Lathi khela () is a traditional Bengali martial art – a kind of stick fighting practiced in

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

. A practitioner is known as a ''lathial''. Lathi khela originated from the

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region in

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

Etymology

The word '' lathi'' is the Bengali word meaning stick, while ''khela'' means a sport or game. Therefore, ''lathi khela'' translates as a game of sticks.

Instruments

The lathi is normally made of the male bamboo and sometimes bound at short intervals with iron rings. A typical lathi measures 6 to 8 feet (2 to 2.4 m). Some, called bari, are shorter and may be wielded like a baton or bludgeon. In the past, sticks could be paired with shields, as can still be seen in ''nori bari'' (mock stick-fight) demonstrations.

History

Rich farmers and other eminent people hired ''lathial'' for security and as a symbol of their power. Duels were used as a way to protect or take land and other possessions. A

proverb A proverb (from ) or an adage is a simple, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense or experience. Proverbs are often metaphorical and are an example of formulaic speech, formulaic language. A proverbial phrase ...

in some South Asian languages is "whoever wields the lathi keeps the buffalo".

Zamindar A zamindar in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semi-autonomous feudal lord of a ''zamindari'' (feudal estate). The term itself came into use during the Mughal Empire, when Persian was the official language; ''zamindar'' is the ...

s (feudal lords) sent groups of ''lathial'' to forcefully collect taxes from villagers. Lathi training was at one time included in the Bratachari system of education. Although lathi is practised in Indian and Bangladeshi villages, urbanization has led to its decline as a rural

martial art Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the pres ...

in recent decades. Until 1989, an annual nationwide lathi khela convention was held in Kushtia, Bangladesh, where troupes from all over the country took part. Due to the drop in practitioners and spectators, the convention is now held once every three years. Even in the districts where lathi troupes once flourished, only several now remain. Today, lathi khela is most often seen during festivals and weddings. Matches are held in

West Bengal West Bengal (; Bengali language, Bengali: , , abbr. WB) is a States and union territories of India, state in the East India, eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabi ...

for certain puja rituals, and a similar sport called ''chamdi'' is played during Eid in North Bengal.

Practice

Lathial group performed acts like Baoi Jhak (group fight), Nori Bari (mock fight with sticks), Fala Khela and Dao Khela (mock fight with sharp weapons) and Chhuri dance to music, in the presence of hundreds. These groups may learn the arts of ''dao khela'' (machete fighting) and ''fara khela'' (sword fighting), both of which are preserved today in the form of mock-fights. Matches are generally one-on-one, but the art includes mock-group fights or ''baoi jhak''. In lathi the centre of energy is the heart

chakra A chakra (; ; ) is one of the various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, part of the inner traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The concept of the chakra arose in Hinduism. B ...

, and practitioners fight in a more upright position.

References

External links