Varmam – mother of martial arts

Varmam is the most ancient Tamil martial tradition. It descended down to selective lines of disciples from ancient gurus and sages of this land and still survives….

As per the tradition, Varmam points out its origin to God Shiva/ Tamil God Muruga and Agasthiya Maharishi as like every other Tamil tradition be it grammar or sidha medicine. The lines of Gurus are mostly spiritual practitioners apart from warriors…..

The one who gained expertise in varmam system is literally a commando in every sense……

However varmam is more than a martial art.

It encompasses everything from right kind of living codes i.e. a deep sense of code of conduct in tune with dharma, a desire to move towards intuitive learning and evolution, spiritual consciousness apart from practice of medicine, therapeutic techniques and a momentum towards attitudinal ascendance and character building……

Silambam, the ancient and popular martial technique using bamboo sticks and the yogic practices, physical flexing techniques, pranayama breathing techniques and even the Sidha pharmacobic system are all part of the larger system of tamil varmam. 

Varmam apart from achieving physical flexibility tend to transform the inner awakening by enhancing the levels of confidence, alertness, consciousness and energy to higher stages through a wholesome living style……

In short it’s a way of living…involving an intrinsic choice towards a higher human goal…..

Varmam appears to be somewhat akin to the Samurai system and the Sikh Kalsa warrior tradition. However the sad part is that we know how the Samurai and Kalsa traditions thinned out but Tamils do not even aware of how their valuable Varmam martial tradition simply vanished and went into oblivion.   

Without mentioning the zen Guru, Bodhidhamma, the history of martial arts would be incomplete. The Pallava Prince evolved into the revered Bodhidharma as he is said to have introduced the martial techniques to the monks of shaolin temple from where it spread out and branched out into various techniques / traditions.  

Varmam functions on a thorough understanding of the naadi system i.e. energy channels or conjunction points of human nerves…

Varmam attacks and especially the locks and unlocks though appear to be in tune with the ancient Hindu wrestling tradition. However it is way apart from the Hindu pehlwanic system of mere body building and wrestling.   But they are akin to the modern Aikido tradition.

May the self effacing tendency of Modern elite punditry of India recognize our ancient wisdom and the public institutions come forward to promote Tamil varmam.   

Thokkanam is the associated massaging technique. Thokkam is the Colloquial household treatments for the infants until the previous generation, the grandmas were carrying out. In the ancient Tamil Country, Varmam was applied to animals even as well. I have heard about maattu varmam a similar set of healing techniques based on naadi concepts for the household cattle stock. Similarly there is a book ‘maattu vadakam’ in the published collection of Tanjore King Serfoji’s Saraswathi mahal library. It is all about the ethnic botanical and therapeutic concepts meant for cattle. 

There are also weapons and the methods of use of such weapons in varmam system. 

The lost Tamil weaponry and martial practices can be traced to the ancient Varmam tradition.

Tamil movie, Elam Arivu brought out a new awakening on this Tamil martial arts tradition. Nokku varmam i.e. moving physical objects by vision actually by exercising psychic power is one of the highest and interesting techniques of the varmam. And the kalari traditions of kerala can be seen as a surviving line of the larger system of varmam.

Much research and promotion is required to resurrect the Tamil varmam system which could rekindle an immense energy in the youth across the Tamil lands towards their past other traditions as well. 

there are numerous video displays of varmam techniques in you tube. Few interesting links are below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lhop3pL6kQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTyLnFW4RTg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=0VyPeHsxKS0

Varmam prescription for eye ailments;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPDWcAvhL2E