Gatka is the traditional Sikh martial art dating back to the early 17th century. Originally practiced by the Sikhs in Punjab to defend against invaders, it’s a sort of a cross between fencing and tag, more ferocious yet lyrical all at once. Duelers mostly use wooden sticks, or Sotis – about a half-meter long – or swords. To score points the stick must simply touch the vital points designate. Gatka is considered to be a spiritual as well as a physical exercise in the Sikh culture but has been adopted into as a sport in Europe and Pakistani Punjab where there is a sizable population of Sikhs. -Photo by APP from Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.