The
urumi (
Malayalam: ഉറുമി
urumi;
Sinhalese: එතුණු කඩුව
ethunu kaduwa;
Hindi:
aara;
Tamil: சுருள் பட்டாக்கத்தி
surul pattai, lit. curling blade) is a sword with a flexible whip-like blade from
India. Originating in what are now southern India and Sri Lanka, it is thought to have existed as far back as the
Maurya dynasty. It is considered one of the most difficult weapons to master due to the risk of injuring oneself. It is treated as a steel whip, and therefore requires prior knowledge of that weapon. For this reason, the urumi is always taught last in
Indian martial arts.
