sAmu - katti sAmu & karra sAmu : Bapa Rao's Querry
PALANA
sAmu - katti - karra
---------------------------------------------------------
Yes Bapa Rao gAru. This "sAmu" topic was never discussed as far as
I remember. vITi vidya was discussed in the Avadhanam context in the
early days of Telusa threads.
Vedavati in her book Telugu Velugu (a comprehensive treatise on various
aspects of Telugu Culture and Traditions) covered on sAmu at a very
basic level - ATapATalu. Vedavati says - "magavAru karrasAmu, mushTi
yuddham, malla yuddham, balapradarSanalu, katti sAmu vanTi vyAyAma
krIDalalO AritEri unDEvAru." Hence, sAmu, is regarded/considered as a kind
of physical exercise. saamu also means half in addition to physical
exercise or vyAyAmamu. This saamu is also related to sAmarthyamu
(vigor/might). The guy who is an expert in saamu is called "sAmari".
Brown calls saamu in his dictionary "Fencing or feats of strength- gAriDi".
What I understand from the etymology of this word, sAmu means showing or
disclosing the stregth i.e. sAmarthyamu cUpuTa.
At some point sAmu became a form of "Martial Art" or "Ancient Indian Defense
Training" offered in different Maharaja/Zamindari Samsthanams. It is
actually prevalent now in many parts of India in several forms with
different degrees of vigor. It is still alive in the vyAyAmaSAlAs. People
in rural India still exhibit certain feats of karra sAmu mostly as the
swords have disappeared from the social stage. Pathans and Rajputs still do
exhibit katti sAmu on different occassions.
sAmu is mainly two different types:
(1) karra sAmu
(2) katti sAmu
Both of these were part of the early defense training for the prince/little
Raja or Zamindar. The prince/little raja was trained in archery and
shooting along with sAmu of both kinds. Saamu not only needs physical
strength and endurence but also requires highest degree of presence of mind
and concentration and above all intelliegence. It is a very tricky
gymnastic feat.
If you grow up in an area which was previously a princely estate, you
would see these sAmus once a year, especially during dasra festivals.
The sAmu is also called "gariDi or gariDI". I used to listen "vADu Em
gariDI tippEDurA" - for his mastery exhibition of katti sAmu or karra sAmu.
The guys who do the karra sAmu or katti sAmu are really well-built and have
a good wrist and muscle work. Most of them are usually well-disciplined.
This sAmu is a kind of defense exercise (feat). All round the year
the troups practise this saamu. The are trained in exhibiting several
offensive and defensive tricks (techniques). There is a main "sAmu guru"
and there are several special experts e.g. as in karra sAmu, katti sAmu,
gada sAmu etc. The pupils respect their gurus. Usually the sAmu exercise
traiing sessions are held in the premisis of kALi or BEtALa or AnjenEya
temples. The body builders are also given training in a particular sAmu
of their interest.
Usually special troups were maintained by Maharajahs who used to get
trained in various types of sAmus on a regular basis. Smaller Rajahs like
the Zamindars used to provide financial support to the farmer communities.
These farmers used to live in the 4 corners of the town and they used to
have a well-trained para-military force. These young men used to be
excellent karra sAmu or katti sAmu guys.
karra sAmu is done with about 6 feet bamboo sticks. Yes! This is very
similar to what you see in Kantarao - Rajanala - NTR movies. This is not
easy to do. There are certain ways to do just like tALa baddha music.
One has to be very watchful. Each time one fellow beats on another's stick
- it is called a debba and every time the other guy receives a stroke and
defends has another term. What you see in the jAnapada Vithalacharya movies
is lot inferior to what they do.
There are many variations to this karra sAmu. A person doing karra sAmu may
use two bamboo sticks or 1 bamboo stick. It depends on the type of the
feat. There guys who are trained to use wood like the kADi to do the karra
sAmu.
katti sAmu is more dangerous as you expect. They do with different types of
swords. I had seens different types of swords in different shapes being
used for katti sAmu. I used to get scared to watch the guys doing katti
saamu. If you see the variations in these kattis, you will be amazed.
The handles are shaped like animal or bird faces. Sometimes, the handles
are entirely metallic in the form of a glove covering half of the hand and
the hand is protected by a heavy metallic case. The katti blade will be
swinging and vibrating while the guy is doing the gariDI. These blades will
be either shining steel or brass. If the sAmari is interested, he will put
extra effort in polishing the blade and shining it getting its lusture
back (as you know the metallic swords are subjected to atmospheric
oxidation back home quicker).
Like any other gymnastic exercise/feat, saamari has to follow specific
rules in how many times he has to jump, how high he has to jump, how many
times he has to turn around (either clockwise or counter clockwise), how
many times he has to twist his arm - it is an arduous process with high
degree of precission.
While giving a performance in a court of Kings or in front of the
villagers, individual sAmu guys do a lot solo feats like jumping rhythmically
exhibiting various feats of sAmu. They do it to the tune of a music played
by a band called "sAmu Dappulu" or "sAmu music". A guy or two play a
sannayi like pipe and there are 2-3 Dappu guys and a drummer.
Year around the farmer community in a town would do their regular sAmu
practice. On dasara day, they first go to the Ammatalli (whoever the Great
Godess of the town) temple, sacrifice a goat/wild buffalo and worship all
these weapons - sowrds, bamboo sticks, DAlu etc. Then that evening they go
to the Zamindar's or Maharajah's court and give the first performance.
They do the solo feats and duo feats and some time 3-4 guys also do these
to the tunes of music tunes played by the sAmu music band. The first tune
played will be the tune praising the Maharajaha or Zamindar. I remember one
here - The pipe guy will play these lines firt - Maharajah! Sri Sri Sri
Krishna Chandra Gajapati Narayana Deo ....some other words of praising and
the music continues. Not every one can or will play this music. Only a
particular set of guys are trained to play the sAmu music. Then the
Maharajah or Zamindar gives a gift and money to the troup. After giving the
first performance in the court of Maharajah/Zamindar, the troup goes out
into the town to almost every street. They stop at the big shots' houses
and collect their yearly donations/gifts. Each sAmu troup has its own
niche. Usually no troup will set its foot into other' niche. If it happens,
blood sheds will occur. You know what these guys can do when they are
outraged with weapons. On the dasara night while performing sAmu, most of
these guys get drunk. That is sad.
Some times there are competitions between various sAmu troups. If the
competitions go smooth, it is fun to watch. But, routinely, fights flare
up.
In Vijayanagaram samsthAnam, one may see these sAmu performances during
paiDitalli sambarAlu. That is really a fascinating one to watch. There are
some great sAmu guys around that area.
All my childhood, I used to watch the farming communities of Parlakimedi
doing sAmu. On dasara day they used to come out and give performances.
They used to wear colorful dresses. Most of them used to wear dresses
similar to those of NTR/Kantarao in their Janapada movies. The Maharajah of
Parlakimedi maintained two fully trained sAmu troups in two ends of the
town as there was a Pindari (pinDArI) problem. On the southwest side of the
town, the Mahendratanaya river (born in Mahendragiri hills and known for
Gidugu Rammoorthy pantulu's Orissa quitting landmark after Parlakimedi
joined Orissa) flows. In summer, the river dries up and Pindaris used to
cross the river, come into the town, and rob people. Therefore, Maharajah
maintained para-military troups who used to do sAmu on a routine basis and
protect the town during summer. History tells us that the farmers trained
in sAmu did protect the town and pinDArIs never came back to rob
afterwards. Till today in my native place, Parlakimedi, there are 2
streets (1) sEri veedhi on the south side of the town and (2) pedda kApu
veedhi on the north east side of the town with full of farmers who
were dedicating half of their time in this kind of sAmu practice and
exercise for defense purpose only.
These sAmu guys (some well-trained) also were the bodyguards of the
Maharajah or Zamindar.
Bapa Rao gAru! Now a days this sAmu is practised in several vyAyAma SAlAs.
Usually you can see the karra sAmu. Some also do katti sAmu. In places like
Vijayanagaram, Parlakimedi and other zamindaris, there are still several
households who practise sAmu and teach sAmu. Karra sAmu is also taught by
the RSS and RSS people are good at this. I am not sure whether the Siva
Sena guys maintain a katti sAmu troup. The Masjids used to maintain
para-military troups and they used to train their boys in various sAmus.
The boy scouts in various cities of India teach/maintain guys (some
atleast) who do karra sAmu. Actually, the boys scouts carry 6 feet bamboo
stick of specific diameter. In rural Andhra, occassionally you can bump
into groups of people who can do very good karra sAmu. I don't know whether
karra sAmu and katti saamu are part of Indian Army-Navy-Air Force training.
I am not surprised if it is.
Unfortunately most of these are facing problems like financial support or
nuturing. Someone told me the meaning of "karATE"- the guy told me that
this karATE is originally from Andhra - meaning - karra ATa - that is karra
sAmu (and/or) kara = hand and ATa = game. I don't know how far that is true
but for a moment I felt proud of my Andhra Culture. Any way, there is a
constillation called "sAmukanTicukka" (pubbA).
caduvu sAmu galigi kshatriyul sampUrNa
vidyulanaga vITa vinutikekki
Finally the proverb "Aru nelalu sAmu cEsi mUlanunna musilammanu
koTTADannATlu" - means this young guy is so strong and capable that he
could not find an equal partner to show his talent of sAmu. This also means
that in order to perform sAmu, the sAmari should compete with a samamaina
sAmari.
--pAlana
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Madhava.Kum...@lana.zippo.com
In article <5cuh47$l...@srv13s4.cas.org>, PALANA says...
Dear PALANAgaru,
Excellent article in Karra Samu. I wanted to add something to this. This
karra samu is also called as "sAdhana". This sport is existing in a
village called "Jandrapet" near Chirala, Prakasam district. It is a
terrific sport. They dip one side of the "sadhana" stick in paint and the
aim of the sport is to put "tilakam" to the other man, while he defends
himself. There are different levels (like computer games!). Finally there
is something called "vyuham". Here the person has to defend himself from
15 people and should shatter a circle sourrounding him. You may feel
great while watching this because you can witness only the circle but
not the challenger who is inside the circle. You just can listen the
sounds of the sticks. I have seen this enacted in pictures by many heroes.
Basically, sadhana is a household sport for "dEvaNgulu" a sect of weavers.
If I am not mistaken, they are the best in doing this karra samu (sAdhana).
I have witnessed this sport when one of my childhood friends "Batta
Basavacharyulu" has invited me to see the play. Basavacaryulu's father
had been a champion in this sport for 15 continuous years.
This sport is really wonderful. Do not miss watching play if you are
around Chirala during Dasara Days.
Regards
Madhava
brao
In article <5cuh47$l...@srv13s4.cas.org>, PALANA <npar...@cas.org> wrote:
[ Detailed exposition on saamu in response to my query ]
Many thanks for enlightening me on our own "saamu-rai"s. :-)
Does anyone know whether saamu (and Indian martial arts in general)
are taught/practiced by expatriate communities in America? Or are we
all, physically speaking, "sOmari"s instead of "sAmari"s?
My personal views.
Bapa Rao
PAL...@cas.org
In article <5ddffp$c...@pollux.usc.edu>, br...@pollux.usc.edu says...
Bapa Rao gAru!
Check your local yellow pages under "FENCING".
Several schools (Fencing schools - may be attached with Taikwnado or Taichi
or Buddhist Gymnastics) will teach it.
pAlana
Opinions above are mine only.