The Unexpected Encounter: A Start In Kung-Fu
Blood trickled down her left ear as she clutched it in pain, trying hard to keep a brave face and fight back the tears that threatened to spill. But not for long—they eventually rolled down her cheeks. Worried, her mother and a few parents crowded around her. Standing just outside the small crowd, I tried to gauge the seriousness of the situation, nervously shifting from one foot to the other. Gathering courage and a spirit of sportsmanship, I made my way through those who stood between us, kneeling in front of her to catch her small hands in mine.
She was of the same height and stature as me, but her hands were as soft as a child’s. My mistake—she was a child, perhaps in class seven or eight. I apologized, knowing very well it was my action that caused her ear to bleed.
Inwardly, I clenched my teeth upon realizing she could very well have been my daughter’s age if I had one.
Honestly, it wasn’t my fault. This was the rule of the game, where age never mattered but opponents were made to face each other based on height and body weight. This is the world of Kung-fu—unfair at times, perhaps, but definitely a sport that changed my life. That day, I decided never to fight a real fight again but to participate in solo weapon performances. (FYI, I possess one of the longest nun chucks, with each metal rod nearing 12 inches. The standard is usually 6 inches, but no, I had to find something closer to what Bruce Lee had!)
From Novice to Black Belt: The Challenges and Triumphs
At an age when many women are well-settled in their families and careers, my determination to chase the impossible opened up doors of possibilities. The age I’m referring to here is mid-30s (sorry, not divulging the exact age! A lady must never tell! LOL).
As weird as it may sound, I was never a sports person. It is my better half who comes from the world of sports.
Over a decade of marriage, perhaps some of his qualities rubbed off on me too. And which sport did I end up with? Kung-fu!
Before my journey in Kung-fu, I had my fair share of learning how to swim (I’m now a regular swimmer), running marathons on weekends (ending all my alternate weekends with excruciating body pain), and trying my hands (oops, sorry, legs) at cycling—making sure I went on my rounds only after 9 pm so that the kids in my society wouldn’t dare catch (or laugh at) “AUNTY” wobbling around trying hard to keep her balance.
My journey in Kung-fu wasn’t easy, but it was satisfying. It taught me that if my heart and soul desire something, I can go beyond limits to get there.
I will never forget the day I went to enroll myself. I found a school nearby and confidently went there.
“How many years does it take to get a black belt?” I asked the master (or Shifu, as a Kung-fu teacher is addressed) sitting behind the office desk. There were three of them who had come to attend to me, assuming I was there to enroll my child as a prospective pupil (can’t blame them!).
“Seven years!” one of them replied solemnly. All the air of confidence was punched out of me (ah, that’s how it feels to be punched!). Looking beyond the glass door, where kids were throwing their limbs aimlessly in the air in their efforts to punch and kick, I thought to myself, crestfallen, “I don’t have that much time,” not realizing the words had already been said out loud.
“Why?” one of the masters asked me with his bushy brows drawn together, while the others stared at me.
Sighing, I replied, “I’m the student!” Now it was their turn to be shocked! Measuring me from head to toe, I could clearly see their disbelief.
Making up my mind, I let out my next question, “How fast can I get a black belt?”
“Depends on how you train,” came the hesitant reply.
Straightening my back and looking each of them in the eye, I made sure they realized how serious I was before I said, “I’m in my mid-30s. I will do everything, but you have to reduce the seven years to four or five.” (Good lord! How I wish I could describe the collective incredulous look on their faces. It was as if I was at a sabzi mandi haggling over the price of potatoes. Even to this day, I can’t help but chuckle inwardly.)
Thinking about it now, I’m not sure who I challenged back then—the masters or myself. Maybe both. And trust me, we both accepted it with heads held high.
Man, I meant it when I said, “I will give everything.”
And there went four years of sweat and pain with no breaks, no matter what the weather or my health condition was—gone in the blink of an eye. I prepared my body and learned all the animal forms of the fight like eagle, snake, monkey, tiger, and dragon. Bagging multiple belts per examination, I gradually reduced the seven years to my target of four or five. At every examination, with the strong sun beating down on our heads on open grounds, barefoot on stones and gravel, I spent hours training alongside kids and teenagers.
I had to get my black belt, and within four years, I achieved my most coveted possession!
Competing at the Kung-Fu National Level: Blood, Sweat, and Sparring
When I was ready, I was sent to national-level competitions, representing Telangana, Hyderabad. Darn, they are ruthless there. Bloodied faces, blackened eyes, and chafed knuckles were common, but it was the way of the sport. Sparring with weapons like nun chucks, long wooden sticks, and swords was also a part of these competitions.
Sounds aggressive? But in reality, it’s not! Kung-fu, or any martial art for that matter, isn’t about showing off strength but about how calm and collected one truly is from within.
Lessons from the Masters: Discipline and Inner Strength
My path crossed with many great masters, both national and international. One of them is India’s first-ever Shaolin Master, Shifu Kanishka Sharma. Getting the opportunity to train under him was an eye-opener.
Breaking Records: Achieving the Impossible in Kung-Fu
The last, but not least, important feather added to my Kung-fu hat was a group record conducted by the Book of Records—the maximum number of kicks in 15 minutes. 900!
Reflections on the Journey: From Martial Arts to Life Lessons
This story is unending because I could go on and on with the experiences I’ve had with this sport. But to end it in short, today I can confidently say I can indeed break a leg!
Rishita Dey
Rishita Dey is professionally a Corporate Lawyer but passionately a traveller and a writer. She runs her travel blog at www.bendthemiles and Youtube Channel named ‘Bend The Miles’ capturing the beauty of destinations both through her pen and lens. She can be reached at bendthemiles@gmail.com.
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