Angampora is a martial art practised through the ages in Sri Lanka. This martial art combines combat techniques, self-defence, sports, exercise and meditation. ‘It showcases our militarism, national heritage and the spirit of adventure of the people in this island paradise.
The word Angampora means combatting by using the parts of the body. The three main sections of this martial art are Angam, Ilangam and Maya Angam.
Angam, Ilangam and Maya Angam
Angam incorporates hand-to-hand fighting. It includes sports and demonstrations such as keli and gusthi haramba (pora, gata, guti and nila haramba).
Ilangam means, involving the use of indigenous weapons. It has 21 weapons such as, ethunu kaduwa, Sinhala kaduwa, kirichchiya, mugura, hella, kunthaya, kalakighghaya, paliha, kinissa, rita, thrishuulaya, thomaraya and gadhawa.
Another component of Angampora is Maya Angam. It include astrology, meditation, fractures and yanthra manthra.
Techniques
Angampora fighters usually use both striking and grappling techniques and they also use pressure point attacks to inflict pain or permanently paralyse the opponents.
Angampora has a number of techniques such as diya ballu gataya, kathira gataya, pimburu gataya, dik gutiya, cholle, tokke, len pahara, miti gutiya and miti guliya.
History
It is believed that Angampora started over 30,000 years ago in Sri Lanka and that its pilotage was King Ravana. His reign is regarded as the golden era of Angampora.
In 1818, the British Government forbade Angampora in Sri Lanka, because it’s a deadly martial art. Then, Sinhala artistes added Angampora techniques to dancing styles such as wadi, sinha, walas, divi, koti, and leekeli.
Angampora had four main scholastics in Sri Lanka. They are the Sudaliya, Maduwalliya, Korathota and Mada Mahanuwara.
Merits
Angampora artistes should have fitness, volubility, vigour and agility. They also need good health and mental fitness. They practice patience and meditation such as the Anapanasathi Bhawana and Maithree Bhawana.
Angampora artistes also need to be teetotallers.
Angampora artistes wear ancestral diya kachchiya, waul amudaya, mal waatiya, saruwaalaya or white short sarong.
Paintings and carvings
A number of paintings and carvings related to Angampora are found at Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. These include, Embakke Devalaya, Gadaladeniya Raja Maha Vihara, Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura and Lankathilaka Raja Maha Vihara.
Angampora has been the subject of a number of films and teledramas in Sri Lanka. They were the, Angam film, Dadubasnamanaya and Akala Sandhya teledramas.
The Angampora martial art is popular among the new generation in Sri Lanka as it shows our ancestors’ militarism and the heritage of our nation.
Pic: Dushmantha Mayadunne