Angampora
The way of the peaceful warrior
Angampora is Sri lanka’s traditional and ancient martial art, with a history dating back circa 5,000 years.
Feared, controlled and eventually prohibited by a succession of colonial powers, Angampora was driven fully underground during the extended period of British rule. This resulted in the knowledge being temporarily stored within just a few families who practiced in secrecy. It is out of this situation that Angampora is currently experiencing something of a re-birth, with new students dedicating themselves to practice and masters now able to celebrate and share their skills.
Angampora is truly Sri Lankan, its histories interwoven with previous kings, dynasties and political eras spanning thousands of years. Angam was believed to have been mastered by King Ravana who appears in the Hindu epic The Ramayana and displays incredible physical prowess and skill.
Awaken the warrior within
Angampora is essentially comprised of three parts – warrior yoga, weapons & hand to hand combat training and meditation. Beginners tend to practice with the warrior yoga and mediation before moving on to weapons training, although they can practice with staffs and sticks at an early stage too. The weapons used in Angapora include staffs, swords, knives, spears, daggers, maces and axes.
Practicing Angampura can be a life changing experience, enabling practitioners to harness their inner strength and power while simultaneously training their minds to promote calm and tolerance.
Angampora is not a weapon to be used lightly – warriors are taught only to use their training in extreme situations. Angampora is a practice of defense rather than attack and you only need too meet one Angampora master to understand and appreciate the peace that learning this powerful art provides.
Of the established martial arts, Angampora probably has most in common with Kung-Fu and uses a lot of repetitive training to sharpen technique and focus.
Do it at The Mudhouse
The Mudhouse are delighted to work in close partnership with the Sri Lankan Traditional Martial Art Association (STIMA) to offer customised Angampora training retreats. It is possible to arrange a retreat with as few as two students, and there is no need for any prior experience of martial arts or combat training. Alternatively, if you were hosting a yoga retreat you could include some Angampora training to run alongside your other classes.
A retreat would ideally last 7-14 days, but it is also possible to arrange intense training for shorter periods if required. Along with STIMA we can devise a program to suit all requirements. A typical Angampora retreat at The Mudhouse will involve around 6 hours a of practice per day, spread into three sessions.
The Mudhouse is the only lodge in Sri Lanka able to offer this unique experience. Come and discover why STIMA decided that this is the ideal place in Sri Lanka to train in the country’s indigenous martial art form.
A member of
Rubber Stamps
friends
