Gatka speed and a variety of twirling maneuvres. This style of fighting was often used by peasants and commoners for whom the staff was a domestic tool and a convenient implement oself-defense. Stick-fighting or employs either the single or double stick. The stick or "danda" is generally the length of three handspans. Sticks and club-type weapons include the following. 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
Mardani khel united under Shivaji to create an independent kingdom in the Western Ghats. A Hindu confederacy during a time of intolerant Muslim rule meant that the Marathas were constantly under threat from the Mughals. With limited access to Mughal firearms, they instead capitalized on the local terrain which was unsuitable for the heavy artillery of the invaders. As a result, the Mughals were often forced into hand-to-hand combat, giving the Marathas an advantage despite their comparatively light armour. As with many of India's fighting systems, mardani khel gradually declined in importance during the colonial period when firearms were more widely adopted.