Butthan
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| ব্যুত্থান | |
 Logo of Butthan | |
| Focus | Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Both semi-contact |
| Country of origin |  Bangladesh |
| Date of formation | 7th August, 1981 |
| Creator | Mak Yuree Vajramunee |
| Ancestor arts | Varma kalai, Bando, Vajra-mushti, Chuan Fa |
| Official website | International Butthan Federation |
Butthan (ব্যুত্থান, bʊθɑːn, meaning "Defense with distinction and awakening") is a Bangladeshi martial art and combat sport.[1][2][3] It is a system of self-defense and personal development rooted in South Asian heritage.[4][5] Butthan has been developed by Mak Yuree, an internationally acclaimed Grandmaster and known as Superhuman as dubbed by the Discovery Channel.[6][7][8][9] It has been described as the ‘noble art of stopping-fight and enlightenment that produces physical, mental and spiritual balance’.[10][7][11] Butthan was approved as a national sport of Bangladesh by the National Sports Council, Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bangladesh in 2013.[5] As a combat sport, the martial art is practiced in different parts of the world under the International Butthan Federation.[12][13][10]
The word Butthan is a Sanskrit word, meaning upliftment or defense with distinction.[12][5] Butthan, as a form of martial art rooted in ancient South Asia, was founded by Grandmaster Mak Yuree.[14] The Pashupati seal was found as the world's oldest evidence of body-mind training in the archeological site of Mohenjo-daro.[15] The systematic form of martial art was developed in ancient India. Indian monk Bodhidharma traveled from Kanchipuram to Shaolin Temple in 520 AD. The systematic forms of self-defenses were later nourished at Shaolin Monastery. Bodhidharma introduced rich psycho-physical training to the Shaolin monks which was vital in strengthening the internal and external organs. However, over the centuries the Indus valley civilization lost its heritage as the thriving ground for martial arts. After two and half millennia, Mak Yuree Vajramuneethe, with his research and development, created an international movement to revive that heritage of martial arts under the flag of Butthan.[5]
The practice of Butthan began in 1981 in the Bangladeshi city of Rajshahi. In 1985, under the guidance of Mak Yuree, the first national-level Butthan competition in Bangladesh took place at Rajshahi Government College. Butthan evolved through Mak Yuree's accomplishment in forty different Martial arts styles and progressive research and development.[4] Butthan was spread across Bangladesh with the formation of training camps in different districts of the country. At the beginning of 1990s, Butthan was adopted by different law-enforcement and security organizations in Bangladesh, such as the Special Security Force, National Security Intelligence, Army, Police, RAB, Coast Guard, and United Nations Peace Keeping Force as a way to train their law enforcement personnel. In 1991, Burmese Grandmaster Khing Maung Gyi presented a successorship document containing the overview of Bando, a Burmese form of martial art, in Dhaka. At the ceremony, Butthan was showcased by Bangladeshi martial artists. The event was publicized through mainstream media. In 1992, American army official Frank White took the initiative to spread Butthan beyond the map of Bangladesh. In 1994, Butthan was introduced as mandatory physical training in all the cadet colleges in Bangladesh. Andy Scott, a trainer at the National Security Academy of Texas, USA, supported the spread of the martial art in the USA. In an effort to spread Butthan around the world, World Butthan Federation was formed in 1998 in Houston, United States. The organization was renamed to International Butthan Federation in 2002 in a conference attended by Butthan trainers and advisors in England. International Butthan Federation promotes the martial art in South East Asia, Europe and the United States.[10] Myanmar Thaing Federation, in 2004, honored the founder of Butthan Mak Yuree in a reception, which was attended by 32 Grandmasters of the country. In the reception, Myanmar proclaimed its solidarity with the global Butthan movement.
Mak Yuree traveled to Swindon, England in 2005 in the pursuit of spreading Butthan. The mayor of Swindon, Steve Wakefield[16] received training of Butthan and helped in the promotion of Butthan. In 2007, World Martial Arts Hall of Fame recognized Mak Yuree as the ‘Grandmaster of the Year’. Combat, a magazine on martial art from United Kingdom, published a cover story based on Mak Yuree, which helped Butthan to garner attention globally in martial arts circle. The then editor of the magazine, Paul Cliffton sincerely supported the publicity and spread of Butthan. Furthermore, Darique Montaut, a politician of Swindon, actively supported the spread of Butthan in England. In 2010, International Butthan Federation participated with promotional stall in the International Martial Art Exhibition held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. Butthan was approved as a national sport by the National Sports Council, Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bangladesh in 2013.[5] In 2015, Martial Art Illustrator published its cover story based on Butthan. Brunei Darussalam government officially approved practice of Butthan nationally in their country in April, 2018.[13]