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
Musti-yuddha only muki boxing survived in Varanasi. A city considered holy to Hindus, Varanasi has a tradition of annual boxing festivals dating back more than 300 years. Injuries were frequent and often severe. The colonial government once attempted to ban musti-yuddha from its last refuge, but the one-on-one matches were revived by a European police commissioner. The most famous post-independence fighters include Narayanguru Balambhat Deodhar and Lakshmanguru Balambhat Deodhar, both of whom were said to have been able to defeat 12 men at once. Musti-yuddha has become increasingly rare over time and by the 1960s was already being pushed further underground.