Angampora is the traditional Martial Arts in Sri Lanka. It's kind of similar to Indian Kalari and Adimura martial Arts (I said similar...to just get a surface idea, otherwise it has so many differences)
If I talk about the history of it there are some legendary stories which isn't proven by archaeology. According to the written history it has started by King Maha Sammatha Manu. (Manu is the world's first king as folklore of Sri Lanka) So Angampora has started in his era.
After him there is another legend who was popular as a Angampora warrior is King Ravana. (Indians also call as Dashanan). And in Anuradhapura Kingdom period there is another famous warrior called Ritigala Jayasena (the founder of the Sudaliya Angampora tradition)
However, there are two main traditions in Angampora. One called Maruwalliya and another is Sudaliya. At the time of Kandy kingdom period in Sri Lanka. There were a man fights like wrestling between the fighters of Maruwalliya and Sudaliya. And also, when the periods of Portuguese and Dutch ruling time, there are records that Angampora army defeat the foreign army at that time. Then at the British ruling period they banned the martial arts. this is a brief history about Angampora.
This is a martial art which related with Buddhism, yoga and meditation. There are folklores about the angampora warriors who achieve Kundalini with deep meditation. It has such deep relation with meditation. And this is also connected with nature. All warriors worship Lord Buddha and thank Nature, Universe etc. And there isn't tatami like karate or other martial arts. Players always keep touching with their feet with sand ground. It represents the relation between Angampora and Nature/Earth. It is combining physical techniques with spiritual and mental training. It teaches that incorporates strikes, grappling, joint locks, pressure point attacks, and weapons training (sword...etc.)
Nowadays there are foreign people who came Sri Lanka to learn Angampora because it is one of the most dangerous martial arts in the world.
I thought it is helpful for ppl who love to know other cultures and also martial arts lovers.
