History
Gatka is the martial art of the Sikhs of Punjab, India, linked to the warrior tradition begun by Guru Hargobind in the 17th century. Today it is mostly practised with wooden sticks and shields, and with swords in demonstrations.
Gatka is performed at Sikh festivals and processions, especially Hola Mohalla, and has become an organised sport with its own federations.
The word gatka first named the stick-sparring used to practise sword work. In the colonial period the stick game became the main public form, while the wider Sikh tradition of weapons is sometimes called shastar vidya. Today gatka has its own federations, rules and championships in Punjab and in the Sikh diaspora.