Back গতকা Assamese গতকা Bengali/Bangla Gatka Czech Gatka Danish Gatka Spanish Gatka (art martial) French गतका Hindi Gatka Italian ガッカ Japanese ഗത്ക Malayalam
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| Focus | Weaponry |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Punjab region in India and Pakistan |
| Olympic sport | No |
| Part of a series on |
| Sikhism |
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Gatka (Gurmukhi: ਗੱਤਕਾ; Shahmukhi: گَتّکا; Hindi: गतका; Urdu: گَتکا) is a form of martial art associated primarily with the Sikhs of the Punjab and other related ethnic groups, such as Hindkowans.[1][2] It is a style of stick-fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simulate swords.[3] The Punjabi name, gatka, refers to the wooden stick used and this term might have originated as a diminutive of a Sanskrit word, gada, meaning "mace".[4]
The stick used in Gatka is made of wood and is usually 91–107 cm (36–42 in) long, with a thickness of around 12.7 mm (0.50 in). It comes with a fitted leather hilt, 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) and is often decorated with Punjabi-style multi-coloured threads.[2]
The other weapon used in the sport is a shield, natively known as phari. It is round in shape, measuring 23 by 23 centimetres (9.1 in × 9.1 in), and is made of dry leather. It is filled with either cotton or dry grass to protect the hand of player in case of full contact hit by an opponent.[2]
Gatka originated in the Punjab in the 15th century. 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.[5]
- ^ Yavari, Musa (26 February 2019). "'گتکا ہماری ثقافت ہے اور ہم نے اسے قائم رکھنا ہے'" [Gatka is our culture and we have to preserve it]. BBC Urdu (in Urdu). Shergarh, Punjab. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ a b c Sadaqat, Muhammad (17 March 2019). "Gatka a centuries old art of self-defence". DAWN. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
- ^ Donn F. Draeger and Robert W. Smith (1969). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts. Kodansha International Limited.
- ^ Ananda Lal, The Oxford companion to Indian theatre, Oxford University Press (2004), ISBN 9780195644463, p. 129.
- ^ "Sikh martial art `Gatka' takes the West by storm". The Hindu. New Delhi. Press Trust of India. 27 July 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
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