u/Brown_yaksha

Tulunadu has a pretty nuanced history and one aspect of it is the martial arts. Although all the knowledge regarding them is lost(very recently) but memories of them are kept alive by ceremonies and Paaddanas. Anka Ambodi, Adanna Pett and Garadi pett are the three prominent representation of it. Adanna Pett name basically describes what the ceremony is, people fighting with attacks on shields Adanna being tulu word for shield, Pett meaning fight or landing blows.It is said that when a battle for power broke out between influential houses in the village, they practiced Adana Pett and ullakkulu daiva came and formed a truce between them.The most popular one, Garadi pett translates to fight/style of fighting within Garodi, shrine for billavas. Anka Ambodi however stands out because the name can be directly linked to ankam and mamankam. A civilian friendly conflict resolution method and rite of kingship practiced across Malabar.

In ancient Malabar, the practice of *Ankam* functioned as a controlled duel used to settle disputes between rulers and communities without resorting to large-scale warfare. Highly trained warriors called *Chekavars*, drawn from martial communities such as Nairs, Ezhavas, and Thiyyas, fought to the death on behalf of rival parties. These duels were carefully organized, publicly announced, and supervised by local rulers, often becoming major public spectacles attended by thousands. Since only selected warriors engaged in combat, *Ankam* minimized the destruction and civilian suffering that full wars could cause. The tradition even extended to disputes involving foreigners, such as the Portuguese and Dutch, where champions fought on behalf of their sides instead of armies clashing directly. In some kingdoms, modified versions involved limited combat between small groups of warriors followed by negotiations or truces mediated by Brahmins.(Sounds a lot like Adanna Pett)

*Mamamkam* evolved from this tradition into a grand 28-day festival in Malabar connected to the transfer of royal power. Originally, kings known as Perumals were expected to step down after ruling for twelve years, allowing the election of a new ruler. Over time, however, rulers refused to relinquish power, and the ceremony transformed into a violent contest where challengers attempted to kill the reigning king, especially the Zamorin of Calicut, in order to claim the throne. Although the festival became bloody, with many warriors dying in failed attempts, it still had humanitarian significance because conflict was confined to a predetermined place and time. By institutionalizing challenges to power every twelve years, *Mamamkam* reduced the likelihood of sudden invasions, prolonged wars, and widespread civilian casualties across the region.

Now although the above paragraph say that nairs and Tiyyas were chekavars in Ankam, Anka Ambodi however is a practice exclusive to former manye castes. Castes like Mansa, Mundala, Tulu adidravida, Bakuda observe anka Ambodi.Anka in tulu means battle, not fight but battle.The place where Anka Ambodi is praticed is called Ambodi Kala. In kanada-Kattada paad dana it is said that siblings Kanada and Kattada were well versed in Anka Ambodi and when they eventually fought koti-Chennaya the Anka or the battle came to standstill. In koti-Chennaya paaddana however the martial arts form they used to follow is said to be Garadi pett. Also in the documentary regarding the mansa community it was mentioned that they fought anka as the representatives of the gutthu houses(Fuedal houses) .I have also read that Mogera-Manye-Panar communities went to war forming alliances, said to be mentioned in Koraga paddanas. Speaking of whom it was Koragas who had the most martial way of life. Up until very recently their traditions forbade them from leaving house without Ankodi, a leather waistband with 2 swords always in it and weapons made from animal bones, an utility belt of sorts and Ankodi too sounds awful lot like Ambodi. Although now all these communities are from oppressed castes, it is highly probable that in olden days they too were tulu equivalent of chekavers or possibly rulers because there are(were) forts and religious places built by Koraga, Mogera and manye community. We have to also look at the similarity of the above ceremonies, Adanna Pett and anka Ambodi are very similar to each other, almost the same if not for the addition of ulllalkulu daiva. I have heard accomplished professors in this field say that mainstream caste divisons of manu came to tulunadu at 16th century, before there was bari(Prof Chinappa Gowda) so titles can be very fluid and the root custom of Anka Ambodi could have morphed into Addana Pett. But either way it is hard to ignore the striking similarity between ankam/mamankam and the ceremonial ritual of Anka Ambodi and Adanna Pett.

As i said the knowledge of the martial arts has been lost but sometimes traces of it does pop up in ceremonies. I personally believe the Mundala ceremony of cutting open arecanut blossoms without cutting open their stomach (a)and Mogera Bowmanship in their Kolas are an enduring example of this(b) as shown in the video.

I mean no disrespect to any of the communities mentioned here this is purely an amateur opinion piece.

Sources for ankam:

Sanoj Rajan (2014). Principles of laws of war in ancient India and the concept of mitigating armed conflicts through controlled fights. Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies, 5(1–2), 333–351. https://doi.org/10.1163/18781527-00501014