my encounter with nillaikalakki
By: Aravindan kamalanathan
nillaikalakki student
august 2020
Introduction
I am Aravindan Kamalanathan; 46 years old from Kajang Selangor, Malaysia. I have been exposed to the martial world since 1983 when I was 9 years old. It started when my father M. Kamalanathan sent me to a master by the name of Subrayan at Kuala Selangor 2nd mile Murugan temple to learn Kalari Payat. At that point I was not sure what I was going for, after all. I stopped going for Kalari Payat after about 1-year training under Master Subrayan. In 1984, I started learning Silambam from a master by the name of Samy. That’s how my father used to address him. I learned Silambam from this master in Bukit Rotan Maha Mariaamman Temple. This also lasted only for a year. The master stopped teaching and I went back to Kalari Payat to train under Master Govindan and Master Batumalai; Kalari Payat Grandmaster was the Late Mahaguru Ustaz Hamzah. I learned Kalari Payat until my brown belt which was till 1988. Then I stopped completely martial arts and started to travel around for my studies. I was in Tanah Merah Kedah in 1992; to continue my studies in Engineering at Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah. While studying in Poly I joined the Malaysian Reserve Army (Askar Wataniah) Rej 504 Bukit Pinang. My number is 6046731. I was in the reserves till 1993. My last rank was Lans corporal.
Moved to Kajang with my Family in 1995; I joined Hayashi Ha Karate Do in Kajang. Trained under Master Sivaraju. This was the team under Grandmaster Ponniah Hayashi Ha Karate Do. I was with this training group until I received my Brown 3rd Kyu in 1997. During this period, I also trained Silambam under Master Siva; Mahaguru Arumugam’s son- this is under Persatuan Silambam Malaysia in Semenyih.
After that I left to Sinagpore and joined Shitoryu Karate Do in McNair Road Singapore. Trained under Master Wong till 2001. I had to start back from white belt in Shitoryu since Hayashi Ha was not recongnized by Singapore Karate DO at that time.
I came to Penang in October 2001, right after the Sept 2011 attack in US. I started to search for a proper Martial arts training place which genuinely teaches an authentic art. I found Master Anba who was teaching Silambam at Taman Tun Sardon Hall at the market area. I am still learning this art till now 29th June 2020. It has already been 18years since I started learning Nillaikalakki Silambam. For the first 2 years I was learning this art directly under Grandmaster
Anbanathan’s guidance. Since 2003 till now I have already moved out of Penang and continued doing my training alone. I get guidance from GM Anbanathan whenever we meet physically; normally once or twice a year. I get updates and understanding about the art all the time from GM Anbanathan on daily basis. I also get a lot of help and assistance from other senior master; Master Munieswaran, Master Amuthan, Master Saravanan and many more Masters and friends which will be mentioned along the way in this write up.
Moved to Kajang with my Family in 1995; I joined Hayashi Ha Karate Do in Kajang. Trained under Master Sivaraju. This was the team under Grandmaster Ponniah Hayashi Ha Karate Do. I was with this training group until I received my Brown 3rd Kyu in 1997. During this period, I also trained Silambam under Master Siva; Mahaguru Arumugam’s son- this is under Persatuan Silambam Malaysia in Semenyih.
After that I left to Sinagpore and joined Shitoryu Karate Do in McNair Road Singapore. Trained under Master Wong till 2001. I had to start back from white belt in Shitoryu since Hayashi Ha was not recongnized by Singapore Karate DO at that time.
I came to Penang in October 2001, right after the Sept 2011 attack in US. I started to search for a proper Martial arts training place which genuinely teaches an authentic art. I found Master Anba who was teaching Silambam at Taman Tun Sardon Hall at the market area. I am still learning this art till now 29th June 2020. It has already been 18years since I started learning Nillaikalakki Silambam. For the first 2 years I was learning this art directly under Grandmaster
Anbanathan’s guidance. Since 2003 till now I have already moved out of Penang and continued doing my training alone. I get guidance from GM Anbanathan whenever we meet physically; normally once or twice a year. I get updates and understanding about the art all the time from GM Anbanathan on daily basis. I also get a lot of help and assistance from other senior master; Master Munieswaran, Master Amuthan, Master Saravanan and many more Masters and friends which will be mentioned along the way in this write up.
MY ENCOUNTER WITH NILLAIKALAKKI
Since 1983 till 2001 I have met and trained under quite a number of masters, senior students, coaches etc. All the time I only learned how to fight or defend myself with all the trainings with punches, blocks, kicks, various types of locks and various type of blow, vital points, pressure points, way of thinking as a martial artist. Basically, all about saving myself from being harmed. In some other from I learned how to get scoring point. Also, how to earn seniority by getting colored belts, fighting in tournaments to earn medals etc.
Doubts
The doubts about martial arts started when I was in Singapore. I started to have so many questioned in myself as list below:
Many more questions started flooding my mind. Exactly at that time I was with Shitoryu in Singapore and had to re-start back from white belt, but I will be training with the black belts for sparring and kata, also represented the club in national tournaments. This made me realize that the belt is not the measuring tool for a participant’s skill in the art. Now the question is what am I doing trying to adapt a different culture after all when I have my own.
Now let’s go back to history about Bogar Maharishi and other Sittars who had travelled all over the world spreading the arts to mankind. They were all mainly from South India, whereby my lineage is from there too. Then why should I try to learn other way of life when my own ancestors have already had this thousand of years ago.
Doubts
The doubts about martial arts started when I was in Singapore. I started to have so many questioned in myself as list below:
- Culture and martial arts.
- Origin of mankind followed by defending techniques; in short authenticated martial arts.
- The true meaning in every movements in that art. All the hidden meanings apart from the self-defense techniques.
- What’s the value of belting system and gradings in a martial art.?
- Which is the best martial art to learn, basically how to find the origin of all arts.
- For example, we have alphabets and then only words constructing sentences and finally a literature. Where to learn the alphabets? Another simple example is on numbers; we have 9 digits; 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 0 came in. This numbers are derived up to very complex mathematics. Where or who can show me the basic numbers first before going to complexity.
Many more questions started flooding my mind. Exactly at that time I was with Shitoryu in Singapore and had to re-start back from white belt, but I will be training with the black belts for sparring and kata, also represented the club in national tournaments. This made me realize that the belt is not the measuring tool for a participant’s skill in the art. Now the question is what am I doing trying to adapt a different culture after all when I have my own.
Now let’s go back to history about Bogar Maharishi and other Sittars who had travelled all over the world spreading the arts to mankind. They were all mainly from South India, whereby my lineage is from there too. Then why should I try to learn other way of life when my own ancestors have already had this thousand of years ago.
MEETING THE NEW MASTER
On my daily basis I will try to strike conversation with anyone that I come across to find out for Silambam training place. One day I was at Gelugor having my dinner at Jaya Restaurant. There I met an old man selling breads on the road side. As usual I asked this old man about Silambam classes in Penang, who immediately told me that there is master staying at nearby houses who teaches Silambam and a well-known one in Penang. According to this old man- the master works in Post office across the street where I met him. The very next day I called for the master know as Master Anba. I set an appointment to meet him during the lunch hours. Went to the post office and met a thin dark man, well dressed in office attire. That is the first time I saw GM Anbanathan. He introduced himself as the teacher who teaches Silambam at a nearby hall. He knew most of the masters that I learned from before. We exchanged past stories and I looked forward to visit his class once it opens again for training. Well I found him in December however the training center was closed for some renovation works and will only open again in January 2002.
First day with GM Anbanathan
I went to the training center in January 2002; Thai mattham in Tamil calender. Met Master Anba with one student; Yoga; a big built man with heavy beard. There were only 2 of us with Master Anba in the class that day. First thing Master Anba asked me to do was to show him what I have learned in Silambam previously. I showed him some stick rotating method and some hand fighting techniques, karate katas that I could remember at that time.
Master Anba asked me to do one thing; To leave everything that I have learned out of the door and to concentrate on what he was going to teach. In my heart I was like thinking – it’s the same with other masters too...
Mater Anba thought me how to the Silambam Salutation. In my mind I was relating with what I learned in PSM to do salutation. But to my surprise, the first salutation was just a simple sitting down on the ground in “Hanuman Anthar” position, place the left palm on the ground, then the right palm, lift up both palms to the fore head and say out loud “OM SAKTHI”. I entered the other dimension the moment I did the salutation. This is the beginning of my journey in this authentic way of life.
Next the class went on with Ottai Ki Vichi. Every word uttered during the training was in Tamil only. Finally, we called it a day and class finished. Master Anba reminded me to be aware about the body aches that I might have and to drink boiled water with dried ginger “Suke” to repair damaged small veins in the body due to exercises that we did. But me: What suku, I have done more vigorous trainings, can anytime manage with a simple training like what we did that day. That’s the EGO that I had in me.
The next day- I could hardly lift my arm which had sharp pain at the shoulders. I forgot about the training I had the night before and was thinking something has gone wrong with my health. Later that evening I went to class again- met Master Anba and related the pain issue to him. He explained the reason for the pain that I am having. We continued doing the same training: The salutations and ottai vichi. This time the given explanations were deeper:
First day with GM Anbanathan
I went to the training center in January 2002; Thai mattham in Tamil calender. Met Master Anba with one student; Yoga; a big built man with heavy beard. There were only 2 of us with Master Anba in the class that day. First thing Master Anba asked me to do was to show him what I have learned in Silambam previously. I showed him some stick rotating method and some hand fighting techniques, karate katas that I could remember at that time.
Master Anba asked me to do one thing; To leave everything that I have learned out of the door and to concentrate on what he was going to teach. In my heart I was like thinking – it’s the same with other masters too...
Mater Anba thought me how to the Silambam Salutation. In my mind I was relating with what I learned in PSM to do salutation. But to my surprise, the first salutation was just a simple sitting down on the ground in “Hanuman Anthar” position, place the left palm on the ground, then the right palm, lift up both palms to the fore head and say out loud “OM SAKTHI”. I entered the other dimension the moment I did the salutation. This is the beginning of my journey in this authentic way of life.
Next the class went on with Ottai Ki Vichi. Every word uttered during the training was in Tamil only. Finally, we called it a day and class finished. Master Anba reminded me to be aware about the body aches that I might have and to drink boiled water with dried ginger “Suke” to repair damaged small veins in the body due to exercises that we did. But me: What suku, I have done more vigorous trainings, can anytime manage with a simple training like what we did that day. That’s the EGO that I had in me.
The next day- I could hardly lift my arm which had sharp pain at the shoulders. I forgot about the training I had the night before and was thinking something has gone wrong with my health. Later that evening I went to class again- met Master Anba and related the pain issue to him. He explained the reason for the pain that I am having. We continued doing the same training: The salutations and ottai vichi. This time the given explanations were deeper:
- Our relation with the stick that we hold, should be like the relationship between Ramar and Lakchumanan. (Try holding my Silambam Stick)
- The reason for doing the bumi Vanakam; salutation to the earth- why sit in “Hanuman Anthar position, why place the left palm on ground first.
- Why we place the thumbs between the eyes before saying OM SAKTHI.
- The strength in saying OM SAKTHI.
- Other salutations: For Ancestors, for the Gurus, for God. Finally, to the MASTER.
- Why the salutations are sequenced in these manners.
- What is Vichi.
- What is Ottai vichi: in martials aspect, in exercise form, for medication form. (There is another form also apart from the mentioned 3)
- What is swirling and how to get it. Please note we need to get the swirling by ourselves. But from who and how? Example of swirling is like flying sparrows’ movement.
NILLAIKALAKKI
As days passed with traning on daily basis at Taman Tun Sardon hall on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesdays and Saturdays we would drive to an orphanage in Batu Maung Penang to teach the foster kids staying in these orphanage.
In 6 months I learned the basic Silambam which consists of the following:
Than we were tested by GM Anba ( There were 3 of us; Munieswaran, Indran and Myself) and then the following Class on Thursday GM Anba did a pooja at the training place and gave us each a Yellow colored Cloth to be tied like a belt around our waist. This basically sort of a grading but at the end this what
GM Anba told us:It’s we who should grade ourselves by doing more reputation of the vichis. The test conducted was just to make us realize on what we were learning all the while. The arts name is Nillaikallakki. Silambam is a way of life, whereas Nillaikalakki is the essence (Life) in the art. There is other form of silambam’s also as listed:
There are other types also but these are the main ones that we will be learning. GM Anbanathan’s master is Gurukal Mariyapakkiam. I continued till I started to learn all the silatguvarusai, sandai maratham, kaal adikal, adi kambungal, mariyal, breathing versus body movement, rotation angels, the strength transformation in the spinnings.
Things were getting complicated to understand – especially when required to combine all in one movement, and then all the combined movement to be opened out to singe individual movements. I started to write down whatever that I learned in a book. I have 2 books; the first one that I used as a sketch book and then another book which I am still using to record down my trainings. There will be detail write up on the Nilaikalakki Silambam trainings I received under GM Anba
Training alone
I left Penang in March 2003. Came back to Kajang where I am staying currently. Got married with Sugunavathi in 2003 where we are blessed with 2 boys age 15 and 12. More the day I moved to Kajang I have been doing my trainings alone, by simply repeating all that I have written during my stay in Penang. I always make small trips to Penang to stay there for few days to learn further from GM Anba. I have been doing this for the past 17 years. Sadly, there are times where I don’t get the chance to train for some longer period of time and there were times it gets extended to more than 6 months. This is mainly due to my work nature whereby I have to be away from home at construction sites for long period of times. There are reasons for this which I will share in my other write ups.
Silambam for fighting or for healing
When I reached the intermediate level in my Silambam trainings, GM Anba was telling me about spinning the sticks made out of herbal woods such as Jackfruit tree branch, or neem wood and the reason for doing this training. It is basically to get the essence from these herbs to our body through contact. Now if we are doing this for our health, what is the martial art is all about? Is it for fighting or for medication purpose? The art is from the sittars and yogis who use for self-medication and for healthy living. Over the years it was passed to the warrior clans where the art transformed to a self-defensing and warfare art.
Now the question is what do we want to do with this art: use it for self-defensing, sports, demonstrations or to pass it on to the next generation to be used as shield to protect themselves to be healthy.
Self-realization
What is Martial Arts/ Tharkappu Kaalai; Tharkappu is defensing ourselves. Kaalai is art which is spiritual which belongs to the nature or 5 elements. No one owns it. It goes to the one who seek for it. It has no value or its to valuable where it can’t be measured with money value. These were the words from GM Anba when I met him for some trainings in Penang after 2003.
All this events, words and many more made me to realize something beyond the fighting techniques, something which is not visible. I could only feel it. But this was knocking right in the center of my brain. I simply could not describe this by words here. I started to see or think the co-relation between the universe, human body, sells with the spinning movements that we do in Silambam. The energies that flow in the spinning with the energies between others. Relation with human body and the movements in the art. The dreams that I use to get during sleeping time, its messages started to show other than martial arts in Nilaikalakki Silambam that I learned all this while. A lot of my question were being answered or lead o other more complex question for me to find out. It was always in me only not anywhere else What is it actually? What’s the message that is trying to reach me? I will explain further in detail once I get the correct words in my next write up.
Being with GM Anbanathan
I have learned from quite a number of masters in different type of of arts before coming to Master Anba. To be honest Master Anba was more than a father or Guru to me. Wherever I am , I know that I can reach out to him when I have doubts, or feel down or for whatever reason it could be. He was the only Master who made me realize that an authentic Martial Art is to protect mankind, not only to be used merely to protect our own selves. Basically, to love and protect every being. He made me to pay more attention towards the Sittars, Muruga and Vallalar teachings. He has never taken a penny for his coaching as a fee and even if we force it to him, the money will automatically go for some charity funds. He thought me humanity, which I am still learning from him till to this very moment. There are so many moments with him, the words that he used during trainings to make us to understand in a simplified manner. I will be writing more about all this in detail soon.
In 6 months I learned the basic Silambam which consists of the following:
- Ottai Vichi
- Mae Vichi
- Rettai Vichi
- Thalai Suttre
- Kumkutte Kirki
- Sareki
- Arthe Kunthal
- Silatguvarusai
- Silatguvarusai Vanakam- Agni, Poli,Vayu and Sani.
Than we were tested by GM Anba ( There were 3 of us; Munieswaran, Indran and Myself) and then the following Class on Thursday GM Anba did a pooja at the training place and gave us each a Yellow colored Cloth to be tied like a belt around our waist. This basically sort of a grading but at the end this what
GM Anba told us:It’s we who should grade ourselves by doing more reputation of the vichis. The test conducted was just to make us realize on what we were learning all the while. The arts name is Nillaikallakki. Silambam is a way of life, whereas Nillaikalakki is the essence (Life) in the art. There is other form of silambam’s also as listed:
- Panniyarimalle,
- Karnatagam
- Pulli kaal Addi
- Kalapathe
- Thuluke
- Kuravanji
- Nillaikalakki
There are other types also but these are the main ones that we will be learning. GM Anbanathan’s master is Gurukal Mariyapakkiam. I continued till I started to learn all the silatguvarusai, sandai maratham, kaal adikal, adi kambungal, mariyal, breathing versus body movement, rotation angels, the strength transformation in the spinnings.
Things were getting complicated to understand – especially when required to combine all in one movement, and then all the combined movement to be opened out to singe individual movements. I started to write down whatever that I learned in a book. I have 2 books; the first one that I used as a sketch book and then another book which I am still using to record down my trainings. There will be detail write up on the Nilaikalakki Silambam trainings I received under GM Anba
Training alone
I left Penang in March 2003. Came back to Kajang where I am staying currently. Got married with Sugunavathi in 2003 where we are blessed with 2 boys age 15 and 12. More the day I moved to Kajang I have been doing my trainings alone, by simply repeating all that I have written during my stay in Penang. I always make small trips to Penang to stay there for few days to learn further from GM Anba. I have been doing this for the past 17 years. Sadly, there are times where I don’t get the chance to train for some longer period of time and there were times it gets extended to more than 6 months. This is mainly due to my work nature whereby I have to be away from home at construction sites for long period of times. There are reasons for this which I will share in my other write ups.
Silambam for fighting or for healing
When I reached the intermediate level in my Silambam trainings, GM Anba was telling me about spinning the sticks made out of herbal woods such as Jackfruit tree branch, or neem wood and the reason for doing this training. It is basically to get the essence from these herbs to our body through contact. Now if we are doing this for our health, what is the martial art is all about? Is it for fighting or for medication purpose? The art is from the sittars and yogis who use for self-medication and for healthy living. Over the years it was passed to the warrior clans where the art transformed to a self-defensing and warfare art.
Now the question is what do we want to do with this art: use it for self-defensing, sports, demonstrations or to pass it on to the next generation to be used as shield to protect themselves to be healthy.
Self-realization
What is Martial Arts/ Tharkappu Kaalai; Tharkappu is defensing ourselves. Kaalai is art which is spiritual which belongs to the nature or 5 elements. No one owns it. It goes to the one who seek for it. It has no value or its to valuable where it can’t be measured with money value. These were the words from GM Anba when I met him for some trainings in Penang after 2003.
All this events, words and many more made me to realize something beyond the fighting techniques, something which is not visible. I could only feel it. But this was knocking right in the center of my brain. I simply could not describe this by words here. I started to see or think the co-relation between the universe, human body, sells with the spinning movements that we do in Silambam. The energies that flow in the spinning with the energies between others. Relation with human body and the movements in the art. The dreams that I use to get during sleeping time, its messages started to show other than martial arts in Nilaikalakki Silambam that I learned all this while. A lot of my question were being answered or lead o other more complex question for me to find out. It was always in me only not anywhere else What is it actually? What’s the message that is trying to reach me? I will explain further in detail once I get the correct words in my next write up.
Being with GM Anbanathan
I have learned from quite a number of masters in different type of of arts before coming to Master Anba. To be honest Master Anba was more than a father or Guru to me. Wherever I am , I know that I can reach out to him when I have doubts, or feel down or for whatever reason it could be. He was the only Master who made me realize that an authentic Martial Art is to protect mankind, not only to be used merely to protect our own selves. Basically, to love and protect every being. He made me to pay more attention towards the Sittars, Muruga and Vallalar teachings. He has never taken a penny for his coaching as a fee and even if we force it to him, the money will automatically go for some charity funds. He thought me humanity, which I am still learning from him till to this very moment. There are so many moments with him, the words that he used during trainings to make us to understand in a simplified manner. I will be writing more about all this in detail soon.
CONCLUSION
Well I found the answers for the questions I had when I was learning other martial arts. This question does not matter to me now. There is only one thing in my mind-to get Nillaikalakki Silambam knowledge that I have to the next generation in its most pure form like how it was given to me by GM Anba. To attain that I need to make a lot of changes to my own self. Muruga has always guided me all this while. I started to learn martial art in a Murugan temple, that brought me to Penang where Thannirmalai Murugan is. I met GM Anba and learned Nillaikalakki Silambam- knew the truth and will keep searching the connection between this art and the universe especially the relation it has in other dimensions/ physics.
