Nillaikalakki Silambam

11/05/2026

11/05/2026

Nillaikalakki Silambam – A Living Legacy of Tamil Heritage has been officially gazetted by the Penang State Government under the Penang State Heritage Enactment 2011.

We are deeply honoured that Nillaikalakki Silambam has been officially gazetted by the Penang State Government alongside six other cultural heritage arts and 28 traditional food items. This recognition is a profound acknowledgment of the immense intangible cultural and heritage value that this ancient art carries.

Nillaikalakki Silambam stands apart as one of the most authentically preserved traditional martial arts in the world. What makes this recognition truly significant is the fact that the art has been meticulously documented through a structured syllabus, with its traditional values, techniques, and teachings maintained exactly as they were passed down thousands of years ago. Not a single element of modern martial arts has been introduced or blended into its practice — it remains pure, untouched, and true to its Tamil roots.

Tragically, while this art originates from Tamil Nadu, India, it has become extinct in its homeland. Today, Penang stands as the sole custodian of this living heritage, safeguarded by the descendants of the 14th lineage masters who were brought to Penang in 1936 during the British colonial era. This makes Penang's role in preserving Nillaikalakki Silambam not just a local responsibility, but a global cultural duty.

Preserving a deeply traditional art of this nature is no small feat. In a world where martial arts are increasingly driven by sport, competition, and modern influences, Nillaikalakki Silambam holds firm to its identity as a purely traditional Tamil cultural art — one that does not seek trophies or titles, but instead carries the soul of an ancient civilisation.

The challenges are real. Keeping the younger generation engaged and committed to training in such a demanding and discipline-intensive art, in the face of countless modern distractions and competing interests, requires extraordinary dedication from all involved.

We wish to express our deepest and most sincere gratitude to the Penang State Heritage Commissioner, Penang State Heritage Council, YB Dato Seri Sundarajoo Somu and Penang Chief Minister YAB Chow Kon Yeow 曹觀友

12/03/2025

An article about our Nillaikalakki Silambam art has been featured in Penang Monthly for March Edition.

AN ANCIENT MARTIAL ART originating from the Kurinji mountains in Tamil Nadu 5,000 years ago, Silambam is said to have arrived on the shores of the Malay Peninsula as early as the 14th century, and up till the 19th and 20th centuries under British colonial rule, when there was

10/03/2025

: Deepavali 2024 – A Night of Joy, Laughter, and Celebration with Our Nillaikalakki Silambam Family

In November 2024, the Nillaikalakki Silambam Association committee hosted a memorable Deepavali dinner at Mantra Indian Cuisine, Bayview Hotel, bringing together our big Nillaikalakki family for a night of togetherness and celebration.

30/01/2025

Congratulations to Grandmaster Anbananthan of Nillaikalakki Silambam of Penang for being honoured with Living Heritage Treasure Award of Penang.

The Penang community proudly celebrated a monumental occasion on January 9th 2025 as Grandmaster Anbananthan, an esteemed martial artist, was honored with the prestigious award presented by the Honorable Chief Minister of Penang in recognizing his unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting the rich traditions of Nillaikalakki Silambam, an ancient martial art form deeply rooted in Penang’s cultural history.

This award holds extraordinary significance, as it is conferred only upon eight living individuals at any given time. This exclusivity underscores the rarity of the recognition and reflects the exceptional contributions made by Grandmaster Anbananthan to Penang’s cultural tapestry.

20/01/2025

We are honored to have been invited to showcase the art of Nillaikalakki Silambam at the Global Organisation of Tamil Origin (GOTO) Annual Meet, 4th January, at Dewan Sri Pinang.

Our team delivered an exciting demonstration, highlighting the strength, agility, and heritage of this ancient Tamil martial art. The rhythmic movements and powerful techniques captivated the audience, showcasing the rich cultural legacy that Nillaikalakki Silambam represents.

A big thank you to the organizers for this wonderful opportunity to promote and preserve our heritage on such a prestigious platform!

10/01/2025

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/01/09/eurasian-songbird-silambam-guru-win-penang-living-heritage-award/

Kathleen Rodrigues and Asan Anbananthan Ramasamy honoured for their contributions to the state.

10/01/2025

https://www.malaymail.com/amp/news/life/2025/01/09/eurasian-singer-martial-arts-grandmaster-and-watercolour-artist-recognised-with-living-heritage-treasures-awards-in-penang/162632

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 9 — Kathleen Rodrigues, known for her dulcet voice that reverberates through the bar whenever she takes the stage, has long been a prominent figure in Penang’s...

08/12/2024

We regard Nillaikalakki rituals and ancient training syllabus as an intangible cultural heritages that are important to be preserved for future generations. They may be significant due to the cultural values and it create an emotion within us. These rituals have been extinct in many arts and cultural disciplines, but in Nillaikalakki, those rituals being well preserved.

One of the Nillaikalakki rituals which has been practiced thousand of years being well safeguarded by our Nillaikalakki guardians in Penang, Malaysia is NILLAIKALAKKI KOODAM ARANGGETRAM.

Recently, we organised annual cleansing activity conducted at Silambam Training Centre to 'purify' the area and as a way to request permission to use the area for Silambam training.

As the Nillaikalakki Silambam is an art which teaches to respect the Mother Earth, the cleansing ritual teach students on how to admire and appreciate the nature. The seeking of permission from the mother nature to utilise the area as training centre teaches Nillaikalakki students to respect all the five elements of nature, and as a way of getting permission from unseen elements from the area.