Kerala Arts - Kalaripayattu

Kalarippayattu, handed down the centuries, by heritage, become popular among the lovers of martial art, an offshoot of the Hindu way of life. The villages of medieval Kerala had a Kalari, a Temple and a public pond for bathing, a rare combination of religious hygiene, public health and defence.

The Kalari system has become a popular physical culture for defence and offence. Kalaries are run under the supervision of an Asan or Guru, who was revered in the society with the title 'Panikkar'. Kalarippayatt has four successive stages of training Maippayatt, Koltari, Ankatari and Verumkaiprayogam. Maippayattu or 'Meiotukkappayattu', a series of body control exercise, systematically designed and practiced according to Vaythari or verbal instructions, which gives proper orientation, suppleness and flexibility to the body. On mastering 'Maippayattu' the next stage is fighting with the wooden weapons called 'Koltari'. Mastering 'Koltari' leads to ' Ankatari' the technique of fighting with metal weapons. The final stage is training in empty hand fighting techniques called 'Verumkaiprayogam'. 'Marmaprayogam', the attack on the vulnerable points of the body, instructed to pupil with good willpower and discipline. All exercise in Kalari is performed in strict accordance with 'Vaylari' or systematically developed verbal instruction given by Guru.