Competition Rules | Way of the Bow

1. Overview

The Way of the Bow Traditional Archery Tournament is rooted in Dhanurvidya and historical archery practices. The competition prioritises authentic technique, safety, discipline, and cultural integrity.

To maintain fairness and clarity, the tournament will be conducted under distinct equipment categories.

2. Competition Categories

Category A – Traditional Archery (Primary Category)

This category follows classical and historical archery principles.

Category B – Open Traditional-Inspired Archery (Separate Category)

This category allows Indian bamboo bows with shelves and Roland Snake bows, without sights or stabilisers.

Note: This category does not compete with Category A and will be scored separately.

3. Equipment Rules

3.1 Bows

Category A – Traditional Archery

Allowed	Not Allowed
Bows without arrow shelf Single-piece Asian or traditional style bows Two-piece Asian style bows / traditional longbows Traditional style bows made with natural or modern materials Bio-composite bows Traditional horn bows Traditional longbows made of natural materials Three-piece takedown traditional bows	Any bow with arrow shelf Bows with markings on limbs Any arrow rest Any sight, clicker, stabiliser, or distance marking Compound bows or modern recurves Indian round bows or hunting bows with shelf Takedown bows with modern recurve limbs, straight limbs, metal or wooden risers

Category B – Open Traditional-Inspired

Allowed	Not Allowed
Indian bamboo bows with shelf Roland Snake bows with shelf No sights, no stabilisers, no clickers	Compound bows Olympic recurves Any bow with sights, stabilisers, or distance markings

3.2 Strings

Allowed	Not Allowed
Natural or synthetic string material Single nocking point Thumb ring, finger tab, or glove	String silencers Multiple nocking points Worn or damaged strings

3.3 Arrows

Category A – Traditional Archery

Allowed	Not Allowed
Wooden arrows Bamboo arrows Self nock or natural nock Wooden or horn nocks Natural bird feather fletching Field points	Plastic or synthetic nocks Carbon, aluminium, or fiberglass arrows Broadheads Large bodkin points Plastic, synthetic, or rubber vanes

Category B – Open Traditional-Inspired

Allowed	Not Allowed
Bamboo arrows with natural feather or vane fletching Wooden arrows Field points only	Broadheads Carbon, aluminium, or fiberglass arrows Target-damaging points

4. Historical Bow Definitions

4.1 Historical Bow (Made of Natural Materials)

The bow can be made of only single or mixed materials that contain only natural materials (for example: wood, horn, bone, tendon, jelly, natural polish, bamboo).

Note: Arrows with plastic nocks are not allowed. It's forbidden to use any device or accessory for the extension of the draw (overdraw).

4.2 Historical Bow (Made of Modern Materials)

The bow can be made of only one or mixed materials that contain modern material (for example: adhesive, fiberglass, carbon, laminated bows).

Note: It's forbidden to use any device or accessory for the extension of the draw (overdraw).

4.3 Historical Longbow & Other Stick Bows

A bow of any material, at least 135cm long, which can be either:

One piece bow, OR
A bow that can be taken down in two parts at the handle (separation of parts can only happen at one place in the handle) and put together again as one piece bow

When unstrung, the grip may not be further away than 5cm from the imaginary line drawn between the two ends of the bow.

Not Allowed: Three piece takedown bows are not allowed, as well as takedown bows with modern recurve/straight limbs/metal/wooden risers.

5. Attire (ALL CATEGORIES)

Mandatory	Not Allowed
Traditional/classical dress Traditional footwear Turban or culturally appropriate headwear Traditional side quiver or back quiver Prescription eyewear permitted	Caps or hats Sports shoes Casual or formal leather shoes Modern/Olympic style quivers Goggles or sunglasses

6. Shooting & Release

Allowed	Not Allowed
Any classical release style	String walking Distance marking using fingers or arrow

7. General Rules

Targets, distances, and rounds may be modified by the Organising Committee if required
Any rule violation may result in immediate disqualification
Decisions of the IndoVedic Traditional Archery Association (ITAA) and Organising Committee are final
Safety and first aid will be provided at the competition arena
Participation implies acceptance of all rules

8. Final Note

The intent of these rules is clarity, fairness, and respect for tradition.

Separate categories exist to include more archers without compromising classical practice.

Safety Guidelines

Safety is our highest priority. All participants must adhere to these rules:

Never draw your bow when anyone is downrange
Only nock an arrow when on the shooting line and facing the target
Follow all range officer commands immediately
Wear appropriate traditional footwear - closed-toe shoes required
Thumb rings, finger tabs, or gloves are mandatory for protection
Report any equipment damage to officials before shooting
All equipment will be inspected before competition

Questions about the rules? Contact our competition committee at reachwayofthebow@gmail.com