CHENNAI: All of 15, U Archana is not one to settle for anything ordinary. Taking risks to pursue something extraordinary drives her being, it seems. No wonder she set a record on July 2 while performing silambam blindfolded a few minutes shy of 11 and a half hours. The class 11 student of Holy Angels School achieved this feat at an event organised by Asia Book of Records and World Record Union.
Archana was six years old when she first fell in love with the sport.
“My parents had taken me to YMCA grounds to watch a sports event for which my father was invited. I saw people performing silambam there and it looked so nice. A few days later, at the Thiruvizha of the temple near my house, a group of people performed silamabam with sticks and fire. That sealed the deal for me and I was determined to learn the sport. As a child, all of those tricks looked so magical,” says the T Nagar resident.
As years passed, her prowess improved. Till class 5, she took part in association matches. From class 6, she participated in state matches and eventually went on to win her first gold. After pocketing several medals thereafter, Archana decided to attempt a solo world record. “When we do group events, all we get is a certificate. If my talent needs to be recognised it has to be a solo attempt. My masters encouraged me to attempt a record for performing silambam blindfolded. My initial plan was to do it for 10 hours. But I sustained it for 11 and a half hours. I started at 7.15 am and performed till 6.40 pm,” she shares.
The previous record for continuously performing silambam is 12 hours, she notes. But, that was without a blindfold, and she is the first to attempt this feat blindfolded. The decision, she says, was taken just four days prior to the event. “I began practising for the record attempt after my class 10 exams. We then decided to go for it blindfolded as no one had attempted it.
The main difference is you will feel slightly dizzy, as you do when your eyes are closed. But I overcame that too after the initial nervousness,” says the student of Panchatcharam, Satheesh and Nithya at Munusamy Silambam Koodam (MSK). Her fitness regime is simple running, push-ups and squats. This coupled with immense motivation from her parents makes her want to win accolades in the sport. “There was a fear of not being able to perform continuously. But when I thought of my parents and all that they have done for me, it pushed me to do more. So, I used that nervous energy to reach my goal,” she notes.
A Biology student, Archana hopes to become a cardiologist and is currently focussing on her studies while having another goal in mind. “I want to attempt the Guinness Book of World Record for performing silambam blindfolded for 24 hours. But with studies, I am unable to dedicate as much time now,” she says.
After two years of taking part in events virtually, Archana has finally got a chance to get back to the ground. Time and practice, she hopes will help her achieve magical feats in this sport.