The
History of the chakram
The
Chakram or Chakra was used mostly by the Sikhs of north west
India for hundreds of years. The chakram is a flat steel quoit
(ring) with a razor-sharp outer edge. The Quoit is generally 6
to 8 inches in diameter.
The
Sikhs became martial under Guru Govind Singh and used the
Chackra effectively against the Moghul dynasty. The Chackrum has
a history that is as old as Indian civilization itself. It's
useage is embedded in Indian myth and legend. In the epics..the
Mahabharata for instance...an asura trying to get heavenly
nectar from the moon had his head chakra-ed off. Still he tries
to swallow the moon and succeeds ever so often before the moon
escapes through the cut neck...an eclipse myth. Sculptures and
paintings of many gods and godesses show the chakra being
twirled. Several quoits were worn around a tall, conical turban
and were either whirled around the forefinger before throwing or
held between the thumb and forefinger and thrown underarm much
like a frisbee. The picture above shows a Sikh soldier spinning
a chakram around his forefinger.
Some chakrams are mere rings of flattened steel. Others actually
have aerodynamic configurations as part of their overall design.
They will cut, fly and perform to a more refined degree than a
flat one could. Some chakrams have eye catching engravings and
inscriptions to adorn them and their beauty is surpassed only by
their deadly purpose.
If
it is thrown correctly the target never hears or sees it.
However, some of the more elaborate rings had small holes bored
into them to produce a whistling sound as they spun in the air.
The deep thunk of a solid hit when the chakram sticks is reward
enough for the hours of practice one spends mastering this
weapon.
History
of The Sai
Like
all the traditional Okinawan weapons, the exact original of the
sai is not known although a few theories exist. One theory is
that the sai was derived from a type of hoe. This hoe was used
to dig a furrow in the ground. At selected points within the
furrow, deeper holes were made with the point of the hoe in
which seeds were planted. Later, the hand guards were added. A
second theory is that the sai was a direct import from China or
Indonesia. This theory states that there was no Okinawan tool
upon which it was based. The rational for this theory is that
there is little iron on Okinawa which would be needed to make
the sai. Thus, the case for the sai being an import.
Even
though the sai are sometimes called "short swords",
they were not used as a traditional sword word be. Sai were
primarily a defensive weapon. They were used more as a club
would be. Following are some techniques of sai use:
*
With the blade retracted, the sai would cover the forearm to
augment blocking techniques. Also the butt end could be used as
an effective punching implement.
* Flipping the long end out, you effectively have a whipping,
striking tool. The long end could also be used for poking and
blocking techniques.
* The hand guards were effective to catch a strike from a weapon
like a staff. These guards would protect the hand from damage.
The
prongs of the sai are good for blocking, catching and trapping
bo or sword strikes. Once the prongs complete the trap, the
defender can use the sai to twist the attacker's weapon from
their grasp or even breaking the opponent’s weapon. Because of
the flipping techniques employed in use of the sai, strong and
limber wrists need to be developed if one is going to master
their use.
