VIRUDHUNAGAR: Sivakasi has many monikers — fireworks hub, Kutty Japan, and capital of offset printing. But there is another area this bustling industrial region excels in, seldom discussed but very much a part of its identity — Silambam. And the town owes much of what it achieved in the field to one man, who freed Silambam from the fetters of caste, customs, and an appalling misunderstanding.
Krishnasamy Aasan, as he is fondly called by his students, started teaching Silambam in 1985, a time when its education was controlled based on caste lines. A carpenter and construction-contractor by profession, the then 25-year-old decided to teach Silambam to anyone interested, after his work.
Thus began his classes, held in an open area between 9 pm and 1 am. At first, only a few adults joined. But slowly word spread that someone was teaching Silambam for free to all. More students started trickling in to the classes and Krishnasamy had to start batches. “He was the first to teach Silambam to all without any caste or gender bias. He did not collect any fees; he just wanted to promote and preserve the art form,” says Sundarakumar, a resident.
Krishnasamy was initiated into Silambam by his father, a renowned Silambam master from Paavali. During his youth, he received training from other masters in Sivakasi and Thiruthangal as well, and developed a unique Silambam style, combining the techniques he learned from different masters and different regions.
“Our aim is the mental and physical well-being of our students, their self-defence, and competition. Our techniques and style are tuned to meet these objectives,” says Prabhakaran (27), son of Krishnasamy Aasan and a third-generation Silambam master.
He recalls that his father also provided tea and snacks to students after the classes. “On full moon days, students would have meals after the classes around 1 am. He also arranged for the Silambam sticks; he had to buy at least 100 sticks a week as they broke often during practice. For all these expenses, he used his own money till his death in 2016, aged 55,” says Prabhakaran. Back then, Silambam masters passed on the knowledge to only those belonging to their caste; this practice continues at some places, he added.
Development over the years
While only men aged above 19 years joined the classes at first, the trend started changing. “Younger boys started joining the classes in the 1990s, and school children in 2000s,” said Prabhakaran, adding that it was also a difficult time for the art form. “There was a lot of stigma surrounding Silambam. Teachers and parents used to say that only rowdies learned it.”
Krishnasamy Aasan, however, decided to change that narrative. He turned ‘Silambam the game’ to ‘Silambam the sport’. “My father made us participate in many competitions and he was always the one to foot the bills,” Prabhakaran said.
This had the desired effect. Aasan’s students winning competitions after competitions started changing the public opinion about Silambam. Parents started enrolling their children in Aasan’s classes, and teachers started encouraging parents to teach the art to their wards. This led to girls also joining the classes.
16 medals in national event
Of the three children of Krishnasamy Aasan, Prabhakaran had taken up the responsibility of teaching and promoting Silambam. He runs his own academy and trains over 300 students. Of them, 16 students, including a 10-year-old girl, won medals at the ‘4th National Championship 2021-22’ hosted by Youth and Sports Development Association of Punjab.
“The students, however, are yet to get a sponsor and, as such, have to shell out their own money to participate in the competition. We also don’t receive any aid from the government,” said a parent.
Fact file
Silambam, a weapon-based martial art form originated in Tamil Nadu in 1,000 BCE. Tamil Sangam literature has early records of the art form