DHARMAPURI: In the twilight of the 18th century, as the British Empire tightened its grip on India, a shadow fell upon the ancient martial art of silambam. Fearing the prowess of skilled Tamil warriors, the colonisers banned the practice, shattering a tradition that had thrived for centuries. Silambam, once a symbol of strength and cultural pride, was fragmented and driven to the brink of extinction.
But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the spirit of silambam endures. Today, a new generation of practitioners is breathing life into this ancient art, determined to reclaim its lost glory.
V Manigandan, a 32-year-old Class 10 dropout, is a skilled silambam master who received training in the ancient martial art from his uncles in Erode over a decade ago during his school days. He has been practising and perfecting the art ever since.
Manigandan, aka Malarmani, is also a professional photographer. He earns his living from photography after inheriting his uncle’s photo studio in Dharmapuri. He has brought a photographer’s eye for detail while striving to revive the ancient martial art.
“Silambam was derived from nature by imitating the movements of tigers, birds, and elephants,” Manigandan explains. “It shows our culture’s proximity with nature. Now, the martial art exists in fragments. For instance, silambam trained in Theni district is different from the one taught in Erode. What was once whole now remains in parts spread across Tamil Nadu in different forms. I hope to integrate them and spread it as a sum of all its fragments.”
“I took part in minor tournaments and won some awards,” he recalls. “One day someone, seeing my awards, asked me to teach students at the PUPS school in Kurumpatti village. It started with just five students, and now we have about 100 students each in over six locations.”
“The art passed on from one person to the next. The first batch of students I taught are teaching others now. Even if I am not here to teach, what I have taught will continue to spread. The students learn from each other; the seniors teach the juniors the basics, and they teach new entrants. While teaching the art, they reform themselves and improve their own skills”, he says.
Manigandan highlights the importance of discipline and focus in silambam. “We start with the footwork,” he explains. “This improves the overall health of the trainees, stimulating their muscles, bones, and every inch of the body.”
Manigandan is not only proficient in silambam but also teaches other cultural arts like Mallakhamba, Oyilattam, Periyakambattam, and Thappattam. “If a student expresses interest in other arts, we teach them that,” he says.
K Raju, who teaches silambam alongside Manigandan, shares their approach to accessibility. “We teach silambam to students from government schools for free but charge Rs 300 per month from others,” he says. “We take the government school students to tournaments held across the state. So far, our students have won over 200 state-level medals and dozens of national-level competitions. They have participated in an international tournament in Malaysia, clinching three gold medals and a silver in various categories. We have also been conducting classes in schools across the district.”
“We take our students to various schools of silambam or cultural arts,” he says. “Recently, we went to Villupuram and learnt ‘Mallakhamba.’ While they shared their knowledge of Mallakhamba, we taught them silambam. ”
V G Radhakrishnan, a teacher with the School Education Department and a parent, praises the benefits of silambam for children. “Silambam is a must for children; it is an extremely rigorous workout highly beneficial for children. It improves their focus, disciplining them. This has a profound impact on their education as it improves their concentration and comprehension.”
Through the dedication of individuals like Manigandan and Raju, silambam is not merely surviving; it is thriving. The rhythmic clash of staff echoes a resurgent spirit, a testament to a legacy reclaimed.
