Where have Indian martial arts gone?

why is it that Indian martial arts, the forebears of Chinese or East Asian martial arts, are overshadowed? why is it that they are not discussed at all?





Indian martial arts are probably the first to formulate complex techniques for unarmed combat.

Where have Indian martial arts gone?
From what little I have seen and heard online, *some* martial arts native to India are still around, they just aren't as common as they used to be. Gatka is and always will be the art of the Sikhs, and it's mainly a weapons art form that is *very rarely* even shown to outsiders, never mind taught.





The big open push is behind Kalari Payat, which seems to be a prototype of some of the animal systems of Chinese kung fu, at least on a superficial level. The training involves lots of jumping, kicks, animal stance work and pressure point training.





Also, on a local level, there are still quite a few people who make their living doing *pit wrestling*. Basically it is a strength-oriented method similar to Greco-Roman wrestling except it takes place in a pit full of mud.





The stuff you *won't* see, however, is the really nasty stuff. There are at least *two* systems of boxing indigenous to India and practicing *either one* is now considered a felony in that nation. The "white diamond" boxing of the Upper Castes in particular has been outlawed since the British occupation ended, since it involves the use of a *diamond shaped* silver knuckle-duster to crack skulls and ribs.





And, on the other end of the spectrum...you won't see or hear any mention of the original Thuggee arts of strangulation as well, as the Kali cult from which the system originated was outlawed and is currently extinct.





I could look up the Romanized spellings of the Hindu names of these methods if you like, but you just won't *find much* online....people *barely* have anything about Gatka or Kalari Payat online, and you'd have to go to a *library* and read up the more historical (and outlawed) methods from books.





Sorry I couldn't be of more help...but you're actually looking for some really *really* rare stuff here. -_-
Reply:From the history I've learnt and from what I've read, while under British rule all Indian martial arts where forbidden to the point that those who practiced the arts and where caught could have a limb cut off. Pretty drastic. I would guess the British didn't want them to have ANY way to fight back or try to gain their independence. Apparently there where still those that took the risk and did practice in secret, so the arts still survive today.
Reply:I have only ever seen some Kalari Payat on the Discovery Channel, about 10 minutes of footage, and read some books from the library...unfortunately it wasnt a step by step picture guide, just a few pictures and alot of text...





I was told in Kempo that "Kempo" came from India from some some guy called Bodhidharma who then went into China and further "changed" the art and then taught it to some more monks, where it eventually transformed into "modern day kempo".





SO i came to conclude that the martial art Bodhidharma learnt in India must be some form of kaliri Payat or some other Indian martial art...mind you if you have read the Bhagavad Gita, the pictures on there can seem like martial arts stances.





so, the answer to your original question would be from my point of view, Where hav Indian martial arts gone?...It didnt go anywhere, it just evolved into a differnt level that some of us practice today but its called a different name...
Reply:id like to do a indian martial art but i have no idea where they do them i mean where do they teach them? i dont even know what they are called i read about one once in a martial arts magazine but that was so long ago
Reply:The only part about the INdians being forebears to china was about the traveling Indian monk who invented the foundation of shaolin. He invented the I ching ching (change the muscle/tendon) exercises in an effort to improve the quality of health and well being in chinese monks.





these exercises sparked one of the greatest martial arts ever.





As to why they aren't mentioned so much, it is probably because of the british. They were always so greedy for their tea.
Reply:If you have Fit TV...on Thursday nights they show The Deadliest Art at 10pm They have discussed Indian Arts at length...especially weapons arts..





Sensei Strickler