Chennai-based silambam coach keeps a traditional art alive

K. Sarath turned his back on a corporate career to take up silambam coaching; given the inclusion of silambam in the quota for employment in Tamil Nadu, he is keen on teaching underprivileged children for free

When his friends wielded the cricket bat, K. Sarath was encouraged to brandish another piece of wood, thinner and longer. Though he had scampered down the 22 yards himself, Palavakkam resident Krishnamurthy wanted his son Sarath to choose silambam (stick fencing) over cricket for specialisation.

Sarath found generous encouragement as he took this path at age four: his grandfather and his uncle had mastered silambam. He began silambam classes under Balasekar’s tutelage.

Sarath would go on to acquire a BBA and an MA (Journalism) degree from Hindustan College, Padur, enter the corporate world, thrive as an executive in a multi-national company; but he could not stop his ears against the swish of the silambam stick. So, here he is: an instructor of silambam and boxing; and he sees the former as a tool of empowerment and conservation. Sarath believes that by practising and teaching silambam, he is not only protecting a sport, but a tradition, Tamil tradition. There are nuances to the art and he is enamoured of them.

“Silambam is not just playing with Bamboo staffs, or Kombu (horn). It has different styles such as Kaippaadam (hand silambam), double stick fencing, single or double curl sword, alangara varusai and more.”

Sarath has won four gold medals in silambam at a national-level competition held in Chandigarh, bested the competition in the Thodumurai fighting style in Chromepet competitions; and twice claimed victory in the Thanithiramai category at Coimbatore’s tournaments. His name has a mention in the Asia Book of Records for a feat. Sarath was a state-level champion in boxing in 2013. Sarath has trained Shipping corporation of India Ltd (SCI) personnel in silambam-based self-defence; the sessions were based on hand silambam. Silambam techniques were meant to be an ally to these personnel when they return home from night duty — against chain and mobile snatchers, says Sarath.

Sarath has students from the IT sector, the IT corridor being a parallel road to East Coast Road. Naveen, an MCA graduate and a software professional, says “silambam engages both body and mind in a way most other workouts do not.

Sarath sees the silambam stick as a tool of empowerment; the sport, a path to dignity. “I teach poor children for free, though some families still offer what they can, unsolicited. Tamil Nadu’s government inclusion of Silambam in the 3% sports quota for government and government-owned undertakings jobs ties the sport to social and economic empowerment.”