Martial Arts of Ancient India

One of the great cradles of martial arts is ancient India. Already in the oldest Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, we read that young people were expected to be well-versed and skilled in military strategy, archery, wrestling, and other forms of these arts.

Thus, the Mahabharata narrates: Two of Drona’s disciples, Duryodhana and Bhima, became unparalleled fighters with staffs and constant rivals. Asvatthaman surpassed them all in knowledge of weapon secrets, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva excelled in swordsmanship. Yudhishthira became the best archer on the war chariot. Arjuna was the best in everything. He surpassed everyone with his sharp mind, composure, strength, and enthusiasm. His name spread worldwide, and he was renowned as the foremost archer. He had no equal in wielding weapons or in his attention and love for his teacher.

The art of combat and warfare in Sanskrit is called danurveda, which derives from the words dhanushya – bow and veda – knowledge. Originally, danu The term “veda” used to refer to the art of archery, and today it generally encompasses martial arts. It is known that wrestling, swordfighting, swimming, and running were extremely popular among the students of the renowned ancient Indian universities Nalanda and Taxila. Ancient sources mention that even King Krishna Deva Raya was a champion wrestler and horse rider. Mughal emperors were fervent patrons of martial arts, especially wrestling. The famous Red Fort in old Delhi, built in the 17th century under the rule of Shah Jahan, was known for hosting wrestling competitions. Foreigners who resided in and traveled to India, such as Chinese travelers Hsuan Tsang and Fa Hsien, as well as a Portuguese ambassador from the 16th century, wrote about the prevalence of martial arts during that time. These skills were mostly associated with warrior and tactical expertise, so it is logical that they were primarily practiced by warriors (kshatriyas). However, members of the priestly caste also partook in these activities. (Brahmani) also cultivated different forms of martial arts. Legend has it that even Siddhartha Gautama himself, in order to propose to his future wife, had to prove his physical strength and endurance through athletic skills, wrestling, and archery.

The most famous, and at the same time the oldest martial arts of ancient India, include kalarippayattu, thang-ta, and vajramushti.

Kalarippayattu

Oral tradition, as well as ancient Indian texts, mention a warrior named Parashurama as the first teacher of this skill. Legend has it that Parashurama taught four or more Brahmins, who then passed on the secrets of this skill to their students. Among them, twenty-one of the most skilled individuals were chosen to establish twenty-one forms of this skill in order to protect the land and preserve peace. Kalarippayattu has similarities with karate and acrobatic dancing, but daggers are used in combat. It is particularly popular in southern India, in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

It seems that Kalarippayattu traveled from India to the Far East countries together with the Buddhist religion. It is possible that Buddhist priests, who traveled barefoot and unarmed to spread the teachings of Buddha, adopted this art and adapted it to the philosophy of nonviolence, pacifying its original violent nature.

Thang-Ta

This “sword and spear art” is part of the great heroic tradition of Manipur. The true name for thang-ta is huyen lallong, meaning “method of self-preservation”. As the name suggests, “method of self-preservation” is more than just a martial art. It is a comprehensive system of physical culture that includes breathing techniques, meditation, and various rituals. Some of the sword and spear exercises are purely ceremonial and are performed only on special occasions or under special circumstances, for example, during funerals.
Through gentle movements synchronized with the rhythm of breathing, thang-ta combines the use of various weapons (swords, spears, knives, etc.), but the heart of the art of thang-ta is the sword. There are hundreds of different sword exercises. For practicing basic steps and strikes. Many are designed for practicing in pairs, but others can be practiced solo, at least in the beginning. Thang-ta is almost completely unknown outside of Manipur today. However, it is known that three warriors, Paona Naol Singh, Ningthoukhongja Poila, and Loukrakpam Sana Mityeng, each separately, founded different styles within the art of thang-ta. Paona died in battle against the British and was declared a hero of Manipur.

Vajramushti
Vajramushti in Sanskrit means “diamond fist” and is associated with the name of Indra in the Ramayana. It is an ancient wrestling skill of bare-handed combat, with elements of boxing, which differs from modern wrestling in that practitioners wear boxers on their right hand to increase the power of their strikes.

This weapon, now commonly known as a boxer, is usually made of buffalo horn or ivory. It has finger openings to attach it to the hand. A similar weapon was used in ancient Greece and Rome. Boxers and pankratists used it. The ancient art of the Jyesthimalla or Jyesthi warriors is mentioned in the vein of the current Vajramu­shti. The term Jyesthi translates to “the best” and comes from the word jyestha, meaning “the oldest” or “the most prominent.” Even today, in Gujarat, there is a saying “Jestimalci se bore” (Jesthis are fighting), used to describe a serious confrontation. Jesthimallis are mentioned in records from the 12th and 13th centuries as members of the Brahmin caste who bear weapons. For many centuries, they had the role of guardians at weddings, under the patronage of kings, princes, and rulers. Jesthimallis still live in the Indian state of Gujarat, but to a lesser extent in Mysore, Hyderabad, and Rajasthan. Their ancient artistry was almost extinct a few decades ago, but interestingly, it has been preserved mostly thanks to the interest of Westerners.

It is worth the effort to delve into the past and explore the arts of ancient cultures. Because, regardless of their external form, they all emphasize the need for achieving harmony between the spiritual and physical aspects of human beings. The harmony achieved opens up infinite possibilities for humans. If we approach these skills with an open heart, there is much that can be useful today in establishing harmony within ourselves.