Agartala: Silver Glory for Tripura’s Tanushree Ghosh in Pencak Silat Martial Arts.
The daughter of the soil, Tanushree Ghosh won a silver medal at the Khelo India Women’s Pencak Silat Martial Arts Competition. The two-day event began on March 17 in Nagaland.
Although a seven-member Tripura team participated in the event, two athletes could not compete reportedly due to an error by the state association officials.
It was alleged that due to a mistake in online registration, two players, Shanta Akhtar and Debashmita Kar, were unable to participate. This sparked considerable frustration among the athletes.
| Also Read : Mukhyamantri State Talent Search Programme: 66 Women Players benefitted in Tripura |
Meanwhile, in the senior category, Tanushree Ghosh secured a silver medal in the 63-67 kg weight class, bringing pride to Tripura.
What is Pencak Silat?
According to Indian Pencak Silat Federation website, Pencak Silat (‘Silat’) is the generic term for the indigenous martial arts of the Indonesian/Malay archipelago, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
Silat has played an important role in the history and culture of Indonesian and Malay peoples. Traditionally, Silat formed part of the education of all young men, and was an integral part of a boy’s path to manhood.
The combination of the words Pencak and Silat into a compound word was made for the first time when an organization uniting all Pencak and Silat perguruans (institutions) in Indonesia was founded in Surakarta on 18 May 1948.
Silat employs natural body movements and develops balance and economy of movement in each individual. It can be practiced purely for sport and fitness, for the aesthetic beauty of the art or for the chance to learn one of the world’s few remaining complete traditional martial arts systems.
Silat enhances and strengthens self-awareness, self-discipline, integrity, responsibility, loyalty and cooperation amongst its practitioners. When taught by a qualified teacher it offers an opportunity for students to develop physically, mentally, morally and spiritually.
Pencak Silat is another martial art stemming from the Malay & Indonesia heritage. It translates to “fighting by many techniques of self defence” and has four main components – mental spririt, art & culture, self defence and sport.
Pencak and Silat have the same meanings and are integral parts of the culture of the Malay ethnic group, who are the native inhabitants in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.
The whole aspect of Silat is evaluated and all elements are crucial during competition. It can be practiced purely for fitness, aesthetics or with martial arts focused. The large varieties of techniques that can be used in Pencak SIlat encapsulate its uniqueness.
Pencak Silat: A Timeless Martial Art
Pencak Silat is a traditional self-defense art that has been inherited, preserved, and promoted by the people of the Southeast Asian region for centuries. The term translates to “fighting by many techniques of self-defense” and consists of four main components.
The first component is Mental-Spiritual, which helps practitioners achieve inner peace and spiritual balance, allowing them to control both body and mind. The second component, Self-Defense, focuses on the development of skills to effectively protect oneself. The third component, Art & Culture, highlights the aesthetic beauty of Silat movements, incorporating traditional music, costumes, and cultural ceremonies. Lastly, Sports involves practicing Silat as a competitive activity to enhance physical fitness and achieve sporting excellence.
As a martial art, Pencak Silat is an effective system of self-defense that equally emphasizes upper and lower limb techniques. It includes a combination of punching, kicking, and strategies to take down an opponent.
In recent years, Pencak Silat has expanded beyond Southeast Asia and gained popularity in countries such as Holland, Germany, Italy, South Africa, France, Japan, and the United States. It has become an integral part of many people’s lives, fostering connections and bringing communities closer together.
Benefits of Pencak Silat
Pencak Silat offers numerous benefits to its practitioners. It enhances overall physical fitness by improving cardiovascular endurance, strength, flexibility, and general health. The art is easy to learn and can be adopted as a lifelong sport, promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Beyond its physical advantages, Pencak Silat is deeply valued as a traditional art form and is widely practiced in cultural ceremonies. It equips participants with a comprehensive self-defense system that can be applied in various situations.
Additionally, practicing Pencak Silat instills a sense of responsibility and discipline in students. It fosters important social values such as teamwork, sportsmanship, and positive social interaction. Moreover, it helps reduce stress, release tension, and develop a positive mindset, making it a holistic practice for both body and mind.
