The Urumi: India's flexible whip-blade

[DWx]

Does anyone know much about Indian martial arts?

I came across the Urumi today. A flexible whip like blade which is swung much like a whip and paired with a buckler for combat:

Like any sword, the urumi comes in a number of varieties, with a variable length, and even a variable number of blades, but they all follow the same basic construction. Usually simpler than more elaborately decorated sword weapons, at its simplest, the urumi consists of a hilt connected to a thin, flexible steel blade. The handle is usually protected by a crossguard and knuckle-guard. The long blades extend somewhere between four and six feet in length (or even longer in some cases), and around an inch in width, but the aspect that makes the weapon unique is that the steel is always thin enough to flop around. Almost like a cartoon-version of a rubber sword.

Given the urumi's unique construction, wielding it is also an art unto itself. Since the flexible blade is no good for stabbing, it is slung around similarly to a traditional leather whip. In order to make continuous strikes with the weapon, it must stay continually in motion so that the momentum which gives the blade its slashing power is not lost. This usually requires the user to swing it over and around their head and shoulders in furious arcs.

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/indias-deadly-flexible-whip-sword-takes-years-to-master

Sounds like it is a weapon that is difficult to master but deadly to use. Are there any East Asian equivalents?

Video of Urumi combat here :

[bushido_man96]

That is an interesting weapon. Looks like it has quite a range, which is nice, but somewhat limited on strikes. It would be fun to really sit down and have someone show how to work with one.