The book is fruit of my research on the paiks, the martial artists from the state of Odisha, which I conducted in the 90s and of my exposure to the different martial disciplines from other part of India through the series of Festivals of Martial Dances which I organized from 2006 onwards. The study and observations of the martial disciplines made me realize the importance of these techniques under different points of view. They can be considered as systematic methods of health and body fitness for the highly developed physical training involved intheir execution. Or as powerful tools of concentration for the focused ability one develops through the attack and defense exercises. Or as study material for researching into the origin of more developed dance systems for the accuracy of the stances and postures on which their movements are based. Or as source of information regarding the history of the particular region to which they belong.