Gatka words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 39 words · Step 2 of 2

General terms

NGAI and World Gatka Federation

The National Gatka Association of India and the World Gatka Federation, whose rule book this is. They affiliate state and national units, appoint officials and hold the tournaments.

Virsa Sambhal

Traditional gatka tournaments, played in traditional dress (bana and dumala), where weapons demonstration events are held. Demonstration events are not held in school, college or university sports competitions.

Events, groups and teams

Age groups (gatka)

Named groups by age on 1 January: Bhujang (under 14), Tufang (under 17), Sool (under 19), Saif (under 22), Sipar (under 25), Siprar (under 28), Amateur (28 to 35 and 35 to 40), Veterans (45 to 55 and 55 to 65) and Bir (65 to 75). A player may play in their own or a higher age group, and in at most two events: one individual and one team.

Individual event

One-to-one combat with one player per country, state, district or unit. No player can be substituted: an injured player's competition is over.

Equipment and ground

Play domain and reserved space

The play domain is the circular strip at least 4 feet wide outside the play area, and the reserved space a square of 50 by 50 feet around both, for equipment, tables and chairs. Teams' players and coaches sit at set sides of the reserved space during a bout.

Cushion and sharp edge

The cushion at one end of the stick is the grip and also marks the side that counts as the sharp edge of the sword. A hit is made with the cushion side toward the front, and hitting with the other side is wrong technique and a foul.

Perj

A round wooden lattu fixed at a set length on the stick to keep the characteristics of a sword and hold the cover. The stick is marked at 2 feet (1.75 feet for sub-juniors) from the top.

Protection and dress

A face guard and a chest guard are mandatory, with a dastar, dumala or patka of 2.5 m, and male competitors must wear a groin guard. A red or blue singlet over the vest, gloves, knee, shin or elbow guards without spikes or ridges are allowed. Players bring their own approved sticks, shields and guards, as the organisers do not provide them.

Gatka Management System

The computer programs that display scores, fouls and the stopwatch on the scoreboard and keep the records and draws. Sticks may carry digital chips that record touches.

Strikes and technique

Half strike

Hitting the opponent without bringing the stick from over or around the head. In the Full Strike event it is a foul.

Palt

A strike made by stretching the stick over the head to hit the opponent.

Jhakani var

A simulated strike: a feint at the upper body that is made into a strike on the lower body (or the reverse) in the same move. It is not a double attack and it scores as a normal strike, but swinging the weapon in the air for two seconds is not a simulated strike.

Sanjha var

A simultaneous attack, when both players hit at the same step. Doing it deliberately is a foul, and so is repeating a simultaneous attack without blocking within a second.

Blocking

A legal act of stopping the opponent's stick-side wrist or cushion with one's own stick or farri, without any other prohibited move. A player who has the right to strike may then advance.

Hool, cheer and gurj

Three fouls of technique. Hool is stabbing straight at the opponent with the other end of the stick. Cheer is hitting with the wrong technique by reversing the side of the stick. Gurj is hitting the ear, neck or head by curving the wrist.

Bhidant

Continuously attacking each other swiftly without observing the basic rule of stop and touch.

Scoring

Foremost two feet

A strike scores only if made with proper technique by the foremost two feet of the stick. The whole stick, cushion included, can be used to defend, but hitting the cushion of the opponent's stick scores nothing, and attacking deliberately with the rest of the stick is a foul.

Capturing the stick

A player who, by skill and footwork, captures the opponent's stick at the cushion or wrist is awarded 1 point, and more if a hit follows. Holding the opponent's stick or farri in other ways is a foul.

Double attack

A double or continuous attack without defending is not allowed. A player attacks with a step forward after defending within two seconds of each hit, and a defender who does not take the chance within two seconds lets the first attacker strike again. It is a foul.

One-sided bout

In an individual bout, a lead of eight points at any stage of the first round over an opponent with none ends the bout. The referees may also end any contest they all consider one-sided.

See also: Bout

Team scoring

The points of the three players are added, and the team with more wins. A disqualified player's own points go to zero. If a player is disqualified, the opponent is awarded 20 points, and only points beyond 20 are added if the opponent had more.

Bout, time and tie-breaks

Golden point and sudden death

The golden point is a clear and proper strike in the extended time, and the player who strikes it wins. Sudden death is the extension in which the next score wins. A foul in the extended time loses the bout.

See also: Bout

Time-out

A halt of at most 30 seconds, asked for by the team manager (by throwing the objection ball and using the signal). One is allowed in an individual event and three in a team event, and a player may not leave the ground. Asking for more gets a warning, a yellow card, and prolonging one costs a point after the first warning.

Injury and medical stoppage

The medical officer or committee may ask for a bout to be suspended for at most a minute to check a player. A seriously injured player gets at most 3 minutes, after which the match goes to the opponent or by the scores. In a team bout an unfit player can be replaced by the substitute, with their points added.

See also: Bout

Walk-over

A player who is on the play area in full attire when the opponent does not appear within a maximum of two minutes after calls and a bell is declared winner and awarded ten points. It does not apply to the final.

Knock-out and byes

A single-elimination competition in which the loser is out and the final has two, semi-finals four and so on. A bye exempts a player or team from the first round.

Dropping the stick

Dropping the stick on purpose is match fixing and means disqualification. A stick dropped through injury is not a disqualification and the points are kept. A fall in which the stick touches the ground is disqualification, but not if the player only balances with the free hand, knees or back.

Fouls, cards and disqualification

Disqualification (gatka)

A player may commit two fouls and is disqualified on the third. Both feet outside the play area (or one on the ground out and the other in the air) is disqualification, as is dropping the stick on purpose, falling with the stick touching the ground, and attacking during the fatehnama before the command.

Serious warnings

Arguing repeatedly with referees, officials or organisers, committing the listed fouls, or acting against the tournament conditions, which can lead to punishment or a red card.

Misconduct scale

Unsportsmanlike conduct (delaying, shouting or arguing) gets a green card first, then a yellow card and a lost point. Offensive conduct (insults) gets a yellow card and a lost point, then expulsion. Aggression (a real physical attack) is disqualification and removal from the championship.

Match fixing

Playing by a pre-plan or prejudicially, such as dropping the stick wilfully, lying down, not defending, un-shielding, committing extra fouls or skipping out of the ground. Both players or teams may be disqualified, awards withdrawn and a ban of at least 5 years or a fine imposed.

Dope test and ban

NADA or WADA may test players before or during a tournament, and a positive test means a three-year ban. The WGF, NGAI or a unit can also ban a player, team or official on disciplinary grounds or for stuntbazi (risky stunts against the principles of the sport).

Officials, objections and appeals

Side referees

Referees seated around the ground so that no score or foul is missed. They raise a red or blue flag to confirm a point, watch the ground line and the team benches, and can advise the ground referee to stop a bout.

Referee council and chief referee

Four referees (three side referees and one ground referee, who rotate), with the secretary or president of the federation as a fifth member in a dispute. The chief referee directs the match, decides anything not in the rules and can overrule other officials. The council can end a one-sided or injury bout and grant points and fouls.

See also: Bout, Ground referee, Side referees

Referral and video umpire

A request for a replay decision by the video umpire, who sits at a live desk. Team managers or coaches can use only one referral in a bout, and the decisions of the referee or video umpire are final.

See also: Bout

Judgement desk

A judge, a scorer and a timekeeper. The scorer marks the points and fouls as signalled by the ground referee and cannot add or deduct points, and the timekeeper runs the time with a gong or bell. The scorer gets the bell rung early if the foul limit is passed or a bout is one-sided.

Objection ball

The way a team manager objects during a bout: throwing a ball onto the ground and paying a fee of Rs. 1,000 (not refundable) at the technical table. The committee's decision is final, and after one rejected objection no other can be made in that bout.

See also: Bout

Jury of Appeal (gatka)

A body of three, five or seven appointed for official competitions, which hears appeals against referees' rulings. Notice of intent to appeal is given within 5 minutes of the end of the round or match and the written appeal within 15 minutes, with a fee. The Jury's decision is final.

Outside interference

No interference, signalling or provocation by team members, managers or coaches is allowed. The referees may warn, remove people for half a day, scratch the team or exclude them from the tournament with a red card.

All Gatka words