Silambam incorporates a range of techniques.

a) By swift foot movements, large spheres of control can be established.

b) Both hands can be used to wield the staff.

c) Precision, force and momentum can be developed at head, shoulder, hip and leg level.

d) The cut, chop, thrust and sweep can be used to achieve mastery.

e) Development of a reflex defensive action, by concentrating on and anticipating the moves of the opponent and perfecting various kinds of feints in stroke play, can absolutely demoralise an adversary.
The player must also be able to ward off stones hurled by a crowd, and disperse an unruly mob by a range of strokes like 'monkey hits', 'snake hits', 'hawk hits' and 'spring hits', which must be inflicted in quick succession. This activity involves some amazing footwork, staff - swinging, pivot - jumping and stroke play. From a purely defensive art, Silambam has become a combat exercise.

Silambam is a three - type contest.

a) A fight to the finish, when one of the players is dispossessed of his staff.

b) Total number of ' touches ' one combatant makes on the other ( indicated by appropriate markings on the body ).

c) Skill shown in protecting a pouch of money ( kept at or in between a contestant's feet ).

The contestant succeeding in leaving a mark on the forehead of his opponent is adjudged as the victor in the contest.

SILAMBAM RING:

Silambam ring is a circle of 24 feet (7.30 feet metre) diametre. Playing will have to play inside the circle.
Warning ring : Inside the outer ring, one inside ring is drawn at a distance of 1 feet. This inside ring is called warning ring. The purpose of the ring is to alert the players and to warn them that they are nearer the outer ring.

Penalty for coming out of the ring: While playing, the players can bring one leg outside the ring. But if they bring out both the legs from the ring, two minus marks will be awarded to them. This will be repeated everytime, if the player comes out of the ring.

ROUNDS:

Silambam competition consists of three rounds. First round is of 2 minutes durations and the remaining two rounds is of 1½ minutes duration.

First round is called "Individual Skill round". In this round players will have to exhibit silambam skills such as Varal (Sweep), Aruppu (Chop), Vettu (Cut), Kuttu (Punch), Udan (Turning with spring movement), Sendipu (Bouncing), Kiriki (Pivot turning) etc., Marks will be awarded based on speed, strength, agility, flexibility, endurance and elegance.

A maximum of 20 marks will be awarded to this round. The marks awarded in this round will be carried on upto finals. If anybody scores less than 7 marks in this round, he/she will be disqualified and will not be allowed to play further in that championships. For awarding marks to the Individual skill round a minimum of three referees will be nominated. Average mark will be taken. Fraction above ½ will be treated as one and fraction below ½ will be neglected.

In the second and third rounds, the players will have to fight with each other for 1½ minutes duration in each round.

POINTS:

During play if one player touches the body of the opposite player with his staff, one point will be awarded to the player.

If the player makes several touches at a time repeatedly on the same spot of the body of the other player in swift movement and without changing his position, than that will be taken as only one point. He can score the second point for touching at the same spot only after changing his body posture and by making a swing of the staff.

Points will not be awarded to the player who touches the opponent with the staff, holding it in one hand. For scoring points, staff should be handled with both the hands while touching the opponent player.

PARTS TO BE AVOIDED :

* Above the neck - head including face.
* Below the hipline and above the thighs (Front side of the body).
* Wrist and fingures.

If the players wantedly hit the above parts, he will be debarred from the competition. The center referee in the consultation with the side referees can debare the player who violates the rule.

MOVEMENT INSIDE THE RING :

The players should be constantly moving inside the ring. The staff also should be constantly moving. If the player stops either his movement or that of the staff, he will be warned three times. After that, for each violation, one point will be reduced from his account.

MINUS MARK :

If the player is awarded any minus pont during second round and he has not scored any points during this round, this minus point will be reduced from his third round points. Even during the third round, if he has not scored any point, then this minus point will be reduced from his first round points (i.e.,) bout and moves to the next bout then his original individual mark will be restored.

ROUGH PLAY :

The player should nmot hit the other player hard. He must gently touch him with his staff to score points. The players who violate this rule will be debarred from the championships and the other player will be debarred as winner. If both the players resort to rough play, both of them may be debarred from the competition.

PLAYERS DISCIPLINE :

During play, Players should not enter in to arguments with the referees or with the other player. If he/she violates this rule, after a single warning, the player will be debarred from the championship by the chief referee. The other player will be declared as winner. If both the players violate this rule, both of them may be debarred from the championship.

INTOXICANTS :

Players are not permitted to play while they are under the influence of intoxicants.

TECHNICAL OFFICIALS :

The following are the technical officials for the competition.

a) Center referee - 1
b) Side Referee - 2
c) Scorers - 4
d) Time Keeper - 1
e) Announcer - 1
f) Jurie - 2
g) Judge - 3
h) Helper - 3

a) Center Referee (Chief referee) : The duty of the Center Referee (Chief Referee) is to control the game. He is responsible for starting the game, giving warning to the players and reducing points if the player violates the rules. If required, he may consult the side referees before giving any decision. The decision of the Center referee is final. Whenever he wants to reduce the point of the player, to whom he wants to award minus point and raises his right hand, showing his thumb downwards. This will indicate that minus point has been awarded to that particular player.

b) Side Referees : A 'Side Referee' will be posted to award points to each player. Thus, there wil be two side referees. The side referee will raise his right hand whenever the player scores points. A small flag also be used in that hands while raising the hand.

c) Scorers : For each player, two scorers will be appointed to record the points scored by the player. They will observe the side referees alloted to them. Whenever the side referee raises his hand, the scorers will record it in the score sheet.

d) Juries : Juries will be nominated to observe the performance of the referees. If the quality of the referee is no to the standard, he will be replaced either during the course of the bout or after the completion of the bout as per the decision of the Juries. If it is established that if any side referee intentionally commits errors, his refereeship will be suspended. the decision of the juries to replace the side referee will be informed to the technical committee secretely. technical committee will mplement the decision of the Juries.

e) Announcer : He makes announcements regarding the names of participants, names of winner etc.,

f) Time Keeper : Time Keeper observes the time for the three rounds. He makes a long whistle at the close of each round.

g) Judges : In the Individual round three referees will be nominated as judges by the technical committee to award marks to the players.

h) Helpers : Helper to fix up belts to the players.

BELTS :

Red colored belt (cloth) will be put around the hip of one player and green colored belt will be given to the other player. The side referees who awards points to the red belt player will wear a red wrist band and the other side referee will wear a green wrist band.

One set of scorers who records points to the red belt player will wear red wrist band. Similarly the other set of scorers will wear the green wrist band.

DRESS :

Referees : Referees will wear White Shirt, Black Pants and Black Tie.

Players - Boys: Banian or T-Shirt (with sleeves), Half Shorts, Shoes.

Players - Girls: T-SHirt (with sleeves), Dark color Bottom (half or full), Shoes.

STAFF :

Light cane staff will be used in the competition. The thickness of the staff is 1 inch diametre. The lenght will vary according to the height of the competitors. It will be approximately of the height upto the contestant forehead.

PROTECTIVE GUARDS :

Protective guards may be used to cover head and eyes.

UNDERTAKING BY THE PLAYER :

Before the commencement of the championship every player should give an undertaking in the proforma enclosed in the annexure.

CATEGORY :

There are 10 categories and 9 categories for women.

If there is only one player in any category. It will not be treated as a seperate category. He/She will be included either in the next higher category or next lower category as per the decision of the Technical Committee.

FIXTURES :

Fixtures will be prepared to decide as to which player will fight with the other player. The person who comes first in the fixture will be given red belt and the other one will be given green belt. The player with the red belt will be first invited for the Individual Skill round. The other player will next. Fixtures will be prepared by the Technical Committee.

PROVIDING BYE :

In the list if the no., of players is odd then the player at the bottom of the list will be given bye. In the next round the player at the top of the list will be given bye. In the 3rd round, again the person who is at the bottom of the list will be given bye and so on.

COMMENCEMENT OF BOUT :

Both the players will be standing against each other crossing their staffs. The Chief Referee will separate their staffs with his staff. Both the players, should withdraw backwards from each other and make Pavalas (swings and foot works) for ½ minute. At the end of ½ minute a whistle will go. Then the two players will fight with each other.

BREAKS DURING BOUTS :

The play will be stopped by the Center Referee for warning the player or for any other matter which the Center Referee thinks deenms fit. During the time, clock will stopped and it will be on only when the play restarts.

For restart, the players will cross their staffs and the Center Referee will separate their staffs.

DISLODGING OF THE STAFF :

The player can dislodge the staff from the hands of ther opposite player. In this case, the player who loses the staff will be considered as defeated and the other player will be declared as winner. However, if the opposite player loses the staff without any efforts from the other player, this rule will not apply and he\she is allowed to continue. In the finals, if any player loses his staff, he will be declared as runner and the other player will be declared as winner.

INJURY DURING PLAY :

If any player causes any injury to the other player on his head including face causing bleeding, then the player who caused the injury may be debarred from the play at the discretion of the technical committee. the technical committee will decide about the debarring of the player. No player will claim that the other player will be debarred because he has injured him. Even his\her manager or coach can't claim it as a right.

EXTRA TIME :

If both the players score equal points, then extra time of half-a-minute will be allowed. If they score equal points even during this extra time, another half-a-minute time will be given. Even after allowing these two extra timings. if the points of the players are equal then first touch method will be adopted. The player who scores first point will be declared as the winner. Half-a-minute will be allowed for the first touch. Even during this time, if no body scores any point, the winner will be decided based on their individual skill round. The person who has secured more marks will be declared as winner. Even, if the individual skill mark is equal, than the winner will be decided by the tossing of the coin.

The maximum possible timings of the rounds will be as follows :

I Round 2 minutes (Individual Round)

II Round 1½ minutes

III Round 1½ minutes

Extra I Round ½ minutes

Extra II Round ½ minutes

First Touch ½ minutes

DECLARATION OF WINNER :

Winner of the bout will be declared by the Center Referee by raising the hands of the player who has scored more marks (points).

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP :

For working out team championships 5 marks will be awarded to first place winners and 3 marks will be awarded to second place winners.

Team championships will be awarded for three categories as follows :

1) Men 2) Women 3) Over all.

To calculate the over-all championships, points scored by the Countries both in Men and Women category will be totaled. If two countries have scored equal marks, then the country having more number of first places will be placed higher than the other country.

OATH TAKING :

All the Silambam official connected with the competition will take oath that may be impartial in all his dealings with regard to the game and also he will follow the rules of silambam sport without fail.