Sikh Martial Art Blends Swords, Sticks and Faith

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
By Vic Ryckaert

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INDIANA---Tajinder Kaur's slight frame won't intimidate many people, but this wiry young woman packs some deadly skills. She practices gatka, the traditional Sikh martial art that blends sticks, swords, shields and spinning nets with spirituality. "Our faith tells us to be a saint soldier," said Kaur, 23, a nursing student who lives in Franklin Township. "Playing gatka, it gives you a spiritual lifestyle as well as physical strength." Gatka is steeped in the Sikh religion, blending physical skills with prayer and meditation. Kaur's gatka teacher, Jungbir Singh, also is a Sikh priest. [link]