KARATE ( கராத்தே ) HAD ITS ORIGIN FROM INDIA
It is believed that about 5000 years ago a prince of Kanchipuram (Tamilnadu - India) BODHI DHARMAR developed the first crude version of weaponless self defence, by watching the movements of animals and birds while they fought. He applied these movements to the human body and discovered that these movements could be effectively exploited. The Prince, then experimented on 1000 slaves, to discover the weaker parts of the human body, where even a puncture with a needle could kill the victim. The prince then used the techniques that he had found successful and directed them at the weaker parts of the human body and perfected the first known art of weaponless, self defence.
KUTTU VARISAI OF TAMIL NADU –
THE MOTHER OF SHAOLIN KUNG FU; BODHIDHARMA AND THE SHAOLIN TEMPLE
Bodhidharmar, (known as Daruma Taishi to the Japanese) a Buddhist monk, learnt the technique of Weaponless self defence while in India, and imparted training to his monks in China. In Tamil - Karam means hand & in Japanese Karate means Empty (Kara) and Hand (te). It is a system of attack and defence that uses all parts of the body (hands, feet, elbows, fingers, etc.,) to kick, punch, chop, butt, or any other move that is effective in defending ones self. Many of these movements may seem odd to the average person, but one must bear in mind that these have been analysed and geometrically calculated so that whatever the action, a block or a punch, it is the maximum the human body can achieve. One learns that it is not the size and strength alone that wins rather it is the speed and power that are the deciding factors in making one victorious .
KUTTU VARISAI – THE SHAOLIN KUNG – FU AND OKINAWAN KARATE OF TAMIL NADU
Kuttu Varisai, also popularly known as Empty – Hand Silambam is the Unarmed aspect of the Battlefield Art of Tamil Nadu, known as Silambam.
Kuttu Varisai is also the very first lesson of the Combat Science of Tamil Nadu, known as Adi Murai.
Kuttu Varisai covers all aspects of Striking, Blocking, Attacking, Grappling, Throws, Locks and fighting against multiple opponents.
Kuttu Varisai, first attested to in the Sangam Literature between 500 BC – 300 BC, was practiced prior to 12,000 BC.
KUTTU VARISAI IS NOT A SPORT – IT IS A LETHAL FIGHTING METHOD, WHICH IS 12,000 YEAR OLD TAUGHT IN TAMIL NADU BY THE 18 GREATEST SIDDHARS; OF WHOM SIDDHAR AGATHIYAR WAS CHIEF.
The term ‘KUTTU’ means ‘PUNCH’ and ‘VARISAI’ means ‘SEQUENCE’.
Kuttu Varisai uses stands, postures and fighting styles of Animals, Birds etc.
The basic Animal Styles include :
- Tiger
- Snake
- Elephant
- Eagle
- Monkey
Though there are many Animal Stances used, the most important of the Animal Stance is ”THE BEAR STANCE” of Kuttu Varisai, which is said to have influenced all other Asian Martial Arts.
BODHIDHARMA AND KUTTHU VARISAI
Bodhidharma who is considered to be the “Father of Eastern Martial Arts”, and in particular, “The Father of Shaolin Kung – Fu”, was a great exponent in Kuttu Varisai, Adi Murai, Silambam and Varma Kalai.
There are 5 main stages of training in Eastern Martial Arts, that are considered as “BODHIDHARMA’S TREASURE”. They are :
- The Horse Stance
- 18 Hands of Louhan
- Breathing Exercises.
- Animal Postures and
- Fighting Techniques
True KARATE is a Physical Art, a Technique of Weaponless Self- Defence and a Sport. One of its greatest attributes is that anyone, irrespective of size, age or sex can practice this Art. The degree of skill, of course, varies from person to person. However, one can practice KARATE according to his own physical capabilities. KARATE is related with AHIMSA and therefore is employed to deter an agressor from resorting to violence, rather than maim or to kill.
Nowadays, if any one speaks about SELF DEFENCE, it means only Karate. Eve-teasing, chain snatching and other assaults on women are reported almost everyday. KARATE is the only fitting answer to these social evils and crimes. KARATE can be learnt by School-going children / college students or by any other citizen, irrespective of their sex.
Those who want to protect themselves from the evil can learn this art of weaponless self-defence. It can be learnt from the age of 4 till 60 years. Strength and stamina are two main requisites for learning Karate. However, KARATE training has been linked with the performance of feats of strength, viz., pulling cars by the hair, breaking granite placed on the chest or abdomen, riding a motorcycle while lying on a bed of nails, etc. These acts of strength can be performed by anybody who is strong enough and has absolutely no relation with the martial art of Karate.
Some of the Advantages of practicing the Horse Stance are :
- Improves Speed, Power and Concentration
- Improves Posture
- Better Balance
- Tone Pelvic Floor
- Strengthens the Transverses Abdominal Muscle
- Stronger and More Relaxed Back
- Strengthens Kidney Energy
- Improved Hormonal Function
- Develops the Yang Energy
- It is a good exercise for giving lower body strength for flexibility. It works the hip flexors which are used for kicks
- It strengthens the quadriceps which help with movements involving moving the knee.
- It produces the habit of squatting without bending your upper torso forward.
- Good thigh and calf exercise--isometric exercise.
- It gives you an exercise to practice breath control while your body is experience physical stress ---in a safe environment.
- It does make you harder to move because you are lowing your center of gravity while extending your base however stability has an inverse relationship to mobility and from a tactical standpoint you have to decide what the right balance of the stability/ mobility mix is and if a horse stance makes (or any stance) makes sense given your current situation.
THUS, THE HORSE STANCE IS CONSIDERED AS BODHIDHARMA’S TREASURE IN SHAOLIN AND EASTERN MARTIAL ARTS.
18 HANDS OF LOUHAN
The 18 Hands of Louhan, are the basic exercises of Shaolin Kung – Fu. But, very surprisingly, all these 18 exercises are basically from Kuttu Varisai of Tamil Nadu.
In Tamil, they call it “Padhinettu Kai Payarchi”.
THIS IS CONSIDERED AS ONE OF THE GOLDEN TREASURES OF BODHIDHARMA.
BREATHING EXERCISES
The breathing Exercises taught by Bodhidharma are said to be basically from Vaasi Yoga.
The Shaolin Meditation, basically is used for clearing minds, to make them ready for the Combat.
Similarly, Vaasi Yoga is practiced along with Kuttu Varisai and Adi Murai.
Quite similar to Vaasi Yoga, Shaolin Meditation, is about the inner breathing, by controlling the breath outside. This opens the 3rd eye of a person, as a result of which the person understands the Science of Combat, and would be aware of the opponents immediate next attack.
THE BREATHING EXERCISES TAUGHT BY BODHIDHARMA ARE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE THAT WERE PRACTICED BY THOSE SHAOLIN MONKS. THUS, THIS ALSO IS CONSIDERED AS ONE OF BODHIDHARMA’S TREASURE IN SHAOLIN MARTIAL ARTS.
ANIMAL POSTURES
The Animal Postures taught to the Shaolin Monks by Bodhidharma, were quite different from those Animal Postures that were in practice by those Shaolin Monks before the arrival of Bodhidharma.
Bodhidharma learnt the Animal postures of Kuttu Varisai, and while on his way to China via. Tibet and Nepal, he noticed other animals fight with each other; and observed those fight of the animals, and incorporated them into Kuttu Varisai and taught a new Martial Art to them, which is known as “Shaolin Kung – Fu”
THE ANIMAL POSTURES TAUGHT TO THE SHAOLIN MONKS BY BODHIDHARMA IS ALSO CONSIDERED AS BODHIDHARMA’S TREASURE.
FIGHTING TECHNIQUES
Though China has got the largest extent of Martial Arts practice in History, with a continuous and non – breakable period, from 2500 BC to present (as per the written records), this Tamil guy, called Bodhidharma felt the need to teach them some new style of Martial Arts, when he saw them asleep, while he was teaching them Zen Buddhism.
The Fighting Techniques, that were taught by Bodhidharma to the Shaolin Monks were totally different from the forms that were practiced in China, before the arrival of Bodhidharma there.
So, the techniques taught by Bodhidharma to the Shaolin Monks, are deciphered in the Fresco of the Shaolin Temple.
ALL THESE TEACHINGS OF BODHIDHARMA CONTRIBUTED TO THE FORMATION OF A NEW MARTIAL ART SYSTEM IN CHINA KNOWN AS THE "SHAOLIN KUNG - FU
