Reinvigorating an ancient art

STUDENTS COACHED BY MANIGANDAN HAVE WON OVER 200 STATE-LEVEL MEDALS AND HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AN INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN MALAYSIA, CLINCHING THREE GOLD MEDALS AND A SILVER

- JEVIN SELWYN HENRY @Dharmapuri

In the twilight of the 18th century, as the British Empire tightened its grip on India, a shadow fell upon the ancient martial art of silambam. Fearing the prowess of skilled Tamil warriors, the colonizers banned the practice, shattering a tradition that had thrived for centuries. Silambam, once a symbol of strength and cultural pride, was fragmented and driven to the brink of extinction.

But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the spirit of silambam endures. Today, a new generation of practitioners is breathing life into this ancient art, determined to reclaim its lost glory. V Manigandan, a 32-year-old class 10 dropout, is a skilled silambam master who received training in the ancient martial art from his uncles in Erode over a decade ago during his school days. He has been practicing and perfecting the art ever since.

Manigandan, aka Malarmani, is also a professional photographer. He earns his living from photography after inheriting his uncle's photo studio in Dharmapuri. He has brought a photographer's eye for detail while striving to revive the ancient martial art.