Kalari Payattu

The term kalari payittru is a tatpurusha compound from the words kalari (Malayalam:കളരി) meaning school or gymnasium and payattu (Malayalam:പയററ്) derived from payattuka meaning to "fight/ exercise" or "to put hard work into".

Belying the assumption that the compound itself might have an equally antique use as the singular kalari and payattu, the unpublished Malayalam Lexicon notes that the earliest use of the compound, kalarippayattu is in Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer's early twentieth century drama Amba when it is probable that the systems of martial practice assumed a structure and style akin those extant today. M.D. Raghavan has suggested that kalari was derived from the Sanskrit khalūrikā while Burrow is of the opinion that khalūrikā (parade ground, arena) and its Sanskrit root, khala- (threshing floor) are Dravidian loan words.




History


South Indian state of Kerala, where kalari payat originated
Origins
Phillip Zarrilli, a professor at the University of Exeter and one of the few Western authorities on kalaripayattu, estimates that kalaripayattu dates back to at least the 12th century CE. The historian Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai attributes the birth of kalarippayattu to an extended period of warfare between the Cheras and the Cholas in the 11th century CE. From the 11th or 12th century the right and duty to practice the martial art in the service of a ruler was most associated with Nairs, Ezhavas and some Christians and Muslims were given this right and duty.
In addition, Among at least some noble families, young girls (unniarcha) also received preliminary training up until the onset of menses. We also know from the vadakkan pattukal ballads that at least a few women of noted Chekavars continued to practise and achieved a high degree of expertise. Ankam were fought on an ankathattu, a temporary platform, four to six feet high, purpose-built for ankam.
The earliest western account of this art is that of the Portuguese explorer Duarte Barbosa (c. 1518).
The more part of these warriors when they are seven years of age are sent to schools where they are taught many tricks of nimbleness and dexterity; there they teach them to dance and turn about and to twist on the ground, to take royal leaps, and other leaps, and this they learn twice a day as long as they are children, and they become so loose-jointed and supple that they make them turn their bodies contrary to nature; and when they are fully accomplished in this, they teach them to play with the weapon to which they are most inclined, some with bows and arrows, some with poles to become spearmen, but most with swords and bucklers, which is most used among them, and in this fencing they are ever practising. The masters who teach them are called Panikars.
The writings of early colonial historians like Varthema, Logan and Whiteway shows that kalari payat was widely popular and well established with almost all people in Kerala transcending gender, caste and communal lines. It is said to have eventually become as prevalent as reading and writing. Kalari payat became more developed during the 9th century and was practiced by a section of the Nair community, warrior clan of Kerala, to defend the state and the king. The ancient warrior spirit was also retained throughout the centuries by the warrior chieftains of ancient Kerala known as the Mamanka Chekavar. The iconic Thacholi Othenan Kurup was elevated to heroic status in all of Kerala. The Lohar of north Kerala were Buddhist warriors who practiced kalaripayat.

Regional variations

There are several styles of kalari payat. The three main schools of thought can be distinguished by their attacking and defensive patterns. The best introduction to the differences between these styles is the book of Luijendijk which uses photographs to show several kalari payat exercises and their applications. Each chapter in his book references a representative of each of the three main traditions.

Northern style

Main article: Northern Kalaripayattu
Northern kalari payat was practiced mainly in the northern Malabar region of Kozhikode and Kannur. It places more emphasis on weapons than on empty hands. Parashurama, sixth avatar of Vishnu, is believed to be the style's founder according to both oral and written tradition. Masters in this system are usually known as gurukkal or occasionally as asan, and were often given honorific titles, especially Panikkar.

The northern style is distinguished by its meippayattu - physical training and use of full-body oil massage. The system of treatment and massage, and the assumptions about practice are closely associated with ayurveda. The purpose of medicinal oil massage is to increase the practitioners' flexibility, to treat muscle injuries incurred during practice, or when a patient has problems related to the bone tissue, the muscles, or nerve system. The term for such massages is thirumal and the massage specifically for physical flexibility chavutti thirumal which literally means "stamping massage" or "foot massage". The masseuse may use their feet and body weight to massage the person.

There are several lineages/styles (sampradayam), of which 'thulunadan' is considered as the best. In olden times, students went to thulunadu kalari's to overcome their defects (kuttam theerkkal). There are schools which teach more than one of these traditions. Some traditional kalari around Kannur for example teach a blend of arappukai, pillatanni, and katadanath styles.

Southern Kalaripayat

Southern styles of kalaripayat emphasise empty hand techniques. They are practiced mainly in old Travancore including the present Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, primarily by Nairs, Nadars, Ezhavas and a small section of Kallars and Maravars, of erstwhile Travancore areas. The founder and patron saint is believed to be the rishi Agasthya. Southern kalaripayat masters are known as asan.
Training is divided into several stages: solo forms (chuvatu), partner training/sparring (jodi), short stick (kurunthadi), longstaff (neduvadi), knife (katthi), dagger (katara), sword and shield (valum parichayum), flexible sword (chuttuval), double sword, kalari grappling and pressure point fighting (marma kalari). Zarrilli refers to southern kalaripayat as ati mura (the 'law of hitting'), marma ati (hitting the vital spots), varma ati or Varma Kalari . The preliminary empty handed techniques of ati mura are known as adithada (hit/defend). Varma ati refers specifically to the application of these techniques to vital spots. Weapons include chilambam (long staffs), short sticks, and double deer horns. Southern styles of kalaripayat are not practised in special roofed pits but rather in the open air otherwise in an unroofed enclosure of palm branches.
Medical treatment in southern styles of kalaripayat is identified with Dravidian siddha, distinct from ayurveda but regarded as being equally sophisticated. The siddha medical system is also known as siddha vaidyam and, like ati mura, is attributed to the rishi Agasthya. The active suppression of Nairs in southern Kerala led to the virtual extinction of their southern dronamballi sampradayam by the mid-1950s

Central style

Main article: Central Kalaripayattu
Central kalari payat is practiced mainly in Thrissur, Malappuram, Palakkad and certain parts of Ernakulam districts. It is a composite of the northern and southern styles that includes northern meippayattu preliminary exercises, southern emphasis on empty-handed moves and its own distinctive techniques which are performed within floor drawings known as kalam.


Various kalari styles

Various kalari styles as specified in Vadakkan Pattukal,

Karuvancheri Kalari
Kodumala Kalari
Kolastri Nadu Kalari
Kurungot Kalari
Mathilur Kalari
Mayyazhi Kalari
Melur Kalari
Nadapuram Kalari
Panoor Madham Kalari
Payyampalli Kalari
Ponniyam Kalari
Puthusseri Kalari
Puthuram Kalari
Thacholi Kalari
Thotuvor Kalari
Tulunadan Kalari

Training

Initiation ceremony
Students begin training at approximately seven years old with a formal initiation ritual performed by the gurukkal. On the opening day of the new session, a novice (mostly Nairs , Ezhavas in the olden days) is admitted to the kalari in the presence of the gurukkal or a senior student and directed to place their right foot first across the threshold. The student touches the ground with the right hand and then the forehead, as a sign of respect. He is then led to the guruthara, the place where a lamp is kept burning in reverence to all the masters of the kalari, to repeat this act of worship. He then offers the master some money as dakshina in folded betel leaves and prostrates himself, touching the master's feet as a sign of submission. The guru then places his hands on the pupil’s head, blesses him and prays for him. This ritual - touching the ground, puttara, guruthara and the guru’s feet - is repeated everyday. It symbolizes a complete submission to and acceptance of the master, the deva, the kalari and the art itself.

The kalari

Main article: Kalari
A kalari is the school or training hall where martial arts are taught. They were originally constructed according to Vastu Shastra with the entrance facing east and the main door situated on the centre-right. Sciences like mantra saastra, tantra saastra and marma saastra are utilized to balance the space's energy level. The training area comprises a puttara (seven tiered platform) in the south-west corner. The guardian deity (usually an avatar of Bhagavathi, Kali Mata or Shiva) is located here, and is worshipped with flowers, incense and water before each training session which is preceded by a prayer. Northern styles are practiced in special roofed pits where the floor is 3.5 feet below the ground level and made of wet red clay meant to give a cushioning effect and prevent injury. The depth of the floor protects the practitioner from winds that could hamper body temperature. Southern styles are usually practiced in the open air or in an unroofed enclosure of palm branches. Traditionally, when a kalari was closed down it would be made into a small shrine dedicated to the guardian deity.

A 3rd-century-BC rock inscription by emperor Asoka the Great attests to a Keralaputra.[4] Around 1 BC the region was ruled by the Chera Dynasty, which traded with the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The Tamil Chera dynasty, Ays and the Pandyan Empire were the traditional rulers of Kerala whose patriarchal dynasties ruled until the 14th century.[5][6] The Chera Kingdom were Patriarchal in descendency. The Cheras collapsed after repeated attacks from the neighboring Chola and Rashtrakuta kingdoms. Feudal Namboothiri Brahmin and Nair city-states subsequently gained control of the region.[7] Kolla Varsham or Malayalam Era, which is assumed to have been established by King Udaya Marthanda Varma in 825 AD, serves as the official calendar of Kerala.[8] Early contact with Europeans gave way to struggles between colonial and native interests. After independence, the state of Kerala was created in 1956 from the former state of Travancore-Cochin, the Malabar district of Madras State, and the Kasaragod taluk of Dakshina Kannada.[9]

Kerala is a popular tourist destination famous for its backwaters, Ayurvedic treatments [10] and tropical greenery. Kerala has a higher Human Development Index than all other states in India.[11][12] The state has a literacy rate of 91 percent,[2] the highest in India. A survey conducted in 2005 by Transparency International ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country.[13] Kerala has witnessed significant migration of its people, especially to the Persian Gulf countries, starting with the Kerala Gulf boom, and is uniquely dependent on remittances from its large Malayali expatriate community

Classical Arts of Kerala

Bharata Natyam :

It is believed to be india's oldest form of classical dance. This dance form which is called poetry in motion, has its hoary origins in the natya sastra written about 4000 b.c. by sage bharatha. This art form grossly disallows new fangled innovations or gimmicks except in repertoire and forms of presentation. It was originally known as 'dasi attam,' a temple art performed by young women called 'devadasis.'

Bharatha natyam is commonly performed by women, but sometimes by men also. There are strict guidelines laid down regarding every single aspect of the art including the attributes required in order to be an accomplished dancer.

Arts Of Kerala

Kathakali:

The classical dance form of Kerala has its origins in folk dances, which became more sophisticated and stylized as it evolved into the classical dance performed today. Kathakali is characterized by its elaborate costume, which includes multiple layers of clothing and ornate headgear. The stories performed are all episodes from the epics, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The faces of the heroic characters in Kathakali are painted green in color, the villains and demons are painted black and the women's faces are painted yellow. Performances often begin in the evening and can go on all night.

Mohiniattam:

The dance of the celestial enchantress, Mohiniattam is characterized by graceful movements of the body and limbs and facial and hand gestures that convey a range of emotions.


Thiruvathirakali:

This graceful dance is performed by women on the festival of Onam. An oil lamp is lit in the courtyard and women dance around it in a circle with coordinated graceful movements of the limbs and body.


Theyyam:

Also called Kaliyattam, Theyyam is characterized by huge masks painted bright red or orange, which can appear to be quite terrifying. This dance form is practiced in northern Kerala and includes mime, music, dance and fortune telling in a ritual performance that sometimes leads to the performer entering a trance like state.

Thullal:

This ritual performance consists of a solo artiste who dances and recites the accompanying verses. The symbolic meaning of the verses, are explained through the medium of the Thullal dance.

Kannyarkali:

This folk dance is performed by the men of the Nair community of Palakkad. The dance incorporates elements of martial arts and ritualized fighting in its performance.

Velakali:

This folk dance is performed by the Nair men of South Kerala. Wearing the colorful clothing of the martial Nair warriors, the men dance in a ritual that includes elements of mock warfare and physical training.


Margomkali:

This ritual dance is performed by the Syrian Christian community in Kerala. Dancers move in a circle around a lit oil lamp in time to the accompanying songs and music. Converted by St Thomas when he visited Kerala between 52-70 A.D., the Syrian Christians have many rituals that are similar to the rituals of traditional Hindus in Kerala.


Kolkkali:

Performed by the farmers and by Muslim men in Kerala, Kolkalli is an energetic rhythmic dance that recalls the rhythm planting and harvesting crops in the fields.

These are only some of folk dances and musical performances of Kerala. You can see many more and join in the folk dances and music of Kerala on your Kerala tours
Oppana (Malayalam: ഒപ്പന) is a popular form of social entertainment among the Mappila community of Kerala, south India, prevalent all over, especially in the northern districts of Kannur, Calicut and Malappuram.[1]
Oppana is generally presented by females, numbering about fifteen including musicians, on a wedding day. The bride dressed in all finery, covered with gold ornaments and her palms and feet adorned with an intricately woven pattern of mylanchi (henna), sits amidst the circle of dancers. She is the chief spectator sitting on a peetam (chair), around which the singing and dancing take place. While they sing, they clap their hands rhythmically and move around the bride using simple steps. Two or three girls begin the songs and the rest join in chorus.[2]
Sometime Oppana is also presented by males to entertain the bridegroom. It usually takes place just before the bridegroom leaves for the bride's residence where the Nikah (marriage) takes place or at the time he enters the Maniyara