Kalari Payattu
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| Focus | Hybrid |
|---|---|
| Hardness | Full-contact, Semi-contact |
| Meaning | "Practice in the arts of the battlefield." |
Kalaripayattu (pronounced Kalarippayatt) is a martial art and fighting system, which originated as a style in Kerala, southern India (North Malabar). The word kalari first appears in the Tamil Sangam literature (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE) to describe a battlefield, as well as a combat arena; in practice, the term kalari tatt denoted a martial feat, while kalari kozhai meant a coward in war. Each warrior in the Sangam era received regular military training. It is considered to be one of the oldest surviving fighting systems still in existence in the world. Although originally practiced in Kerala, it also became adopted by southern parts of Tamil Nadu.
Kalaripayattu has three schools, which are distinguished by their attacking and defensive patterns.
They are:
Early written evidence of martial arts is found in Dhanurveda a part of athravaveda and Rig Veda and in Southern Indian work Sangam literature about Kalarippayattu in the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam in the Sangam era. The word kalari appears in the Puram (verses 225, 237, 245, 356) and Akam (verses 34, 231, 293) to describe both a battlefield and combat arena. The word kalari tatt denoted a martial feat, while kalari kozhai meant a coward in war. Each warrior in the Sangam era received regular military training in target practice, horse and elephant riding. They specialized in one or more of the important weapons of the period including the spear (vel), sword (val), shield (kedaham), and bow and arrow (vil ambu). The combat techniques of the Sangam period were the earliest precursors to kalaripayat. References to "Silappadikkaram" in Sangam literature date back to the 2nd century. This referred to the silambam staff which was in great demand with foreign visitors.
Elements from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, as well as finger movements in the nata dances, were incorporated into the fighting arts. A number of South Asian fighting styles remain closely connected to yoga, dance and performing arts. Some of the choreographed sparring in kalaripayat can be applied to dance and kathakali dancers who knew kalaripayat were believed to be markedly better than other performers. Velakali an art form of the Nayar soldiers from the southern part of kerala combines elements of Kalaripayat to depict ancient battle scenes from the epic Mahabharata. Until recent decades, the chhau dance was performed only by martial artists. Some traditional Indian classical dance schools still incorporate martial arts as part of their exercise regimen.
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