Orgins and History: Gatka is the martial art of the Sikhs, and
is tied in with the religion Sikhism. It’s a weapons-based
martial art, which was imparted to the Sikhs in the time of Guru
Hargobind Ji (the sixth Guru of the Sikhs) by the Rajputs (Hindu
warriors of northern India) in the 16th century, in gratitude
for their release from imprisonment by the fledgling Sikh army
of that time. The Sikhs at that time opposed the Mughal Empire,
which violently oppressed both Sikhs and Hindus in the name of
Islam. The Tenth Master of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, was
an extremely proficient martial artist. He continued to
encourage the Sikhs to train seriously in the martial arts, and
in 1699 founded the Khalsa, a special Order, to which all Sikhs
would thereafter aspire to joining. The Khalsa was subject to
strict military and personal discipline, and were enjoined to,
inter alia, always carry 5 items with them: the Kanga (a small
wooden comb), Kachhehra (long drawers instead of a loincloth),
Kara (a steel bracer