />
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==See also==<br />
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*[[Angampora]]<br />
*[[Banshay]]<br />
*[[Bataireacht]]<br />
*[[Bōjutsu]]<br />
*[[Jūkendō]]<br />
*[[Kalaripayattu]]<br />
*[[Kendo]]<br />
*[[Kenjutsu]]<br />
*[[Krabi–krabong]]<br />
*[[Kuttu Varisai]]<br />
*[[Mardani khel]]<br />
*[[Shastar Vidya]]<br />
*[[Silambam]]<br />
*[[Silambam Asia]]<br />
*[[Tahtib]]<br />
*[[Thang-ta]]<br />
*[[Varma kalai]]<br />
*[[World Silambam Association]]<br />
*[[Hola Mohalla]]<br />
*[[Indian martial arts]]<br />
*[[Nihang]]<br />
*[[Paika akhada]]<br />
*[[Pehlwani]]<br />
*[[Sqay]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*Nanak Dev Singh Khalsa & Sat Katar Kaur Ocasio-Khalsa (1991) ''Gatka as taught by Nanak Dev Singh, Book One - Dance of the Sword'' (2nd Edition). GT International, Phoenix, Arizona. {{ISBN|0-89509-087-2}}<br />
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{{Commons category|Gatka}}<br />
{{Indian martial arts}}<br />
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[[Category:Indian martial arts]]<br />
[[Category:Pakistani martial arts]]<br />
[[Category:Combat sports]]<br />
[[Category:Rajput culture]]<br />
[[Category:Punjabi culture]]<br />
[[Category:Punjabi words and phrases]]<br />
[[Category:Nihang]]<br />
[[Category:Jat]]</div>CleanupBot II