jvalasingh Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 very true 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted December 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Even the techniques taught by Niddar Singh are an amalgamation of different martial arts, despite what he says. true ; even Nihang Nidar Singh says that all the ANGS are different styles of fighting from different pasrts of India, and these have over the millenia been merged together into SV. Then again as a human there are only so many ways you can punch another person. So no doubt similarities will appaer no matter how distinct styles are geograffically or philosopically. Who is Harjinder Singhs Gurdev? This question always seems to be a allude all the prominent 'gatka ustaads' in the UK. As a former 'GurBhai' of Harjinder i'll be glad to tell you of his Gurdevs even though he will deny it (any reasons for changes of teachers and the actual relationships are best kept 'gupt'. You know about airing dirty laundry in public etc): About the year 1993 in the Year of Our Lord upon this Earth a gora student of Yogi Bhajan started teaching us in Brum by the name of Gur Jeevan Singh. After a few months Ustad Dilbadshah Singh was bought down from Manchester who in turn bought both their gurdevs in from Amsterdam, Holland: Nanak Dev Singh. Over a period of a couple years we had three teachers who were all gotten rid of for a varity of reasons! SInce then we were all 'self-taught' watching VCR clips of Gatka being done in India and by picking up the odd technique from some old baba in this country or by spending a few days with some nihang in India. By this time, as we had no teacher we became teachers ourselves teaching a cocktail of gatka and other martial arts that we already knew. In the late 1990's Harjinder became a student of Nihang Nidar Singh. He learn a few Sava Raksha (self defence) techniques and the basic of VARHAA PENTHRA ie basic punching, slapping strikes using a stance similar to the Cat Stance in Karate. If you watch his 'unarmed' fighting you will still see him using these basics to fend off several opponents during demonstations. Harjinder went on to incorporate 'Shastar Vidiya self defence' into his 'Gatka Sikh battlefield art' that he teaches in his classes. Other students who shared these same teachers as Harjinder include: Buta Singh of Oldbury, Nirmal Singh (v. long beard)of AKJ fame, Sifu Sardara Singh from Walsall who mixes Gatka with Jeet KunDo and Wing Chun. Also, I think, (but it could be a rumour I'm spreading!) Teji of Baba Fateh Singh Akhara in London also picked up a few techniques from Nanak Dev Singh to incorporate with his other matial art styles that he knows. Basically, most of the established Ustads in Midlands area share the gurdevs. I personally don't care if thay do Morris Dancing and call it a Sikh martial art, but not to acknowledge your Guru is a grave SIN in my book and those guys deserve to have their noses chopped off for insulting those who have taught them. Incidently: Master Nanak Dev Singh now is a Shagirid of Nihang Nidar Singh. And he now realises what is gatka and what is SV. Fateh all! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaheediyan Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Cheers Jattboot. I knew the Nanak Dev Singh connection must have existed somewhere! Funny bloke, Nanak Dev Singh. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted December 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 It was Nanak Dev Singh who bought Gatka to the West or at least the UK. I have told Nidar Singh that he is to be blamed for this comedic farce that is called Gatka. He did write a book on it call Gatka: Dance Of The Sword. I think everyone has taken 'Dance' part a bit to literally. If you get a copy of it (out of print, now) you will see that all the stuff being taught by all the Ustads these days are his techniques including the names such as MARORAA, FRONT FLICK, CHEER, CHUNGI, NINE HITS PANTHRA etc. He had this one casstte ( cant remember the name) out that had some mantra and nagara and dhol beats that we would practice to. Incredible stuff, really got the juices flowing. He would also do Waheguru mantra with yogic elements; very esoteric and etheral. Even some Ustads I have spoken to admit that Gatka is ineffectual in real life BUT, they argue, that at least it brings to the youth into Sikhi, simran, sangat! My response to them...? So your're preaching to our youth and basing it all on deciet and lies???? How strong do you think their Sikhi really is then??? Not to mention the dangerous predicament they are put in: thinking that they know how to defend themselves but in reality knowing nothing more than Bhangra with swords! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matheen Posted December 21, 2008 Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Matheen, please explain exactly which martial arts Niddar Singh has alamgamated into his fighting style? .......... Shastarvidiya however is a true combat art which covers fighting at all levels. There are several moves from oriental arts and other arts from around asia. He used to freely admit this back in the day, before most people had heard of him. There is no shame in this. I disagree with the second statement - ask Jagdeep lol. (If he admits it is another story though....) The word shastarvidya doesn't denote any single art. It is literally 'knowledge of weapons'. What Niddar teaches is excellent, but definitely not complete. The most obvious omission is modern warfare and his unarmed combat is pretty weak in reality. His weapons stuff is excellent though. As Gurbani says, anything built on a foundation of lies soon comes crashing down. If he is your gurdev, respect him but open your eyes and do your own research as well. Don't accept eveything blindly. Why do you think most of his original students left over the years.....? Anyway, I've got nothing more to say about Niddar or his art. If you're happt with it - go for it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SURYADEV Posted December 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2008 Matheen ,I've been told that he has MMA students attending the London akharas. If youre from that area you should check them out. Time and location: http://www.shastarvidiya.org/akhara16.jsp I agree with you, before you go to a teacher you should do full research. Just go and ask Nidar singh or any gatka teacher directly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matheen Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 I've known him since before he was famous....... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akalisodhi Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 The article is a joke....for a martial arts magazine, there is very little in regards with technique stated in the interview. On a lighter note....I tried to be a goth, but they......could not handle my gothness 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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