Urumi

The urumi (Malayalam: ഉറുമി urumi;Tamil: சுருள் பட்டாக்கத்தி surul pattakahthi, lit. curling blade; Sinhalese: එතුණු කඩුව ethunu kaduwa;) is a sword with a flexible whip-like blade from India. Originating in Kerala southern state of 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 a South Indian martial art from the state of Kerala.