Gatka Gatka Gatka ( Urdu: "") is the name of an Indian martial art associated with the Sikhs of the Punjab region. It is a style of stick fighting, with wooden sticks intended to simulate swords. The Punjabi name "gatka" properly refers to the wooden stick used. The word originates as a diminutive of Sanskrit "gada" "mace". The style originated in later 19th century, out of sword practice in the British Indian Army, divided in two sub-style, called "rasmi" (ritualistic) and "khel" (sport) from the 1880s. There has been a revival during the later 20th century, with an International Gatka Federation
Gatka as "cheibi gatka", wherein the players spar with a two-foot leather-encased cudgel which may be paired with a leather shield measuring one metre in diameter. In some arts today, the sword-fighting is more akin to a dance than a form of combat. For example, the "daal fari khadga" of Andhra Pradesh is usually choreographed, but is performed with real swords and shields rather than wooden ones. The performance aspect of gatka is known as "rasmi" meaning "ritual" or "official". During weddings and other festivals, the men perform repetitive swinging and twirling movements with one or two swords. The first part