The Indic civilization has had rich, hoary Kshatriya traditions which gave rise to equally rich and profound martial traditions like the Sanatan Shastra Vidya, which literally means the ‘timeless science of weapons.’ This ancient art of battle is traced back to Adi Deva Shiva who gave this knowledge to Pashupats, from whom it passed on to Kapaliks, Nagavanshis, Suryavanshis and subsequently to Rajputs, Naths, Sikhs, Marathas, Jats and other martial communities of India.
Guru Nidar Singh Nihang, the sole surviving Guru of the classical Baba Darbara Singh Shastar Akhara established in 1661, gives us a fascinating account of how Shastra Vidya flourished in India till the arrival of the British, who not only banned possession of weapons but subdued and suppressed all native martial traditions and systematically laid them to waste. Improvising ways to hoodwink the British to keep their weapons, the brave Nihangs strove against all odds to preserve their closely guarded art which was teetering on the brink of extinction.
Demonstrating the technical and metaphysical aspects of Shastra Vidya encompassing martial yoga, body mechanics and other sophisticated, highly swift and efficient techniques, Guru Nidar Singh Ji makes a case for the revival of this forgotten science, deeply rooted in Hindu and Sikh martial, historical and spiritual traditions.
About Speaker: –
Gurudev Nidar Singh is the sole-surviving master and ninth teacher (gurdev) of the Baba Darbara Singh Shastar Vidya Akhara, a classical school of learning established in 1661. It is the last remnant of the ancient traditional Indian battlefield system called, Read More
