Most of us were fond of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan in our childhood, eventually we became fans of various type of martial arts like Kung Fu, Judo, Karate, Jujutsu etc, but we missed to notice our own. As an Indian, we should also embrace our own martial art technique which is originated from Southern part of India and that is KALARIPAYATTU. Kalaripayattu, also known simply as Kalari, is held in high regard by martial artists due to its long-standing history within Indian martial arts.
I experienced the mind-blowing techniques of Kalaripayattu during my stay in Munnar, Kerala. There is a group named as “Punarjani” who organize two shoes every day. One is Kathakali dance show which starts at 5 PM and the other is Kalaripayattu martial art show which starts at 6 PM. They have their auditorium at Second Mile, Pallivasal, Munnar.
The word Kalari first appeared in Sangam literature which describes the combat battle. Each warrior in the Sangam era received regular military training. It is considered to be one of the oldest fighting systems in existence. It was originally practiced in northern and central parts of Kerala and southern parts of Tamil Nadu. The Sri Lankan martial art Angampora also exhibits strong similarities with Kalaripayattu.
Kalaripayattu techniques are a combination of steps (Chuvatu) and postures (Vadivu). Chuvatu literally means ‘steps’, the basic steps of the martial arts. Vadivu literally means ‘postures’ or stances are the basic characteristics of Kalaripayattu training.
The training begins with an oil massage of the entire body until it is agile and supple. Feats like chattom (jumping), ottam (running) and marichil (somersault) are also integral parts of the art form. There are also lessons in using weapons like swords, daggers, spears, maces, and bows and arrows. The primary aim is the ultimate coordination between mind and body. Another focus of Kalaripayattu is specialization in indigenous medicinal practices.
Named after animals, the techniques are usually eight in number. Styles differ considerably from one tradition to another. Not only do the names of poses differ, the masters also differ about application and interpretation. Each stance has its own style, power combination, function and effectiveness. These techniques vary from one style to another.
I really enjoyed the martial art techniques here in this extraordinary show and I strongly recommend you to include this in your itinerary in your next visit to Munnar.
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