Angampora: A truly Sri Lankan fighting art
Angampora is an ancient Sri Lankan combat system with heavy influence from Indian martial arts. It was introduced by mercineries from Kerala who came with the Waduga nobility from Kerala. This practice now exceedingly rare because of the tradition of not teaching the martial art outside the family. It incomporates hand to hand combat, the use of weapons such as staffs, knives and swords and the use of pressure points.
"Ange" means "body", "pora" signifies "combat". These were fighting displays either With or Without Weapons: "Angan saramba" or haramba Were the various branches of the fighting Sciences taught at the centres for military training of the Maravalliya" or Maruve, and Sedaliye clans. Each centre Was divided into the "Saramba or Haramba Salava" dealing with "Aangan haramba" and the Ilangan Maduva" or" Ilangama" for Training The Musicians And Dancers Who accompanied each clan in procession or in War. There were also the Vasala saramba salava" and "Ilangam Maduva" reserved for princes.
The Mahavamsa shows that up to the 6th or 7th centures, Sinhala heroes and Warriors Were termed "Yodhya" Wich is a corruption of the Indian team "Yadhajiva".Towards the end of the 16th century it ahd become restricted to mythical giants and was replaced by the title "Panik Rala". In Malabar this is derived from Pani=work and the masters of martial and gymnastic schools were termed "Panikkers".Considerable interchange of teachers in the wristing and fencing had occurred between Ceylon and Malabar. In Ceylon these sciences are extinct, the ancient records pertaining to them bring restricted to a feq painted cloth, frescoes, sculpture and folk songs.
In Ceylon the term "Panik Rala" was originally Conferred upon members of these Martial School Who had distinguished themselves in the glaidatoril arena, but latterly the title became applicable to anyone of `Outstanding Courage and Prowess in any form of physical activity Such as noosing of elephents gathering honey of the rock bee Apis dorsata by being swung over the cliff face and let down on to the hive by means of forest lianes.
FOR MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT ANGAMPORA VISI http://www.angampora.org/
......max macho....
