Indian Martial Arts [Archive] - Kung Fu Magazine Forums

Jingo

07-19-2006, 01:40 AM

For a while now, many people have been hearing that martial arts had its roots in India. But where in India... what art would it have been? Some tried to link the grappling art of Vajramushti as Kung-Fu's predesessor even though it resembles Greek Pankration wrestling. Others with the Punjabi art of Gatka which is a sword fencing art. However, during the 1990s the Kerala art of Kalaripayattu has came out from the dark. Many people seeing this art with its martial arts type of kicks, punches, and weaponry have were convinced that this must be the art which Kung-Fu has originated from. There are a lot of web sites and articles stating that the art of Kalaripayattu was the martial arts introduced by an Indian prince turned monk by the name of Daruma Bodhidarma to China. As a matter of fact many have jumped to the conclusion that it was the mother all martial arts.

First of all, there is no connection whatsoever between Kalaripayattu and Kung-Fu. Kalaripayatttu was formed around the 13th century and Daruma Bodhidarma was alive around the 6th century who traveled to China. There is a 700 year gap between him and the formation of Kalaripayattu. Also, Daruma Bodhidarma was born in the ancient Pallava kingdom of Kanchipuram which is situated in the state of present day Tamil Nadu where Kalaripayattu is not a native art of the state. As a matter of fact Tamil Nadu itself has several martial arts which predate Kalaripayattu thousands of years and are even mentioned in the ancient Tamil literature such as the Silappadikaram during the Sangam Age of the 1st century A.D. Another piece of Tamil literature which mentions of these martial arts is called the Purunaruru (Four Hundreds songs on War and Wisdom) written around 500 B.C.E. The source on Kalaripayattu can be found in Phillip Zarilli's When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art .

Another thing I would like to point out is that India was not in existence before the arrival of the British around the 1600s. Before the British colonized the former numerous countries and kingdoms of the sub-continent and called it India, the present day southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and even parts of Sri Lanka were originally called Tamil Akkam (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Rajaraja_territories.png). It was one Tamil (Dravidian) administration with three major dynasties being the Pandyan, Cholas, and the Cheras. The Pallavas were also part of Tamil Akkam at one time. However, their empire was divided by Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. The land where the Cheras ruled later came to be known as Kerala where they formed their own language out of Tamil called Malayalam. The latest parts of the sub-continent to be brought into the Indian Union were the 5 French territories of Pondicherry in 1956. Before that, it was Assam, Manipur, and the other Eastern states which came under the British rule and became part of their India during the late 1800s which can be found at Thang Ta: Martial Art of Manipur (http://www.thang-ta.com/).

As a Matter of fact, Tamil Akkam had such a powerful infantry, cavalry, and navy, that not even the Mauryan Empire of Asoka could over power it. This was probably due to the Tamils martial expertise as well. Much information can be found along with a map of the Mauryan Empire of Asoka in K.A. Nilakanta Sastri's Age of the Nandas and Mauryas. Another good book to read on this would be Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas by Romlia Thapar.

The Martial Arts of Tamil Nadu and Northeastern Sri Lanka, are Kuttu Varisai (empty hand combat), Varma Kalai (pressure point attacks), and an array of weapons arts. Kuttu Varisai resembles a mix of both Karate and Kung Fu having its own animal forms too. As for Kalripayattu of 13th century, it resembles a lot like ninjitsu.

There are many weapons arts and each weapon is a mastery of its own. One of the most famous one is called Silambam which is similar to the Bo staff fighting in Japan. There are a total of 96 Katas for this art. Another weapon is the Erathai or the double stick similar to the Filipino Kali or Sinawali. There are two unique weapons which are not found outside of Southern India which is the Surul Pattai (steel blade whip) and the Madhu (deer horns). Other weapons arts of the Tamil country are the Val Vitchi (single sword) and the Eretthai Val (double short sword).

Between the 2nd to 12th century AD the Pallavas and the Cholas have done intensive sea trade with Southeast Asian kingdoms like that of Angkor (Cambodia), Sri Vijaya (Indonesia) and even as far as China. It is possible that the Pallavas may have had contact with Japan during their seafaring naval expeditions. A good source on that would be in the book titled Traditional Cultural Link between India and Japan (During the 8th and 9th centuries) written by Dr. Kalpakam Sankarnaryan and Dr. Motohiro Yoritomi. There is a possibility the inhabitants of the islands of Japan may have adopted certain forms of Kuttu Varisai and Silambam by the Pallavas. Silambam which might be precursors to Kendo, Ken-Jutso, and Karate.

Beween the 10th and12th centuries A.D., the Cholas conquered much of Southern India and Eastern parts going through Manipur, Assam, and Southern Burma. There empire stretched to as far south as Sri Lanka & Maldives, and to the East was Sumatra, Java, and Malaysia (Kadaram). Their martial arts must have been one of their exports along with various other arts like dance, architecture, and the Tamil version of the Ramayana. The Ramayana (or Ramayanan, Ramavataram) was re-written from Sanskrit to Tamil by the sage Kavicakravarti Kamban of the 9th century A.D. of the Chola kingdom of Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. There are certain moves which are in Muay Thai which are called the Hanuman or Lim Lom. Hanuman was a warrior in the Ramayana epic. Three sources on this can be found in Cholas by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, Mystery of the Maldives by Thor Heyerdahl, and Muay Thai: The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting written by Panya Kraithat and Pitisuk Kraitus.

As for the Shaolin, it may be possible that Daruma Bodhidarma did go there and introduced Dhyan [Zen (in Japanese), Chan (in Chinese)]. The absence of fighting forms in China before Daruma Bodhidarma is absolutely false. If there was no fighting form in China, then how did there armies fight which most definitely predates the arrival of Daruma Bodhidarma? There were fighting forms in China. It was Daruma Bodhidarma who introduced his concept of breathing exercises, the arts of the vital points and the 18 Lohan which can be seen in Kuttu Varisai of present day Tamil Nadu. His introduction of these Dravidian combat forms and exercises was adopted by the Chinese which later evolved into Kung - Fu. However, Bodhidarma was also not the only Sage who went to China.

There was another Tamil sage who travelled to China well before him around the 5th century B.C. by the name of Boghar Siddha. He was accompanied by Lao Tse the founder of Taosim and who was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. In Tamil, Yin and Yang translates to Idai Nadi (female, moon) and Pingelai Nadi (male, sun). The unification of the two becomes Lingam which is a symbol of Siva. The Sanskrit adaptation of the Yin and Yang is Shiv and Shakt (or Siva and Shakti). The Sanskrit translation of the unification of Shiv and Shakt is called Prana. Prana is "breath" and is understood as the vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and the vital energy in all natural processes of the universe.

In Southeast Asia the arts of Krabi Krabong in Thailand and Silat in Indonesia bear a lot of resemblances of the Dravidian warfare arts of Southern India. The animalistic styles and even forms of animism found in Silat are also found in Kuttu Varisai where invokes a specific animal spirit or energy into ones body. Many Chola and Pallava Naval and Merchant ships landing in parts of Southeast Asia have not only brought with them the Hindu and Buddhist religions, but the martial arts as well which fused with the indigenous fighting styles of Southeast Asia. Source Tamil Merchant Guild in Sumatra written by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri.

In the Bible in the book of Solomon and Esther it mentions about trade and contact with India. The term India was used in the King James Version which was translated from Hebrew and Greek during the 1600s and the rise of the British Empire. The King James came about after the British took control over many kingdoms and countries forming it into one British Administration and giving the name India. India is actually a Latin word for Indo or Indus in Greek which is Hindu in the Persian language of Farsi near Iran and Pakistan. In the Tamil texts it mentions about King Solomon’s trade and contact with the Chera, Pandya, and Chola kingdoms of Tamil Akkam. King Solomon was not the only one in contact with the Dravidian kingdoms but Rome, Greece, and Egypt. This information can be found in Foreign Notices of South India: from Megasthenes to Ma Huan written by K.A. Nilakanta Sastri. Other than spices, precious stones, silk, and exotic animals being exported to Rome, Greece and the Middle East, weapons and fighting styles were exported as well. The Romans and the Greeks who traveled to Tamil Akkam were known by the ancient Tamils as the Yavanas. Weapons like the trident amongst others were imported to Rome including certain fighting forms which were used in gladiatorial fights in Rome. More information can be found in Silambam fencing from India by Manuel J. Raj and The Commerce Between the Roman Empire and India by E.H. Warmington.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Jingo

07-19-2006, 01:53 AM

. . . CONTINUATION

There are even older fighting styles found on the African continent which may have found its way to the Indian sub-continent and from Australia. These are known as Dambe of Nigeria which one hand is bound for punching, and kicking and head butting are allowed. Similar arts to Dambe are Adi Thada of the Tamils, and Muay Thai of Thailand. The Ringa wrestling of Madagascar is similar to the Tamil wrestling called Malyutham. Amongst the many fighting styles and sports of Africa is the Savika bull fight which can also seen in the Tamil Nadu and parts of Northeastern Sri Lanka bull fights known as Jalli Kattu. Ancient Tamil texts mention of an ancient land mass connecting India with Australia and Madagascar. It also mentions names of cities and rivers which lie beneath the Indian Ocean today. The Indian sub-continent and Australia both lay on the same tectonic plate called the Indo-Australian (http://jaeger.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/ImageLibrary/Raster/Indo-Australian%20Plate/Pages/iap_bound.html)plate. The tsunami of December 2004 also proved the Lemurian (http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/imagenes4/historia_hum_lemuria.jpg) theory when it washed back a couple of miles exposing temples and artifacts in the Bay of Bengal near Mammalapuram, Tamil Nadu. That was the fourth tsunami recorded in the history of South Asia. The third was during the early 1900s. In the Tamil Silappadikaram it also mentions of a great flood or tsunami which wiped out an ancient Pandyan city. An interesting book which goes into detail is called The Lost Land of Lemuria: Fabulous Geographies by Sumathi Ramaswamy. The resemblances between Tamils, Malayalees, Australian aborigines and East African are very close. There is an ancient weapon that was used in Tamil Akkam called the Valari which resembles the Boomerang of Australia. The Velari was shaped like the boomerang, but was tipped with a metal blade. Here is an article written by Dr. S. Jayabarathi Jaybee on the Valari Weapon. (http://www.geocities.com/jaybee2741/valari1.html)

In conclusion, martial arts of India today were actually the martial art of Tamil Akkam thousands of years back and not ancient India. India or the Indian Union did not come into play until after the arrival of the British around the 1600s. To be more exact these arts are considered Tamil Martial Arts or Dravidian Martial arts respectfully. Dravidian is a family of ethnicities in Southern India and Sri Lanka such as the Malayalees of Kerala, Tamils of Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka, Telugus and Tulus of Andra Pradesh and so forth. However, thousands of years back, the term Dravidian was a Greek word for Tamilians or Tamils which was also adopted in the Sanskrit language. Kalari Payat is a very dynamic martial art with an array of weaponry including pressure point attacks and massage. However, it does not go any further back than the 13th century as quoted from Phillip Zarilli's When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art . Daruma Bodhidarma was also well alive almost 700 hundred years before the formation of Kalaripayattu. There were many other sages and monks who have travelled from present day Southern India to China well before Daruma Bodhidarma.

Here are some additional links:

Lost City Found off Indian Coast (BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1923794.stm

Tsunami Throws up India Relics (BBC):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4257181.stm

Varma Kalai martial art of Tamil Nadu:
http://perso.orange.fr/varmakalai/

Silambam (staff fighting) of Tamil Nadu:
http://silambam.com/

Kalairpayattu martial art of Kerala:
http://www.kalarippayat.com

Gatka Sikh (sword fencing) of Punjab:
http://www.atlantamartialarts.com/styles/gatka.htm

Vajra Mushti (wrestling) of Gujurat:
http://www.bjj.com.au/john_article_web_7.html

WanderingMonk

07-19-2006, 04:01 AM

There was another Tamil sage who travelled to China well before him around the 5th century B.C. by the name of Boghar Siddha.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22Boghar+Siddha%22&btnG=Search

Interesting, but a quick search of this sage's name as you have spelled it yield no results.

so, what are the documentations supporting your arguments?

jack

07-19-2006, 10:33 AM

Hope to see these indian MA appear in UFC in the future.

Banjos_dad

07-19-2006, 12:05 PM

*cough* shuai jiao

Jingo

07-19-2006, 03:06 PM

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22Boghar+Siddha%22&btnG=Search

Interesting, but a quick search of this sage's name as you have spelled it yield no results.

so, what are the documentations supporting your arguments?

My documentations supporting my arguments are in the article itself names of books and authors. Also, here is an interesting link on Bogar Siddhar.

Life of Bogar Siddhar: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

WanderingMonk

07-19-2006, 04:09 PM

My documentations supporting my arguments are in the article itself names of books and authors.

You have some documentations in regard to some of the other claim. How rigorous they are, I don't know because I am not too interest in them, nor care to look into it.

My main interest is in the claim regarding Lao Zi and Bogar Siddhar. Which your article really provide no documentation. Your article states it as a matter of fact without providing any documentation. The only justification was the comparsion between the similarity of Lao Zi's yin-yang duality doctrine and that of Shiva - Shakti.

founder of Taosim and who was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. In Tamil, Yin and Yang translates to Idai Nadi (female, moon) and Pingelai Nadi (male, sun). The unification of the two becomes Lingam which is a symbol of Siva. The Sanskrit adaptation of the Yin and Yang is Shiv and Shakt (or Siva and Shakti).

Also, here is an interesting link on Bogar Siddhar.

Life of Bogar Siddhar: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

from: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.

need "aircraft" to fly, and actually "construct" an aircraft?

Only if Guru Milarepa knew all he had to do was "construct" a flying vehicle.

I would have used Liezi, which would be a better example, since he was a daoist master who came after Lao Zi. Separated by probably a couple hundred of years. He could fly too. Too bad, his writing doesn't speak of aircraft.

Bhogar Siddhar might still be a real siddha, but this kind of article is really imposing modern world view bias onto "legendary" account which result in gibberish.

Water Dragon

07-19-2006, 04:53 PM

women are the mother of all martial arts.

why else would we fight?

Beer, dude. I would fight yo @ss over the last cold one!

KC Elbows

07-19-2006, 05:01 PM

This thread is ancient and powerful.

Jingo

07-19-2006, 06:30 PM

from: http://murugan.org/bhaktas/bhogar-life.htm

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.

First of all, after posting the above web address I noticed that it was not up and running and it is still not up and running...

WanderingMonk

07-19-2006, 09:19 PM

First of all, after posting the above web address I noticed that it was not up and running and it is still not up and running...

so?

Just because a website is defunct, it doesn't mean the information contained in it cannot be retrieved via some other means.

I assure you this quote is from that page you linked to. I can repost the whole page for you if you want to verify it.

WanderingMonk

07-19-2006, 09:25 PM

Here's the complete content of page that was linked minus some formatting and misc menus, links, etc:

Bhogar was a South Indian by birth, belonging to the caste of goldsmiths, who became a siddhapurusha under the guidance of Kalanginaathar. In Bhogar's Saptakanda he reveals details of various medicinal preparations to his disciple Pullippani (so named as he is believed to have wandered in the forests atop a puli or tiger) and at every stage he quotes his guru as the authority. Also Pulippani must have been a young man then, as he is often referred to as a balaka.

It is said that as per the last wishes of his guru, Bhogar proceeded to China to spread the knowledge of siddha sciences and strangely enough his journey is said to have been made with the aid of an aircraft; he demonstrated to the Chinese the details of the construction of the aircraft and later built for them a sea-going craft using a steam engine. The details of these and other experi- ments demonstrated by Bhogar in China are clearly documented in the Saptakanda.

Bogar's guru, Kālāngi Nāthar, is believed to be a Chinese who attained siddhi in South India and thus became included among the Eighteen Siddhars.

Lao Tse - the founder of Taoism (5th century B.C.) was the first Chinese to propound the theory of duality of matter -- the male Yang and female Yin -- which conforms to the Siddha concept of Shiva - Shakti or positive-negative forces. This very same concept was first revealed by the adi-siddhar Agasthya Rishi, whose period is as old as the Vedas, which have been conservatively dated at 3500 B.C. Also alchemy as a science was practised in China only after B.C. 135 and was practiced as an art until B.C. 175 when a royal decree was enacted banning alchemical preparation of precious metals by the Celestial Empire; these details are recounted in the two existing Chinese books of alchemy Shih Chi and Treatise of Elixir Refined in Nine Couldrons, both dated to the first century B.C.

The emergence of Lao Tse with his theory of duality of matter and the journey of Bhogar to China seem to have taken place about the same time and it is even possible that Bhogar himself went under the name of Lao Tse in China, like another Siddharishi Sriramadevar, who was known as Yacob in Arabia.

This seems likely considering that:

1. before Lao Tse the concept of duality of matter finds no mention in any Chinese treatise;
2. alchemy as a science emerged only after B.C. 135, i.e. four centuries after Lao Tse;
3. there was a sudden spurt of alchemical practice aher the emergency of Lao Tse; and
4. the duality of matter and alchemy have been mentioned in South Indian scriptures that antidate Lao Tse by centuries.

The shrine at the top of the hill, though later than the Tiru Avinankudi temple, has overshadowed the older temple in the present century due to its popular appeal. Created by Bhogar, it was maintained after him by sage Pulippani and his descendants almost as their personal and private temple.

During the time of Tirumalai Nayak, his general Ramappayyan handed over the puja rights to newly brought Brahmin priests. The descendants of Pulippani were compensated for the loss of this right by being given:

* Certain duties of superintendence
* Right to some annual presents
* Right to shoot off, at the Dasara Festival, the arrow which symbolises Subramanya's victory over asuras.
* Right to be buried at the foot of the steps leading to the hill, if some of them so chose.

mantis108

07-20-2006, 11:00 AM

Lao Zi was the librarian of Zhou dynasty royal court. He was "classically" trained. Back in his time you would have to be a nobel family to be able to get that kind of education. This is why Confucius push for education for all. I don't think it's possible for an Indian Guru to become a royal court librarian who's incharged of records, documentation, and such things all required superb classical Chinese literary skill.

BTW, the concept of Yinyang went back way further to prehistoric kings period (approx c 2852 - 2738 BCE) especially Fu Hsi who is attributed as the first person who put the foundation of the Yijing (classic of change) together. Today's researches show that it's not possible for just one person to come up with the Yijing. Fu Hsi, who would be the trible leader, is kind of the creationist myth to explain the obscure beginning of the Classic of Change. After Fu Hsi, it went through the second stage of evolution by the hand of King Wen of Zhou dynasty (approx c 1066 - 256 BCE). We know by his time there were at least 3 type of divination methods available which are also sanctioned by the royal courts throughout the previous dynasties. It is believed that Confucius (c. 551-479 BCE) or rather his disciples complied the Yijing into the version that is in print today. But different versions of the Yijing have also being discovered in tombs that dated back to Qin and Han dynasty.

Mantis108

Jingo

07-20-2006, 07:40 PM

so?

Just because a website is defunct, it doesn't mean the information contained in it cannot be retrieved via some other means.

I assure you this quote is from that page you linked to. I can repost the whole page for you if you want to verify it.

I was only wondering how you would have got into that web site if it were up, that's all. Anyways, I managed to get into there by other means too. You're right, that is exactly what it says.

If that is the case about inventing ideas about flying , are we going to deny that Leanardo Di Vinci of the 15th century came out with ideas for the helicopter, armored vehicle, multibarrel missile launchers, the parachute, and the hang-glider? Or even the steam engine for ships? He may have invented these ideas, which may not have worked at the time otherwise we would have heard of this part of the world using steam powered ships and jet engined chariots to Singapore... lol...

Anyways, historical facts often get mixed up with religious myths. Take for example the Ramayana. There exists an actual Ayodiya in Northern India and of course a Lanka otherwise known as Sri Lanka. There was a king by the name of Ravanan who ruled the Eastern part of Sri Lanka which is called Trincomalee. It is also said at the famous Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka that Ravana had a flying machine or flying chariot of some sort.

There lies a strong possibility that people like Daruma Bodhidarma, Boghar Siddhar and many others may have travelled to China by sea, instead of crossing through the Indian sub-continent and over the Himalayas. Also, Indian union was not in existence back then. Not even the word Indian or India is used in any ancient Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Bengali, or Tamil texts or literature. The concept of an Indian country is not mentioned either othe than the different countries that were in existance of the region back in those days. It would have been difficult for citizens ruled by the Cholas, Pallavas, and Pandyas of the Southern country of Tamilakkam to thravel through enemy territory (ie. Chalukyas, Guptas, etc.). Not to mention the most rigorous and dangerous route over the Himalayas. However, it is realistic that the early Buddhist from the Northern part of the sub-continent have travelled directly by land to China which was not too far for them.

It would have been much more easier and faster to go by sea to China than by land coming from the southern part of the sub-contintent.

Anyways, thank you for taking the time to read my article and for you inputs. It is much appreciated.

SPJ

07-20-2006, 07:51 PM

This thread is ancient and powerful.

In the beginning, it is probably grappling, pushing and throwing. OR wrestling and Shuai Jiao.

Then the animal forms or mimicking the way the "beasts" fight.

And this all happened before any language, or philosophy arrived.

--

It is only a conjesture/guess.

:D

Jingo

07-20-2006, 09:12 PM

:)
In the beginning, it is probably grappling, pushing and throwing. OR wrestling and Shuai Jiao.

Then the animal forms or mimicking the way the "beasts" fight.

And this all happened before any language, or philosophy arrived.

--

It is only a conjesture/guess.

:D

I agree with you. The human race had to survive amongst other beasts. Wrestling, pushiing, throwing, hitting were all realistic ways of defence or offence. Men learned from each other different ways of attacks including from animals. As for weapons, it must have been the stick which is an extension of the arm. From there, other weapons came about. Over the ages, it was religion which adopted fighting styles whether it be Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity and had their own input of philosophy on life. However, there were philosophers and thinkers who left religion out of the picture and basically focused on human conduct for everyday life and thought. For example, Confucius of China, and Thiruvaluvar of Tamilakkam.:)

SimonM

07-21-2006, 03:30 AM

Wow, if Kalari is the Kung fu, what kung fu is to Karate, then I think we should really look into Kalari. I think kung fu has all this stuff too, but they play with live blades. I am very interested in this.

http://www.alliancemartialarts.com/tahtib.html

evidently there are lots of mid east MA's.

There is no actual proof that Kalari "IS" Gong Fu.

The "Kalari IS Gong Fu" theory depends on buying into Damo as the origin of CMA. Since it's pretty clear that there was CMA of some sort in China long before Damo this holds no water.

What is more likely is that fighting arts originated basically anywhere civilization did and then cross-polinated as cultures came into contact with each other. Civilizations that didn't know how to fight didn't last when their war-like neighbours showed up.

PS: Mas Oyama should have just stuck to fighting. He's neither a historian nor an anthropoligist and the whole Greece>India>China>Japan thing is forgetting that there were people doing stuff in China long before Alexander opened up east-west trade routes through Persia.

PPS: Even IF this were true Greece still doesn't deserve credit because Egypt came up with it first. It's like that episode of South Park: Greece says "we have this great idea (eg: medicine, architecture, military strategy, etc.)" and someone could pop up (mabey Persia) and say "Egypt did it".

Jingo

07-21-2006, 12:39 PM

There is no actual proof that Kalari "IS" Gong Fu.
The "Kalari IS Gong Fu" theory depends on buying into Damo as the origin of CMA. Since it's pretty clear that there was CMA of some sort in China long before Damo this holds no water.

I agree with you. In the first place Kalari was not around before the 13th century. Has anyone looked into Kuttu Varisai. It is basically the empty hand combat with hand and foot movements of Tamil Nadu. This art looks like a combination of both Kung-Fu and Karate unlike Kalaripayattu. As a matter of fact, there are some movements in Kalari which look like Ninjitsu. As a matter of fact, Kalari is from Kerala, and Da Mo is from Tamil Nadu. Kalaripayattu is not an indigenous art in Tamil Nadu.

And of course, there had to be some kind of fighting technique in China prior to Damo or Daruma. Darumas main goal was to spread the Buddhist denominational sect of Dhyan [Chan in Chinese; Zen in Japanese]. That was pretty much most of his work. As for the fighting aspect of it, he just introduced some methods of the fighting techniques of his birthplace Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu... Not India! India did not exist back then, there were many countries in that part of the world in those days.

Some of these techniques such as the 18 Lohan can be seen in Kuttu Varisai, including some of the weapons techniques.

mantis108

07-21-2006, 08:38 PM

I am skeptical of Ninjitsu's history. I mean Ninjas didn't exist until Warring period of Japan which is around 1600s? BTW, why would a secretive profession like the Ninja (basically assassins) be so out of the "closet"? :eek: That's pretty much Hollywood 80's craze that created the so called Ninjitsu that we know today. So... I don't doubt the assassin skills being "systemized" but is it authentic and as "ancient" as we think it is?

Speaking of authenticity, 18 Luohan didn't exist around Bodhidharma's time. There were always 16 elders/guardians in the Buddhist tradition. 18 Luohan is a Chinese thing and it properly didn't exist until Qing dynasty (c. 1644 - 1910 CE) which is the time which the legend of Bodhidharma became popular. I remember reading some article about it. So it's doubtful that he "created" even that.

Just thought that record should be set straight since the article about Kalaripayattu seems so concern with "facts".

Mantis108

Jingo

07-21-2006, 09:08 PM

Speaking of authenticity, 18 Luohan didn't exist around Bodhidharma's time. There were always 16 elders/guardians in the Buddhist tradition. 18 Luohan is a Chinese thing and it properly didn't exist until Qing dynasty (c. 1644 - 1910 CE)
Mantis108

Thank you for the interesting post. Could you give me some sources on this? I would like to read more about it. Regards.

mantis108

07-22-2006, 11:33 AM

Here's the link to the 16 Arhat:

16 Arhat (http://www.khandro.net/deities_arhats.htm)

BTW, I think Arhat is the plural form of Arhnan (sp?).

On a side note, 18 Luohan IMHO is possibly a grass root level influence that the Chinese Buddhist temples adopted in order to attrack the masses who are really the financial sources of the temples. It also has to do with sometime militant cult movement such as the White Lotus which worship the Buddha Maitreya. This is the reason that 18 Luohan and martial arts are very much connected IMHO. In other words, no cult no 18 Luohan. ;)

Regards

Mantis108

Sal Canzonieri

05-21-2007, 02:25 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG4lDaKum3U

Very interesting if it is true.

Seems that this ancient Indian martial art is pretty much the same as
the Zi Ran system from China.

From what I see in this video, they are doing much the same things as the Zi Ran style.

cjurakpt

05-21-2007, 03:56 PM

don't know, looks like second rate kalari payattu, TBH

mantis108

05-21-2007, 05:16 PM

It's a romantic version of systema IMHO to put it nicely. In truth, this is rip off of ancient wisdom. The breathing technique that the "teacher" showed is Yoga Nadis (sp?) techniques (re: Diaphragmatic breathing). Even Rickson Gracie used that in his BJJ training. The training methodology is IMHO a bar-stardized version of systema. True and funtional martial arts is never on paper or hidden within pages and lines of books. It is in the hands of real practitioners. This guy should wake up and smell the volka.

Sorry to rain on the parade. :(

Mantis108

Mano Mano

05-22-2007, 01:02 AM

I see no ancient secrets portrayed in the video. All I see in the video is techniques practical martial artists have known for years.

Sal Canzonieri

05-22-2007, 10:02 AM

Agreed, I think he is making it up (that he found papers in sanskrit that he used to rediscover some ancient martial art).

The human body works as the human body works.
Natural core principles exist regardless if you discover or rediscover them, nothing would work if this was not the case.

RD'S Alias - 1A

05-22-2007, 10:17 AM

He may very well have found the papers. But what back ground does he have to accurately rebuild this art?

Also, if this was in a German library, I'd bet live players of this style are in India..what has he done to seek them out and compare to make sure he's got it right?

mantis108

05-22-2007, 10:45 AM

Rediscover and reinterpert are two different animals!

I can read and write Chinese but that doesn't mean that I can "proficiently" understand ancient texts, usually because of lack of a sense of historical context, other than those that have been studied by scholars throughout the ages. I might come across an ancient (less studied) book and reinterpert it or literally bent it to my likings and call the action "rediscovery". We have to be cautious about that in studying ancient texts of any language.

Besides, if scholars in thousands of years couldn't figure out the "secret", what probability is there for a non native speaker of a certain language to "decipher" the foreign ancient text especial when historic and cultural context are huge variables? Think about it how could a hobbist with limited study and resources be able to do a decent job on the matter?

I am not saying it's not possible to apply philosophy or principles in ancient texts to martial arts or rather reinvent one but to make the claim of rediscovery of an "lost art" in a specific anciet text is quite absurb especially when the text has more to do with religious and philosophical matter.

Martial academia is serious business in my mind. I think we need to treat it accordingly. Just a thought ...

Mantis108

RD'S Alias - 1A

05-22-2007, 10:52 AM

Reply]
Agreed.

David Jamieson

05-23-2007, 03:30 PM

no such thing as 5k yr old systems.

marketing-fu... not even very good marketing fu.

RD'S Alias - 1A

05-23-2007, 03:59 PM

No, but the core group of techniques, and underlying principals could definetly be that old...for almost any style.

DPL

05-23-2007, 05:48 PM

The human body works as the human body works.
Natural core principles exist regardless if you discover or rediscover them, nothing would work if this was not the case.

I think this is a true and irrefutable statement, but isn't it funny that so many people are still continually looking for that one 'ancient secret' method that will reveal better fighting techniques than anything known today? As if no matter what we do in the modern world, and what advances we make in the study of martial arts, technologically or otherwise, we can never be as good or knowledgeable as the ancients.

Is that a common opinion here? Are we destined to never be quite as good as our martial ancestors, regardless of style?

RD'S Alias - 1A

05-23-2007, 06:33 PM

As if no matter what we do in the modern world, and what advances we make in the study of martial arts, technologically or otherwise, we can never be as good or knowledgeable as the ancients

Reply]
That is because they fought more regularly, and consistently. We argue just about it online..

hskwarrior

10-27-2007, 08:01 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Mp3pDcgR8

what do you guys think?

Jeong

10-27-2007, 08:18 AM

hsk - You should talk with my Sifu about this. I think one of his relatives does that art.

lkfmdc

10-27-2007, 08:29 AM

They say Lion's Roar (Lama Pai/White Crane/Hop ga) has Indian martial art in it, you look at this and you say "yes"

ittokaos

10-27-2007, 08:42 AM

According to my sifu, Lion's Roar orginated in India then came to Tibet where it grew and then finally to China.

hskwarrior

10-27-2007, 08:58 AM

actually, i see the revelance of a lot of martial arts in this one.

can you see CLF in there........in the words of ross......."YES"

Jeong, not looking to learn it, just about it.

i thought it could bring up come conversations since it gets boring around here.

htowndragon

10-27-2007, 09:19 AM

and i smiled and said yes.

Jeong

10-27-2007, 10:17 AM

Jeong, not looking to learn it, just about it.

Haha, that's not what I thought. Just saying he's likely to know more about it than the rest of us :) Besides that relative is in India I believe.

hskwarrior

10-27-2007, 10:27 AM

ahhhhh i see......

but its definetly interesting to watch. and it looks effective.:confused:

Jeong

10-27-2007, 12:07 PM

Yeah, I remember seeing a special about this art a year or so ago. That special said that Kalari starts with weapons training and ends with empty handed training. I always thought that if you were wanting to train an army that would be the way to do it.

jdhowland

10-27-2007, 09:43 PM

I like it. I'm not surprised to see a general resemblance to lama, but to see some of the exact techniques shows how conservative the old arts are. Double paau cheui with a step-through!

10-27-2007, 10:22 PM

How many ways can one kick and punch effectively? :D

- jo

yutyeesam

10-28-2007, 12:40 AM

Whether it's martial arts, religious practices, or clothing styles, you'll see crossovers between China and India. No real surprises.

If you ever get a chance in your lifetime, visit the Himalayan mountains. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

-123

htowndragon

10-28-2007, 03:13 AM

watch the first clip, they use locks and stuff like triangle (almost) and some sort of armbar

GeneChing

10-29-2007, 05:36 PM

...until y'all brought up the Lion's Roar connect. I guess it can stay here.

Check out our Bollywood Kung Fu thread on the media forum (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576).

lkfmdc

10-29-2007, 08:45 PM

...until y'all brought up the Lion's Roar connect. I guess it can stay here.

Check out our Bollywood Kung Fu thread on the media forum (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576).

hah! victory over the "man"

let the nacho sauce flow freely

diego

10-29-2007, 09:44 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Mp3pDcgR8

what do you guys think?

anyone know the training program for the crocodile walk push ups?... taking hydraulic Lowriders to that next level:D

GeneChing

03-10-2008, 09:32 AM

Somehow, this didn't fit on the Bollywood thread...:rolleyes:

5000 yr old Indian martial art (http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=429277&sid=FTP)
Puducherry, March 08: An ancient martial art form of southern India is drawing scores of foreign visitors, eager to learn the art of stick fighting to picturesque Puducherry.

`Silambattam`, one of the oldest traditional martial arts of Tamil Nadu, has become increasingly popular with tourists as they take up the art form, learning and mastering its intricate movements and techniques.

Jyothis Senthil Kannan, a master of Silambattam, who has been teaching the art for over 10-years and also runs a martial arts school in the scenic town of Puducherry, says that Silambattam is attracting more and more students over the years as people come to know about it.

"Silambattam is quite well known now. People come regularly. I`m teaching in my village where I started the International Silambattam and Kuttuwari (ISK) Federation Gurukulam. People stay here and learn this art as we learnt in ancient times," he said.

The Gurukulam, tucked away in thick foliage, has foreign students learning the art form by twirling sticks in the air as they practice various techniques in an open courtyard of the school.

Shane Paul, a European tourist, said he was drawn to learn Silambattam because of its holistic approach.

"Before I was researching some martial arts in the north but then when I came here I became interested in Silambattam; it looks quite interesting to me, like a base of all the martial arts I`ve seen before. You don`t have to use much energy to get good results, you don`t have to put much effort and it works," he said.

Silambattam, which is based on stick fighting, is mainly used for self-defence and developing physique.

Beginners are first taught footwork patterns and then go on to the spinning techniques of the stick.

Keynne, another foreign student, said: "I started to learn about the history of Silambattam and some of the different techniques but I`ve only been a student for a few years, which means I`m a very bad student because I don`t practice and I don`t get to practice in Singapore but when I come here I get to practice a little bit."

The art form, a traditional Dravidian martial art based on fighting with sticks dates back 5000 years when the stick was the primary tool to defend oneself.

sanjuro_ronin

03-10-2008, 10:08 AM

I do believe that the fight quest guys are going to India to train in Karalsuivgutgruyvgreuitgyucuigyrtvu, or whatever it's called.
:D

GeneChing

10-20-2008, 09:39 AM

I'd love to see some of this. It's a new one on me.

Manipur trying to revive traditional martial arts (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/manipur-trying-to-revive-traditional-martial-arts_100109479.html)
October 20th, 2008 - 7:47 pm ICT by ANI -
By L.C.K.Singh

Imphal, Oct 20 (ANI): Indigenous games and martial art forms are an integral part of Manipur’’s culture that is well known through out the northeastern region. Some of the oldest art forms are still popular. Among them is Cheibi, an ancient martial art.

Recently, the All Manipur Cheibi Association of Manipur organized the 9th State Level Cheibi Championship 2008 at the Khuman Lampak Main indoor stadium of Imphal.

The championship, which was organized to further popularize and promote the martial art, had about 180 participants from 21 clubs of Manipur.

Cheiba is one of Manipur’’s ancient martial art forms. Earlier, it used to be practiced with a sword and a shield, which has now been replaced by a stick encased in soft leather and a shield made of leather. The contestants duel and the one who scores the maximum points is declared the winner.

“Cheibi is a game that we look up to in Manipur. There is a lot of discipline involved in the game. It has now been organized at the national level and I believe that once it reaches the international level, Cheibi will take Manipur forward,” said Kamalkumar Singh, a Cheibi player of Manipur.

Daina Devi, another Cheibi player, said, “Cheibi is an indigenous game that was played by our forefathers. We play it as we like it and playing the game that our forefathers played motivates us. So we are participating in the Cheibi competition.”

The popularity of Cheibi got a boost when the All Manipur Cheibi Association was founded in 1998. The association will now be organizing the first national level Cheibi competition in December. The event will witness the participation of contestants from all over the country.

Manipuris believe that promoting Cheibi will not only give a boost to the martial art but also help in keeping the legacy of their forefathers alive. (ANI)

GeneChing

11-11-2008, 04:09 PM

Love the pic. Click the link to see.

Martial arts with a cutting edge (http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Martial-arts-with-a-cutting.4675100.jp)
Published Date: 08 November 2008

STUDENTS were treated to a spectacular sword-dancing display.

The Baba Deep Singh Gatka Group performed a traditional Sikh gatka at South Tyneside College's Hebburn campus as part of a celebration of diversity.

It was the first time the Birmingham-based group had performed the gatka in North East England.

Gatka is an ancient martial art which originated in northern India, and was used by the Sikhs of Punjab to defend themselves against Moghul oppression during the time of the sixth Sikh guru.

Event organiser David Hunter, equality and diversity manager at the college, said: "We were all extremely excited about the gatka, and, as far as we are aware, this was the very first time it has been staged in the region.

"As well as being very visual, the performance was really thought-provoking.

"We felt that it was an ideal way to celebrate the rich cultural diversity we have here at the college."

Gurdev Singh Bal, regional officer of the national council of faiths and beliefs in further education, said: "We are proud to work with South Tyneside College to develop multi-faith projects that inform students and staff of different faiths and cultures."

"The college is working very hard to ensure all staff and students are treated with respect, and these projects helped them to find out more about what it means to be a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or Sikh in South Tyneside."

sanjuro_ronin

11-12-2008, 05:26 AM

On a side note, Sifu Paul Whitrod of the Chow Gar Southern Mantis has said that in his training of Indian MA, he has "unlocked" some stuff in his SPM.

GeneChing

01-13-2009, 10:20 AM

This sounds like a researcher's dream for Indian MA.

Fusion of martial arts and dance at Kalinga festival (http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/59720)
Kalinga (Orissa), Tue, 13 Jan 2009 ANI

Kalinga (Orissa), Jan 13 (ANI): Artists presented a rare fusion of marital arts and classical dance at the Kalinga festival in Bhubaneswar.

Dance troupes showcased different martial dance forms during the two-day festival that concluded on Sunday.

The Kalinga festival, dedicated to the traditional Indian martial art forms, is organised annually by the Orissa Government in collaboration with Art Vision, as a medium to bring together the traditional martial art forms of India under one roof.

The festival, currently in its seventh year, was held at the footsteps of the Dhauli stupa, a Japanese Buddhist Temple located on the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar.

"I saw that to have a festival like this would encourage the growth and improvement and also the recognition of this form. Moreover, the Tourism Department wanted to do something here which was not yet utilized as a space for tourist attraction," said Ileana Citaristi, Secretary, Art Vision.

The statue of Lord Buddha provided a background to festival spinning around the theme of "War to Peace," as it began with the outburst of movements and sounds, which accompany the performance of martial artists.

Every year, the festival opens with a modern choreography based on martial art and then showcases traditional martial dance forms from different parts of the country.

"We have so many brilliant traditional martial art forms such as Kalarikantha and Jhao. I think it is great that there is an attempt to bring it together for people who may or may not know much about dance and about movement arts," said Diya, one of the performers.

The martial dances are an amalgamation of various martial art postures, which are blended in graceful dance forms.

Performing to the beats of music with their swords, spears and shields, they enthrall audiences with their rhythm and precision of movement.

Martial art forms are developed and practiced in India since ancient times.his festival is a unique outlet and a great medium to create awareness about different martial art forms amongst the masses.

The festival which spins around the theme of "War to Peace," has an apt venue as it was at the Dhauli hills that the legendary Indian Emperor Ashoka the Great fought his last and most gruesome war before forsaking the battleground forever, converting to Buddhism and turning into an apostle of peace.

Orissa has come to be associated with one of India's major centres for performing traditional dances.

It also holds some of the biggest festivals of classical Indian dances like the Konark Dance Festival and the Puri Beach Festival, which are big tourist draws. By Sarda Lahangir (ANI)

GeneChing

04-03-2009, 09:08 AM

...but kudos for the girls and extra points for the spelling. ;)

Martial arts ring in Ram Navami (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090403/jsp/jharkhand/story_10766499.jsp)
ANTARA BOSE
Ram Navami flags put on sale at Sakchi market in Jamshedpur. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, April 2: This year at Ram Navami, the girls of Pardesi Para in Sonari were not dressed in their best outfits. Colourful frocks and salwar suits gave way to warrior attire, with swords and bamboos completing the look.

Thinking out of the box. That is what girls of the Sonari locality did and came up with the idea to exhibit their martial arts skills this Ram Navami.

For the first time, girls aged between eight to 14 years took the trouble of learning the art to combat from professionals at the Lalan Akhara in Sonari to complete the tradition at the festival.

Every year, Paona Memorial Arts and rural Development Services (Apmards), a martial arts troupe from Thoubal district of Manipur, come to display acts of valour and bravery during Ram Navami festival. But this time, they could not make it.

“The girls were dispirited when they learnt that the group could not display their acts this time. Thus they decided to get themselves trained in sword, spear fights and wrestling for a fortnight to perform this year,” said Sabtu Sona, the trainer of the girls.

The group of 16 girls thus practised day in and day out to put up the show.

“If others can do it, why wont we? Girls get few chances like this and we wanted to do complete justice to it. So we practised for hours after coming back from school. We got seven acts to display,” said Pratibha Sagar, an 11-year-old in the group.

They practised as if there is no word called exhaustion in their books.

“We had 15 days time and we knew we had to put our best foot forward,” said Neha Sona, another girl of the group.

“They showed dedication like no other person. They might not be as fast as the professionals but they will gradually pick up,” said a professional at Lalan Akhara.

Even the organisers were happy with the involvement of neighbourhood girls in the festival. That is why, though the boys wanted to put up the act they organisers chose the girls to perform the martial arts.

“There are about 50 akharas in the city and boys get the chance to perform through them every year. I wanted to make it special for the girls who wanted to perform. Seeing their dedication, I think we should continue this in years to come,” said Banna Singh Janghel, one of the organiser of the festival.

yutyeesam

04-05-2009, 11:05 PM

India's getting into MMA:

http://www.tigersgym.com/index1.html

GeneChing

04-27-2009, 09:59 AM

I wish it said a little more about what Thang-Ta is exactly.

Guru G. Gourakishor, the master of Manipuri martial art form (http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/90875.htm)
Apr 24th, 2009 | By Sindh Today

Imphal, April 24 (ANI): Guru G. Gourakishor Sharma was recently conferred the coveted Padamshree award for 2008-2009 to honour his lifetime contribution to Manipuri Martial Art, Thang-Ta.

Born into a family having a long tradition of martial arts, the Manipuri martial art, â€œThang-Taâ€ came naturally to Gourakishor, who since childhood developed deep interest in this art form.

Trained under the shadow of his father Late Gurumayum Sanajaoba Sharma and various eminent Manipuri gurus, Gourakishor has participated in various festivals and tournaments.

Gourakishor has dedicated his life to the propagation of the art form, and started a school â€“â€˜The Huyen Lallong Manipur Thang-Ta Cultural Associationâ€™ in the vicinity of his home at Keirao in Imphal in 1958.

Gourakishor has established the institute as a leading center for promoting Manipuri art and culture.

The Padma award is a recognition for his tireless efforts to preserve Thang-Ta.

â€œIâ€™m very happy to receive this award. The art of Thang-Ta in Manipur has been on the verge of extinction but today with the acknowledgement of the Government in the form of this award, the art will be saved and revived. This is the only reason that Iâ€™m so happy,â€ said G.Gourakishor Sharma, Padamshree awardee.

Gourakishor efforts have been recognized at various levels and honours have come to him regularly.

The late Maharaj of Manipur, Shri Bodhachandra Singh, awarded him a Gold Medal. Manipuri Sahitya Parishad gave him the title of â€˜Kala Ratnaâ€™ in 1985 for his outstanding contribution to the field of â€œThang-Taâ€.

He is also the first person to receive the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy award in 1983.

Gourakishor is associated with cultural Organization of Manipur like Manipur State Kala Akademi, Department of Art and Culture, Government of Manipur and Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy. He has also he taught â€œThang-Taâ€ in various institutes in the state.

His efforts have provided an opportunity for the youth of the state to contribute to the art form. Gourakishor many students have taken part in festivals in India and abroad as well.

â€œMy father has built a platform for us to move ahead with regards to this art form. Through his achievement, the younger generation can benefit a lot. Thereafter, they can take Thang-Ta to an International level,â€ said G. Bisheshor Sharma, Gourakishorâ€™s son.

â€œIâ€™m so happy for my father as he has bagged a prestigious award. Itâ€™s a joyous occasion for all of us,â€ said G. Lakshana, daughter.

Guru Gourakishor has published books on the indigenous tribes of Manipur like the Aimol, Maring and Chiru and also written scripts for plays such as Govinda Nirupan, Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (Seven years of Devastation) and Haokhong Shimaikhu.

His achievement in preserving the rich culture and tradition of the state sets an example in the Manipuri society worthy of emulation. (ANI)

GeneChing

03-10-2010, 11:30 AM

What's the point of moving like Shah Rukh Khan with out Preity or Kareena?

New dose of good ol’ martial arts
- Kalarippayattu classes to get out-of-shape cadets fighting fit (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100310/jsp/calcutta/story_12196807.jsp)
POULOMI BANERJEE

Want to be a cop? First learn to move like Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se or Asoka — but without Preity or Kareena for company.

“Bend your body from the waist. Join your hands in front of your face. Keep the legs parallel. Your upper body should resemble a table top,” instructed Sariful Islam Mallick. His wards — a few of them huffing and puffing to strike the basic gaja vadibu pose at this special Kalarippayattu class — were half-a-dozen cadets at the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Barrackpore.

Kalarippayattu, a form of ancient martial arts from Kerala, is now the chosen technique to keep our cadets physically fit and mentally agile.

That, for some, is easier said than done. “Many of the cadets are overweight and physically inefficient. They are having some trouble coping with Kalarippayattu. A few though are showing an affinity for it,” said Mallick, the 27-year-old Calcuttan who has spent years picking up the art from masters in Kerala.

“This is the first time that an indigenous martial arts form has been included in the curriculum of the PTC in Bengal,” said Sanjay Singh, the special IG in charge of the centre. The decision to include Kalarippayattu in the syllabus is in keeping with the new methodology of cop training.

“All over the world training academies are adopting a new concept of workout which is called plyometrics. Our study showed that Kalarippayattu closely follows the tenets of plyometrics, which is why we decided to include it in the curriculum,” explained Singh.

“I was approached by the authorities last September and after giving a presentation at the academy in November, I started taking classes from January,” said Mallick.

Getting the cops in shape and improving their physical and mental strength is the focus of the Kalarippayattu course. “It helps stability and body balance, improves body-mind coordination, increases stamina and strength and also helps release stress,” said the tutor at the training centre.

Based on the tenets of plyometrics, Kalarippayattu is a movement-based aerobic exercise and burns fat by increasing body metabolism. “It involves a lot of jumps, leg kicks, punches and animal movements. I am not teaching them the use of weapons like swords,” Mallick said.

Classes are held at the centre for 90 minutes, Monday through Thursday. “It is a compulsory subject for the entire duration of the course,” said Singh. And at least the fitter among the force do not seem to mind the new grind.

“It’s a good self-defence technique. We don’t always have arms with us,” said Kuntal Banerjee, 28. Colleagues Dendup Sherpa and Mir Shakir Ali added that Kalarippayattu “improves fitness” and “helps release stress”.

Vajramusti

04-02-2010, 08:27 AM

I wish it said a little more about what Thang-Ta is exactly.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See:http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.gaurijog.com/images/ThangTaManipur.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.gaurijog.com/Game-and-Martial-Folk-D

GeneChing

08-06-2010, 10:20 AM

I'm trying to imagine America protesting wushu on America's Got Talent (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57404&highlight=heroes&page=2) for being too violent.

More on Gatka (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=894863&postcount=81)

Gatka performer’s ouster from TV show irks Sikhs (http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_gatka-performer-s-ouster-from-tv-show-irks-sikhs_1419471)
Published: Friday, Aug 6, 2010, 1:23 IST | Updated: Friday, Aug 6, 2010, 0:26 IST
By Ajay Bharadwaj | Place: Chandigarh | Agency: DNA

Sikh organisations have strongly protested the ouster of seven-year-old Manpreet Singh from a reality show on a TV channel last week after he demonstrated gatka, a traditional martial art. The judge on the show reportedly found the gatka “too violent”.

Gatka Federation of India and Punjab Gatka Association have demanded that Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh take action against the organisers of the show.

HS Grewal, general secretary of Gatka Federation of India, said the incident had hurt the sentiments of Sikhs and gatka performers. Gatka, he said, was a traditional martial art not only of Sikhs but of the entire country. It was considered mother of all martial arts, he said.

“It is an art by which one becomes extremely graceful and dignified,” Grewal said, adding that Punjab Olympic Association had also recognised the martial art and the state education department had incorporated it school curriculum.
He said the Akal Takht jathedar had been apprised of the incident and urged to seek an apology from the TV channel for “insulting Sikh sentiments”.

GeneChing

06-13-2011, 09:27 AM

Why Bengaluru likes Martial arts

From professional dancers to engineers, everyone's into martial arts these days. What makes it so popular and what do the experts think of it?
By Veena Basavarajaiah
13 Jun 2011, Citizen Matters
bookmark email print

What is the connection between dance, which is an art, and a martial art form like Kalaripayattu from Kerala, which is meant to develop defensive and offensive physical skills? Judging by its popularity in dance training, the connection is a strong one. Kalaripayattu is characterised by fluid acrobatic play, flexibility, sweeps, kicks, and the use of weapons and other elements of combat. It also instils a disciplined way of life that propagates a strong mind in a strong body. Inevitably, many dancers find it an invaluable for techniques that can be used in performances.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2732/Kalari_at_Nritarutya-S_pic_article.jpg
Kalari is fast catching up as a means to prefect your dance moves. Pic: Nritarutya

Apart from helping develop physical fitness and flexibility, Kalaripayattu also provides a detailed knowledge of the marmas (pressure points) and incorporates Ayurvedic treatment such as therapeutic and strengthening herbal massages. Its aesthetic quality and unique physical form provide many artistes with a powerful tool of expression.

Jayachandran Palazhy, the director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts (ACMA), considers it a rich body of knowledge with a unique form and physicality that lends itself to various interpretations. Combat is one of its facets, and it has had a tremendous influence on traditional performing art forms like Kathakali. Apart from including it as a part of the training regimen at ACMA alongside Bharatnatyam, Ballet and Contemporary dance, he is also interested in deconstructing its movement principles as a choreographer.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2740/City_dwellers_practicing_Kalaripayattu_for_fitness __therapy_and_a_holistic_way_of_life_pic_article.J PG
City dwellers practicing Kalaripayattu for fitness, therapy and a holistic way of life. Pic Courtesy: Ranjan Mullaratt (Kalari Gurukulam)

Kirtana Kumar, a Bangalore based theatre director, works with Kalari to engage with indigenous forms. Here text, voice and body are seamlessly interwoven as modes of expression, moving away from what she considers the postcolonial 'face actor' tradition, where theatre is limited to voice and facial expressions.

A martial art form is highly recommended as a mode of fitness too. Umesh Naidu, a Taekwon-Do practitioner and a full- time dancer with Nritarutya Dance Company, applies principles of martial art to understand movement from a different perspective. He says that dance thus becomes a spiritual practice for him, like practicing a ‘Tul' or a pattern in Taekwon-Do.

Chitra Arvind , director of Rhythmotion dance company was exposed to Kalaripayattu for the first time a decade ago in London and ironically was taught by a foreigner. As a student at the Natya institute of Kathak and choreography she was trained in ‘Thang tha' (sword and spear), a martial art from Manipur that involves choreographed combat . She incorporated the structure of this form in historical and mythological dance dramas to depict valour and warfare. She currently uses the nuances of martial art forms in her independent work to transcend beyond the traditional narrative aspect and explore abstract conceptualisation. Also trained in Chauu (tribal martial dance with origins in Orissa) she wonders how this extremely graceful martial art, adorned with beautiful masks and colorful attire was once used to attack or kill.

Stressing on the commercial value of martial arts Mayuri Upadhye, the director of Nritarutya says that the city not just endorses but celebrates the form in itself through the performing arts. Many famous film stars and cricketers are often seen 'performing' Kalaripayattu in advertisements for various products. Martial arts have now donned the role of cultural ambassadors like many other performing arts, promoting tourism and earning revenue for the nation.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0004/2763/Children_can_start_training_in_Kalaripayatty_from_ age_7_onwards._It_instals_in_them_a_focused_mind_i n_a_focused_body_pic_article.JPG
Kalaripayattu helps the children focus better. Pic: Courtesy: Ranjan Mullaratt (Kalari Gurukulam)

Martial arts can be applied in the realm of education too says Madhu Natraj, the director of Bangalore based Stem Dance Kampni. She says the inclusion of Kalari into a school's activities can provide a very exciting, codified, artistic approach to physicality and strength. This especially in a society where children's need to experience and innovate with the body is limited to boring physical education classes or competitive sports only. Palazhy, however, stresses the need for deeper research into the history, heritage and technique of Kalari, especially its potential impact on the emotional, physical and psychological growth of children, before assimilating it as a core subject in schools.

Though devoted practitioners believe that the art form should not be used for exhibition (performance) today its popularity is not due to its 'pure' form. For example, Ranjan Mularatt, who moved to Bangalore 11 years ago to establish Kalari Academy, runs an institute that trains city dwellers in this martial art. Apart from performing artistes, many of his students are software engineers who treat it as a means of releasing stress through an art form that they have heard about on Discovery channel! Totally impressed by the ‘low altitude flying' in Kalari, Shreekanth Rao , an engineer and an actor, humorously says that he learns the form, "just for kicks!".

Undoubtedly, the performing arts have managed to expand the realm of martial arts beyond conventional frontiers. Martial arts now cater to the needs of practitioners of theatre, dance, movement, choreography, and films; and address areas of therapy, health, fitness and more in Bengaluru. Many foreigners opt for training and treatment in Kalaripayattu as a holistic approach to cleansing their bodies and minds.

The original article was commissioned by the Goethe-Institut as part of a joint project with Citizen Matters on Art & the City. This version is produced by Citizen Matters. This kills me. Here in America, we're all "That's not real martial arts. It won't work on the street. That's just dance." Over in India, it's "This will improve your dance!" I love India! (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48576)

Sardinkahnikov

06-14-2011, 08:45 PM

My brother trained in Kalaripayattu briely. I remember him saying that it stressed flexibility and lots of open handed attacks

GeneChing

06-30-2011, 09:24 AM

Portrait of an artiste as a perfectionist (http://www.thehindu.com/arts/art/article2147279.ece?homepage=true)
SHONALI MUTHALALY
GRACE AND SIMPLICITY Shaji K. John Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/00670/01_MP_SHAJI_3_670757f.jpg
Kalari expert Shaji K. John talks to Shonali Muthalaly about the hard physical training involved, tailoring the martial art for the urbanite and working with avant-garde artiste Chandralekha

“But why an interview?” “Why me?” “Why Kalari?” Expectant silence. “What is your story about?” Long pause. “Your angle?”

Convincing Shaji K. John, Kalaripayattu artiste and teacher, about this story is hard work. Although he's been performing and teaching the Kerala martial art for almost three decades now, inspiring a huge number of students and fans, Shaji is famously reticent and media shy. Yet, his reputation as an artiste and teacher is impressive. And, in this publicity-hungry age, artistes who don't bristle with press releases are a welcome change.

Hence we persevere. Attending a class at Shaji's school ‘Mandapa', a shadowy Kalari pit covered with traditional red tiles, makes him easier to understand. Set opposite Besant Nagar beach at the tranquil former residence, rehearsal and performance space of contemporary dance-choreographer Chandralekha, the class is tough and demanding.

Dedication and focus

With challenging poses and quicksilver movements, Kalaripayattu demands complete dedication. Focus, determination and discipline are essential for progress. As we catch our breath, we watch the senior students — two girls — practise fighting with sticks, swords and shields. They move with precision and grace.

Shaji doesn't bother with publicity because the skills he teaches aren't easy to acquire. In his necessarily-blinkered approach, only the pursuit of perfection matters. And in this pursuit, publicity is an unnecessary distraction.

For someone so resolute, it's ironic that he actually stumbled upon Kalaripayattu. “I was fascinated by Chitra Katha, stories of the North Malabar heroes — the warriors.” Living in Kaduthuruthy, a small Kerala village next to Kottayam, Shaji began classes with E.P. Vasudevan, who taught the North Malabar style of this martial art. “There is more emphasis on weapons, unlike the Southern style which is closer to Silambam and emphasises empty hand techniques.”

“I was 13 when I walked into my Guru's kalari. It was a special place, made of rock, with hard stone floors.” He adds seriously, “Gurus are pleasant — but still when you enter, it's intimidating. Scary because there are so many weapons all over the walls. And in the centre, people practising vigorously.”

Shaji's Chennai classes are tailored for the city urbanite, but he sounds faintly homesick for the sweaty rough and tumble of the Kerala pits where he learned to fight. “It's raw — a village art. Men with bare bodies in loin cloths,” he says, adding, “Classes are beautifully structured and systematic. If you're very good you can learn it in ten years.”

Kalaraipayattu is not just about physical training, it also involves healing. “When you hit someone, you may break their bones. We learn vital points. We study anatomy.” Artistes don't just heal themselves, and each other, they also tend to people from the village. “The medicine involves some Ayurveda but we also have our own preparations and mixes. Our own secrets.” Expertise comes with experience. “Every hand fracture is different… Doctors tell with an X-ray. We have to understand by touch.”

Not many parents today encourage their children to train in this martial art, since it requires so much sacrifice, with very few monetary returns. “My parents had no idea about degrees or status,” Shaji says, adding, however, that being the youngest of four sisters and three brothers probably took a lot of pressure off him. After two years of training, he competed in a district-level championship, which he won. Then, in 1986, his teacher sent him to Chennai, to work with Chandralekha for an avant-garde performance incorporating kalari movements within the fabric of Bharathanatyam.

“It was an Indian festival in Russia. Mikhail Gorbachev was president. I had come from a village, couldn't speak English and it was my first time abroad. But when you are so young you have no responsibility. I was given a specific sequence I had to perform — and that's all I was concerned about,” he shrugs. “I did my job.”

Once he was convinced that kalari was his life path, Shaji began to teach in Auroville. However, after four years of the “spiritual resort” life, he decided it was time to go home. “Then Chandralekha encouraged me to take classes.” In 1998 he began with one student.

How old is he now? “Very old,” he laughs. “Forty-one.” There's no fake modesty here. “I don't know what my personality is… I've been told I'm arrogant,” he states, adding blithely, “Well, I'm now a teacher, and gurus are a bit bossy only.” He adds, “I worked with Chandra and I learnt a lot from her. Her house is simple. No chairs — Just some oonjal (swings). She would sit on the floor...”

Today, his classes are still determinedly non-commercial, costing roughly one-third of what most gyms charge. “I'm not very money-minded. Simple living makes it simpler to deal with other people.” As for that trademark reticence? “I don't talk much unless I have something to communicate,” he states. “I do what I preach.” I think I would really like Kalari. Maybe I'll practice it in my next incarnation...

Lucas

06-30-2011, 09:00 PM

this style was showcased on the show fight quest.

GeneChing

12-19-2011, 12:07 PM

http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/456/cache/martial-art-india_45677_990x742.jpg

December 18, 2011
Martial Arts Practice, India (http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/martial-art-india/)
Photograph by Nicolas Chorier

This Month in Photo of the Day: 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest Images

Kalaripayatu fighters practicing on a beach in North Kerala. Kalaripayatu is one of the most ancient martial arts, supposedly more ancient than Kung Fu. This photo was taken with no special setup, just during a regular practicing session. I was using a kite to lift the camera, in order to remain steady above the subject for more than an hour, without disturbing.
We expect no less of NG.

mawali

12-21-2011, 07:45 AM

Faruq

12-21-2011, 11:39 AM

Yeah, if only we could tell that to the Bollywood directors and producers. That may be a northern/southern thing though since Bollywood's north, and Kalari is practiced in the more central and southern regions. But Bollywood fight choreography is always substandard anyway for some reason. Every other part of the industry they've figured out, but the fighting for some reason remains and enigma to them.

GeneChing

03-19-2012, 09:14 AM

I spend a month living in Pune, studying yoga. I wish I had known about this class.

Lathi Charge (http://www.indianexpress.com/news/lathi-charge/925428/)
Garima Mishra : Pune, Mon Mar 19 2012, 01:15 hrs

PMPML employee Narendra Suryavanshi has been conducting free Indian martial art classes for the past three years. He hopes that the art form will someday find a place in the Olympics

Every Saturday around 4 pm, 20-year-old Rasika Sillisidha Balge is spotted on the grounds of Golwalkar Guruji Vidyalaya in Aundh. A student of BMCC, she dons a completely different avatar once she reaches the venue. First, she offers a prayer followed by some warm-up exercises. Then, from the bunch of weapons, she picks up the lathi and starts performing various tricks that she has learnt from her Guruji. She twirls, swings and swirls the lathi in the air with lightning speed. Rasika completely immerses herself in practising Indian martial arts with different weapons like kathi, bhala, sword, daanpatta, barchi, katiyar and so on, one after the other.

For the past three years, over 35 students have been gathering at this venue every weekend to learn the art of working with ancient weapons from Narendra Dattatreya Suryavanshi. He does not charge a single penny for imparting training on the age-old skill, which also had a mention in epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. “My only aim is to revive this dying art form and bring it to a position so that it finds a place in the Olympics some day,” says 43-year-old Suryavanshi, who works in the administration department as a selection grade clerk of PMPML five days a week and devotes his weekends to training his students.

Suryavanshi himself learnt the art when he was 13 years old and based in Sangamner. “There were some performers who were a part of the famous play ‘Janata Raja’ who taught me the art,” he recalls. Though he kept practising it individually, it was only three years back that he decided to promote it amongst the younger generation. “I realised that the art was gradually losing its identity,” he adds. Today, he along with his students has formed a group called Shivdigvijay Mardani Lokkala Prabodhini, which aims to promote the Indian martial art. It takes minimum three years to master the art, says Suryavanshi.

The students, including four girls, are in the age group of 12 to 20 years. The youngest is 12-year-old Prateek Suryavanshi. The group recently performed at Bhimthadi Jatra. They are also regularly seen wielding their weapons at the Ganesh Festival and various cultural programmes. “Whenever we need to buy some additional weapon, we all contribute,” says Suryavanshi.

Do parents hesitate in enrolling their children for such dangerous tricks? He's quick to reply, “They are hesitant only till they don’t see me teaching. Till date, none of the students has received any major injury while performing these stunts.”

Working with these weapons and mastering them helps the students to build concentration, gain flexibility and become courageous. Besides, says Suryavanshi, it also imbibes the spirit of sportsmanship. “I am quite confident that if a situation arises, I can easily deal with at least 10 people with one lathi," says Rasika, who feels that every woman should learn this art. “Owning a pistol requires a licence but lathi, kathi and other such weapons which can easily be used for self-defence,” she adds.

Suryavanshi is currently trying to collaborate with others who are teaching similar art forms in different parts of the country. “We will work together towards bringing this game into the Olympics,” he concludes.

Hebrew Hammer

03-28-2012, 02:53 AM

I wish I had caught this thread earlier into our discussion of India and MMA/Olympic Competition. Its a long thread to catch up through...

GeneChing

11-20-2012, 10:43 AM

...yet good to see on the college level.

Kalaripayattu demonstrations in colleges too (http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/kalaripayattu-demonstrations-in-colleges-too/article4112636.ece)
Staff Reporter

A lecture-demonstration series organised by the Travancore School of Kalaripayattu and the Public Education Department of the government has given a new lease of life to the ancient martial art form of Kalaripayattu.

Following the success of the programme, titled ‘Health and confidence through Kalaripayattu,’ in various schools, the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board has joined hands with the institute to conduct similar sessions in colleges.

The first such college-level programme got under way at Government College for Women on Monday. It was inaugurated by Youth Welfare Board vice-chairman P.S. Prasanth. Papers exploring the origin and evolution of the art and its role at present were presented.

A press release issued by the institute said the plan was to conduct the classes in one college in a district.

G. Radhakrishnan, secretary and troupe leader of the martial arts school, led a 12-member group during the demonstration.

Aiming to revive Kalaripayattu by teaching the youth the basic principles of the art and its various benefits, both physical and mental, the school has staged performances in 20 schools. It has been conducting regular classes for free in two schools since the start of the academic year.

Vajramusti

02-22-2013, 01:51 PM

ahhh, Kalari payit.

World's oldest codified systematized martial art still in existance (don't get me started on the wall paintings found in abydos during the earely 90's). Still practiced in parts of western and northern India, Kalari Payit predates even the Shaolin Martial Arts by more than 1000 years.

The first time i ever heard of the art was was in a travelogue and there was mention of a school and a short chat with the headmaster of this school. Pretty cool stuff, pretty rare and definitely not a prominently practiced art. Still quite rare.

There was a time, not so long ago that one would never have heard of this ancient martial arts system. What wonders the internet brings with it's ability to communicate the far flung and obscure.

peace
__________________________________________
Spme years ago there werea couple of food articles on the art in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts.
Back issues may still be available.I wrote a book review on the art.

Kellen Bassette

02-22-2013, 09:12 PM

Since we've been talking about IMA on the '70's thread, (of all places), does anyone know of any traditional IMA still being practiced that have a full contact fighting tradition?

JamesC

02-22-2013, 09:28 PM

There has to be some wrestling going on still somewhere. Pehlwani I think, right?

Vajramusti

02-23-2013, 04:22 PM

It seems that in many Bollywood movies of action, they is everything but Kalaripayyarit!
It isn't showcased as much and when it is, it tends to be substandard.
Now Shaolin Kungfu/wushu is the rage to the detriment of Kalari!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True--many Indians do not know much about their own history and many aspects of culture
India is a big place and there are lots of diverse but still localized skills and artists.

So Bollywood often imports from the outside. The fun part of Bollywood are the songs.

But then most Chinese do not know good kung fu. The first time I went to Hong Kong I was seeking directions to a specific small kwoon- and I was directed to a club in the basement of a shopping center, to a gym with mirrors where young Chinese were using dumb bells to develop their biceps and admiring themselves in the mirrors.

GeneChing

04-04-2013, 09:10 AM

Indian Martial Arts Kung Fu's Ancestor? By Harjit Singh Sagoo
May/June 2013 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=1088)

Vajramusti

04-04-2013, 09:33 PM

__________________________________________
Spme years ago there were a couple of good articles on the art in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts.
Back issues may still be available.I wrote a book review on the art.

Phillip Zarilli hasa book and articles on the art.

I have not yet received the current copy of Kung Fu magazine- hope it gets here soon.

Vajramusti

04-05-2013, 07:05 AM

An excellent website I found with a lot of information: Actualizing Power(s) and Crafting a Self In Kalarippayattu. (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/power.html)

Also an additional section entitled, Papers (http://spa.exeter.ac.uk/drama/staff/kalari/papers.html), which has information about Mammam/Varman.
-------------------------------------------------
Zarilli's writing is good. I have reviewed his work for the now gone Journal of Asian Martial Arts
some years ago.

I am interested in seeing the current issue of Kung Fu but for some reason it has not arrived yet.

joy chaudhuri

GeneChing

04-26-2013, 10:41 AM

Vidyut Jammwal to open martial arts university in Kerala (http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2013/04/26/319--Vidyut-Jammwal-to-open-martial-arts-university-in-Kerala-.html)
New Delhi,Cinema/Showbiz, Fri, 26 Apr 2013 IANS

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) Not many know that Bollywood actor Vidyut Jammwal started learning an Indian martial art form, Kalaripayattu, when he was just three years old. Now, the 34-year-old actor is planning to open a university in Kerala where martial arts aspirants can seek expert training.

"People know about world martial art forms like Kung fu and Karate. But they are not aware of Indian martial art forms like Kalaripayattu. Also, we don't have many schools here that teach the art. I am working on opening a university in Kerala," Vidyut said in a group interaction here.

That's what he is looking forward to do apart from films.

The actor, who has worked in action thrillers like "Commando", "Force" and "Shakti", said his mother inspired him to be a martial artist.

"We are Rajputs. My father was in the army. He passed away many years back. I have always been taught to be strong and determined. While practicing martial arts or while doing stunts, whenever I get injuries, my mother tells me not to worry. She says 'You are not a loser'," explained Vidyut, who recently had to get a stitch on his chest for an injury he suffered during a stunt scene.

He admits he was confused about his professional life.

"I was always kind of confused with the career options. Before joining films, I had got good job opportunity to teach martial arts across the world. They were paying me a huge amount. But I wanted to be here and do something for the people. Also, my mother advised me that I should do what my heart says. That's how I became an actor," said the actor.

So far, Vidyut has shown an inclination towards the action genre, but he says he likes watching romantic movies.

"I like doing action films. But I can't watch them. I like watching romantic or comedy movies. I am also open to do action-drama," he said.

Vidyut is now busy shooting Tigmanshu Dhulia's "Bullet Raja" and Vipul Amrutlal Shah's "Commando 2".

Bollywood's 'khiladi' Akshay Kumar is said to be supervising Vidyut in "Commando 2". Vidyut said he has immense respect for Akshay's work and talent.

Vidyut says he doesn't have "any godfather".

"I have worked with John Abraham also in 'Force'. He is a fabulous actor. But my godfather is (Lord) Hanumanji," he added.

Commando 1 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1207751) & 2 (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65816).

GeneChing

06-11-2014, 04:20 PM

Interesting article.

An Ancient Form of Wrestling Fades in Mumbai (http://india.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/an-ancient-form-of-wrestling-fades-in-mumbai/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0)
By UDIT THAKUR
June 9, 2014 9:53 am

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/06/09/world/asia/09-fight-IndiaInk/09-fight-IndiaInk-tmagArticle.jpg
In Mumbai, wrestlers practiced the traditional Indian sport of Kushti, which is a type of wrestling on earthen floors. The sport's fan base is eroding, which has fueled a push to modernize the centuries-old athletic tradition.Udit ThakurIn Mumbai, wrestlers practiced the traditional Indian sport of Kushti, which is a type of wrestling on earthen floors. The sport’s fan base is eroding, which has fueled a push to modernize the centuries-old athletic tradition.

MUMBAI — At 5 a.m. five days a week, 15 traditional Indian wrestlers, known as pehlwan, meet at Mahatma Phule Akhara, one of the largest gyms dedicated to the sport left in Mumbai.

The wrestlers, ranging in age from 16 to 25, start the day with a two- to three-mile run, followed by a weight-lifting session, and then a bout of Kushti. A form of traditional wrestling, Kushti plays out in earthen pits, where the soil is mixed in with special spices and ghee, or clarified butter, to keep the earth soft on the skin.

Afterward, the wrestlers prepare their morning meal, a simple breakfast of dry fruits, almonds, milk and roti. By 8 a.m., the men quickly head off to their day jobs as security guards or factory workers, only to return to the gym right after their shifts for the final practice of the day, dedicated to honing their technique.

The demands of Kushti set it apart from most contemporary sports in India, as its practitioners lead an ascetic lifestyle defined by training, careful dieting and strict abstinence from alcohol, drugs and sex — practices that can be traced back through the sport’s more than 2,000-year-old history in the subcontinent.

“I want to make my family proud, and I want to honor my coaches and myself,” said Sachin Sawan, 22, who had moved to Mumbai from a village in the south of Maharashtra State, in the west of India, to find a job to support his training.

For all of their devotion to the sport, the wrestlers’ prospects for either glory or financial rewards are meager. Though still popular in pockets of rural India, the traditional sport’s fan base at the national level continues to shrink as more Indians flock to the cities and turn toward sports that are more TV-friendly, like cricket, whose fast action makes it ideal for broadcasts.

Kushti’s eroding support has in turn fueled a push to modernize the norms of competition. In place of the earthen pits, emphasis has shifted to training and competing on foam mats, wearing spandex uniforms, donning rubber wrestling shoes and adopting a format of time limits for each bout, all to familiarize competitors with the international styles of wrestling. But Joseph S. Alter, a professor of anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh, said India’s wrestling culture is undergoing a far more significant transformation than just a simple shift in rules.

“In the past, pehlwans clearly had to be successful in competitions, but they weren’t just athletes who were champions; they were individuals who embodied a whole lifestyle,” he said.

That shifting lifestyle, Dr. Alter explained, says something about the clashing conceptions of masculinity in India today, and specifically of Mumbai, the center of the Bollywood film industry.

“I think that the focus on the Bollywood hero as the archetype of masculinity sort of represents, from the standpoint of critics, a certain kind of consumer-oriented desire for very superficial kinds of things,” he said, while the traditional Indian pehlwan has typically been idealized “ as somebody who represents a kind of grounded, textured, ethically encompassing masculinity.”

Dr. Alter said both ideals are somewhat “fantasies of the imagination,” but his characterization resonates with many members of Mumbai’s wrestling community.
Wrestlers participating in a tournament in an outdoor park in Mumbai in March. Wrestlers who are successful usually earn $170 to $500 in prize money at such competitions.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/06/09/world/asia/09-wrestling-IndiaInk/09-wrestling-IndiaInk-blog480.jpg
Courtesy of Maharashtra Labour Welfare BoardWrestlers participating in a tournament in an outdoor park in Mumbai in March. Wrestlers who are successful usually earn $170 to $500 in prize money at such competitions.

Narendra Singh Nagbhire, the commissioner of the Maharashtra State Labor Welfare Board, said he saw Kushti not just as a sport but as a valuable cultural asset. He said he believed in Kushti’s ability to keep young men “positive, friendly, healthy and distant from social evils, so they can lead a good life.”

For this reason, Mr. Nagbhire and the board recently organized the Kumar and Kamdar Kesari Tournament, in which Mr. Sawan, the wrestler, competed. The tournament is now Mumbai’s largest annual wrestling competition, with a top prize of 100,000 rupees, or $1,700, and drew over 200 participants from across Maharashtra.

“Kushti displays India’s culture; it encourages the youth to have good physique and lead a healthy life, and it teaches them to compete without violence,” said Mr. Nagbhire.

Dr. Alter said these “embodied ethics” of fair play, courage and respect are part of the lifestyle that holds Mumbai’s traditional wrestlers together despite the socioeconomic pressures that threaten to break them apart.

Wrestlers who are successful usually earn $170 to $500 per competition in prize money. But, as traditional sponsors drift away from Kushti, wrestlers are lucky if they are able to attend two or three prize tournaments a year. Most have to work a day job just to pay for the costs of living.

Ramchandra Patil, the head coach at the gym Mahatma Phule Akhara, said he found it increasingly difficult to draw patrons and provide for his wrestlers.

In the past, wrestlers from rural Maharashtra and other regions could train and compete in Mumbai, which offered work in textile mills along with the prize tournaments. A successful wrestler might even one day earn himself a job at the Railway Ministry or the state police department through a government quota reserved for athletes.

Mr. Patil estimated that the city had over 30 wrestling centers when Kushti was at its peak in Mumbai, and that each gym had a roster of at least 20 dedicated wrestlers. Now, he said, fewer than 10 centers exist in the city, and only half have 10 or more wrestlers.

The lack of funds has pushed India’s wrestlers to aspire to reach the international level more than ever with success on the world stage being the only way to secure funding as full-time athletes. However, these ambitions often put them at odds with modest traditions of their forebearers, who emphasized community over individual achievement.

Depending on their levels of success, wrestlers will start practicing regularly from the age of 12 or 13, and continue well into their late 30s. But the strength of the wrestling community’s ties often outlive the competitive life-span of the individual, as retired wrestlers with full-time jobs still frequent the gyms during off hours to help train their younger peers.

It’s this community-centered ethic that drives Mr. Patil to advise his pupils to keep their eye on what really matters.

“Here we don’t care where you are from, or what your religion is,” he tells them. “As long as you train well, your life will be good. That’s all there is to it.”

Udit Thakur is a freelance writer and researcher. Follow him on Twitter at @uditthakur_

GeneChing

01-15-2015, 10:03 AM

The Styles of Indian Martial Arts (http://fightland.vice.com/blog/the-styles-of-indian-martial-arts)
Fightland Blog

By Pedro Olavarria

http://assets.fightland.com/content-images/contentimage/52672/indian650.jpg
Photo via Flickr user Michal Svec

India is a country with more than one billion people and more than one hundred, often mutually unintelligible, spoken languages. It is a country of cold snowcapped mountains, tropical jungles, deserts and beaches. It is a religiously diverse country, being home to ancient and medieval Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Muslim communities. India is also home to several martial arts, more than can be adequately written about in this article but I will share two and the first in Kalarippayattu.

Kalarippayatu is from Kerala, India, a small region on the southwest tip of the subcontinent. Kalarippayatu is very different from one might expect from Asian and Western martial arts. One unique feature is the nature of the training facility, the kalari. Part of the gym is dedicated as a shrine to various Hindu gods and patron saints. When one joins a kalari, one must first undergo a ritual initiation. Part of this initiation involves praying to the Hindu gods, touching the instructor’s feet as a sign of deep respect and being wrapped in the fighter’s loin cloth. Some kalaris also require new students to undergo an extensive massage, sometimes for several weeks, performed by the master, using only his feet. This is supposed to loosen the muscles, so as to prepare the martial artist for future training.

Kalarippayatu training has essentially four levels: meithari, kolthari, ankathari and verumkai. Meithari involves stretching, yogic stances, jumping, twisting and other callisthenic exercises which focus on flexibility and speed. After a modicum of fitness is attained, the student begins training with wooden weapons, kolthari. Unlike Escrima, which focuses on single, slender, one handed sticks; Kalarippayatu uses thicker two handed wooden weapons such as the mace and club. Weapons training usually take the form of two man forms and not live sparring sessions. After proficiency has been attained in wooden weapons comes ankathari, bladed weapons. Kalarippayatu blades range from daggers, swords and brass knuckle type, Wolverine looking, punch knives called “katar”. Though sparring takes the form of two man sets, where practitioners take turns striking each other’s shields, Kalarippayatu practitioners use dangerously sharp blades. The weapons strikes in this style involve wide circular movements and sometimes accidents do happen. The final stage of Kalarippayatu training is verumkai, hand to hand combat.

Kalarippayatu hand to hand techniques are theorized by some to be a major influence on “northern styles” of Chinese Kung Fu, because of their long range, circular, attacks. Kalarippayatu hand to hand techniques derive power not from physical strength or body weight but from spinning. The propensity for spinning attacks involve crescent kicks, sidekicks and palm strikes. Some of Kalarippayatu techniques seem to be for demonstration purposes only, as some of the throws land the opponent on all fours, as opposed to judo were one throws the opponent on their back, assuming they know how to break their fall. Though once outlawed during British rule, Kalarippayatu is making a comeback; it is in some ways a martial art frozen in time. Another Indian martial art is Kushti wrestling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHQnhirtRO4

At first glance, Kushti looks like Olympic Freestyle wrestling, in a sand pit and without wrestling shoes. Kushti wrestling is also called Pehlwani and its training methods are thought to have their origin in Persia. Unlike Kalarippayatu, conditioning focuses on strength and not acrobatic agility. Interestingly, the mace Josh Barnett sometimes uses in his strength training comes from this art, something he learned from the late great Karl Gotch. Like sumo wrestlers, many Kushti wrestlers live in stables were a regimented diet and lifestyle are enforced. When competing, wrestlers wear nothing but thick under wear like trunks, which can be grabbed for a handle. Matches are won by pin fall. These are only two of a myriad of martial arts that come from India, other forms of wrestling, weapons fighting and even a style performed on horseback could be described. With such an ancient and diverse culture there are probably even more that have gone into extinction and perhaps others yet to be developed.

Written by: Pedro Olavarria
Jan 8 2015

There's a Kalari vid too if you follow the link.

GeneChing

02-24-2015, 09:24 AM

I sort of wish there was this kind of conviction in American politics.

Jayalalithaa's martial arts fan crucifies himself for over 6 minutes (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Jayalalithaas-martial-arts-fan-crucifies-himself-for-over-6-minutes/articleshow/46354052.cms)
PTI | Feb 24, 2015, 02.19 PM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/46354099.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/46354099.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/photo/46354099.cms
Jayalalithaa's martial arts fan crucifies himself for over 6 minutes
Celebrations on Jayalalithaa's b'day. (TOI pic by K Antony Xavier)

CHENNAI: Martial arts expert Shihan Hussaini, an ardent fan of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, on Monday crucified himself for six minutes and seven seconds to celebrate the birthday of the AIADMK chief who turned 67 on Tuesday.

"There is no Indian who has crucified himself for some cause. There is no one across the globe who has done this. I love Madam and whenever we went to her, she had always helped us. I just did this for her long life and for her to come back as the chief minister," Hussaini said.

"I am big admirer of her (Jayalalithaa). I was laughed at for this event. I was told it was an AIADMK stunt. No AIADMK minister was here when I crucified myself," he said.

On why he undertook the act, Hussain said he is an expert in karate, a martial art form where pain, tolerance and self-control are major components of training.

"I strongly feel prayers are heard and the Cross is a powerful symbol," he said.

Hussaini who did his schooling in Christian institutions, said his family did not support him when he informed them about the event.

"My wife was apprehensive and my sister said she would even file a police complaint. But I know my body and went ahead with my proposal," he said.

Doctors from Global Hospitals and Fortis Malar accompanied Hussaini during the event.

"I was taken to the hospital and now I am alright. There is no major injury to nerves or bones," he said.

curenado

02-24-2015, 11:34 AM

Interesting and cool.
Seems to be an affirmation about the weekly massage and teaching it.
(Not the crucifiction part. That's his own thing)

GeneChing

07-16-2015, 10:19 AM

M.I.A. had me GENER8ION + M.I.A. - The New International Sound Pt. II (Official music video) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36569-Kung-Fu-Music&p=1284591#post1284591) above. Now she's just toying with me.

MIA's New Video Elevates Badass South Asian Warrior Women (http://themuse.jezebel.com/mias-new-video-elevates-badass-south-asian-warrior-wome-1717759954)
Julianne Escobedo Shepherd
7/15/15 9:05am

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Though MIA’s 2013 album, Matangi, was generally well received, it was not well understood. This was, in part, because of many Western music critics’ lack of curiosity about cultures outside their own, and specifically the music within; Matangi was an assertion of MIA’s globality, but also centered specifically on a spectrum of Hinduism that went beyond the gesture of spirituality most (white) critics seemed to grasp. She purposely made the internet the locus of her spiritual exploration, an artistic statement that cobbled together and curated goddesses in the decoupaged way she records her music.

On Monday, MIA (Maya Arulpragasam) released “Matadatah Scroll 01 Broader than a Border, (https://itunes.apple.com/us/post/idsa.e62049a2-297b-11e5-8564-dbb405c2dc2a?app=music)” a new video shot in Western India and Cote d’Ivoire, viewable on Apple or Tumblr if, in her words, you “don’t fux with Apple.” (The woman who predicted that our government is monitoring us certainly would have a sensitivity to an aversion to the company, though that did not stop her from releasing it on the Apple Music video platform exclusively.) It’s an MIA-directed video element synced to two songs, the new track “Swords” and Matangi’s “Warriors,” which sampled a cacophony of djembes and Spanish mákina as she repeats the refrain “warriors in the dance.”

Those warriors are embodied here, MIA herself appearing only intermittently among groups of physically strong brown women working in tandem, awe-inspiring at their agility and fortitude as a crew. “Swords” begins by sampling the clink of sword upon sword and metal shield, featuring a nimble-footed crew of what could be kalaripayattu dancers and women spinning the staffs of silambam, two Tamil martial arts whose quick choreography is “bangin’ like Bangalore.” (The goddess Matangi is sometimes depicted with a sword and a goad.) On the outro, the camera focuses on MIA seated on a temple pier with a bowl of incense as she hums a a sacred “Om,” like she did so much on Matangi. Om signifies the moment of creation, an explicit suggestion that she sees music-making itself as a spiritual act, that artistic creation and the quintessence of living are not mutually exclusive.

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“Broader Than a Border” is also in profound contrast to other Western music video takes on India—Major Lazer’s “Lean On,” a perfect song marred with its video’s othering qualities or, infinitely worse, Iggy Azalea’s “Bounce,” both of which place gleaming white women at the center of the Indian women dancing in the background. (It’s pretty ironic that MIA claimed her label made her hold back her video for “cultural appropriation,” though she’s been reasonably accused of that before, most notably with the “Bad Girls” video.) In “Matadatah Scroll 01,” as with many of her other videos, MIA re-centers these Indian women and girls, emphasizes they’re not your back-up chicks, nor exotic props to be put on film for Western eyes to consume as pretty flowers, but in fact real women with real lives that are not to be erased simply because they may live in a developing nation.

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MIA’s always been reflective of both her culture—she salt and peppered her mango on her first-ever track—and her cultural multitudes. But as she gets older, she takes deeper dives into the essence of what that means. “Broader Than a Border” is just the first Matadatah track to receive a video; in an official statement released via her label promises this will be yet another globally-traversing, globally-created project:

I directed and edited my first music video for “Warriors” for my last album, MATANGI, and I held it back until now, because it inspired me to make a whole series of songs and videos on the concept of borders. Making songs and videos at the same time out of a suitcase on location is something I did on my album KALA, but it’s video, as well as music, made by me in a very ARULAR way. [...] There’s ten more of these countries coming and I haven’t chased where to go yet, so who knows where this project will take me.

Borders are what were theoretically obliterated once the internet began to explode; a lack of borders is what helped create the genre-blind “global bass” music that MIA makes and, indeed, helped create. As a refugee and a world traveler, borders are something she’s uniquely primed to understand, as no one knows the chasm between arbitrary cultural and national land divisions better than a person who is forced to leave their homeland due to war, poverty, or other unlivable concerns. (Famously, she was supposed to have been unable to enter the States during the recording of Kala due to visa troubles. “I’m locked out! They wont let me in!” she wrote in 2006 on her MySpace page. “Now I’m strictly making my album outside the borders!!!!”)

Presently, borders are perhaps a more volatile and important topic to explore since the time she’s been making music, with immigration-policy tensions bubbling in the US, UK, and across Europe, as countries like Libya, México, and Syria are less stable by the day. It’s interesting that after a childhood defined by displacement, MIA’s chosen to lead her adult life rather nomadically, traveling to parts of the global South that rarely receive a tourist spotlight in the Times when she’s not on tour, working with peoples who (She discovered the Cote d’Ivoire dancer in the latter, “Warriors” half of “Broader than a Boarder” in a YouTube video and, she says, spent two years searching for him.)

Of course, it’s easy to ascribe MIA with the kind of topics we want to be talking about in pop culture but often don’t, to project our social, political, and personal aspirations onto her. We do that because that is what we do with all pop stars—and particularly with MIA, because she is truly one of perhaps three current English-language pop stars who are migrants and/or refugees (Rihanna, Pitbull) and the only South Asian pop star in the US, a segment of people who very rarely see themselves represented in Western pop culture. If it seems like some fans elevate MIA into a political superhero, it’s churlish to cast blame; she’s not perfect, but as with Beyoncé up in front of that “FEMINIST” sign, her mere existence is giving agency to women of color who don’t always feel they have it.

“We dem gyals say, holla holla holla,” she chants, “we hold (/hope?) the world say holla holla holla,” as the LED-buzzed, tabla-juiced dancehall riddim of “Swords” cuts out into chimes and a bhangra sample. That’s when the video shows this:

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--LsBLzN3u--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/1343305384998856807.gif

It’s a feat, laying still while someone you must trust very much chops a gourd right on your neck. Showing it not only lets MIA’s non-Indian fanbase in to a tiny aspect of these women’s lives when, even in 2015, the going narrative remains a Slumdoggian, feel-good, third-world fantasy, but also represents the danger and bravery women the world over have to embody just to get through the day to day. It’s also a scene leading into a darkened, woman-only space in the temple she filmed; the staffs are lit up with fire and an image of the Om symbol (stylized as MIA’s name in lowercase) is in flames.

With “Warriors,” MIA shifts from the womanly paradise into a heavily male-centric video, focusing mostly on the twitchy-legged, Ivorian dancer’s astounding moves, his legs jittering almost independently of his torso, which remains taut the whole way through. (He must have an incredible core, I thought, my Americanness spooging all over itself.) Top dog even though I didn’t speak no English, MIA raps in “Warriors,” both an acknowledgement and validation of a huge part of the immigrant experience that is often rendered invisible. That she said it as a point of pride in a verse about swag is even more important.

As he dances, his feet look as though they’re ghostriding the whip. He’s clad in a green iridescent track suit embellished with raffia wrists and ankles; it matches MIA’s manicure.

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Between moves, she cuts to archival shots of the green-skinned goddess Matangi, regal in her prayer stance, surrounded by drums as is her domain as the protector of music. “He is a spiritual warrior and communicates through dancing,” said MIA in a press release. “It’s a lifelong commitment for him to be the designated spiritual body that channels that dance.”

“Gangsters bangers, we’re putting em in a trance,” she raps. Two years later, the double entendres are still exciting. So is her vision.

GeneChing

01-11-2016, 09:54 AM

Manipur hosts ‘National Thang-Ta Championship’ to promote martial arts (http://thenortheasttoday.com/manipur-hosts-national-thang-ta-championship-to-promote-martial-arts/)

http://thenortheasttoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Untitled-73-770x440.jpg

Thang-Ta or the art of sword and spear is a traditional Manipuri martial art, which is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide.

Manipur recently invited some 170 players of Under 14 and Under 17 age groups from 9 states to showcase their Thang-Ta skills at the 61st National School Games at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex in Manipur.

The four-day long championship was organised by the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports (DYAS) Khuman Lampak under the aegis of School Games Federation of India.

After a tough competition, Manipur won the overall championship bagging a total of 23 medals while Delhi was placed second in the medal tally with 20 medals.

Such events provide an opportunity to young players to showcase their skills and prepare them to participate at the higher level tournament. With Thang-Ta gaining national and international popularity, there are many who would like to see the martial arts as part of Olympics in the future.

(Agencies)

Featured Image: E-Pao

Thang-Ta in the Olympics? Good luck with that. :rolleyes:

GeneChing

01-11-2016, 10:00 AM

I wonder if Thang-Ta is at the national games...

Tamil Nadu's martial art silambam wades into legal tangle (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Tamil-Nadus-martial-art-silambam-wades-into-legal-tangle/articleshow/50530795.cms)
A Subramani
Jan 11, 2016, 02.39 PM IST

CHENNAI: With just five days to go for the 61st national school games to begin, Tamil Nadu's popular martial arts - Silambam - has become a bone of contention between two associations promoting the game.
Sillambam is an ancient defensive martial art where participants exhibit swift foot work, attack and movement with stick.
Indian Silambam Federation secretary-general S Kesavan moved the high court for an order directing the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) to conduct the sports according to the rules framed by the federation and recognised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).
The national school games are scheduled to be held from January 16 to 20.
Justice M M Sundresh issued the notices after additional government pleader P Sanjai Gandhi opposed any interim orders saying the petitioner-association had come to court at the eleventh hour
This is the art that is indigenous to Tamilnadu. Began with cattle/ goat grazers keeping away wild animals and hustlers.
The federation said though it was formed first and obtained recognition from SDAT as well as the Tamil Nadu unit of Indian Olympic Association, the national school games authority had involved another association - Amateur Silambam Federation of India, based in Jharkhand -- in the tournament.
Noting that there were differences between the rules being followed by SGFI and the one framed by SDAT and Indian Olympic Association's Tamil Nadu unit, the petitioner said it would adversely affect the interests of Tamil Nadu students whose academic prospects depended on the inclusion of the sports at school, university, state and national level events. The petitioner sought to restrain the SGFI from holding the silambam event according to its rules.

GeneChing

01-20-2016, 09:30 AM

I'm going to have to watch out for Bajirao Mastani. I love Deepika Padukone. ;)

Ancient martial arts at Global Village (http://gulfnews.com/xpress/dubai/news/ancient-martial-arts-at-global-village-1.1657224)
Artists behind Bajirao Mastani fight scenes stun visitors with ‘deadly’ skills

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No quarter given. Exponents of the ancient martial art – Kalaripayattu – demonstrate their skills at Global Vi Image Credit: Abdel Krim-Kallouche/XPRESS

http://static.gulfnews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1657217!/image/742290588.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_460346/742290588.jpg
No quarter given. Exponents of the ancient martial art – Kalaripayattu – demonstrate their skills at Global Vi
Image Credit: Abdel Krim-Kallouche/XPRESS

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Proud tradition. Gopa Kumar owner of the CVN Kalari centre inKerala.
Image Credit: Abdul Krim-Kallouche

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A Kalaripayattu fight at the Global Village
Image Credit: Abdel Krim-Kallouche

Published: 18:23 January 20, 2016
ANJANA KUMAR, STAFF REPORTER

DUBAI Global Village visitors were left spellbound on Friday by a stunning display of what’s claimed to be the oldest form of martial arts – Kalaripayattu of Kerala.

Enthralling the crowds using daggers, swords and spears were none other than performers and stunt masters who enacted the famous fight and battle scenes in the recent Bollywood blockbuster Bajirao Mastani that starred Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.

The performers are members of the CVN Kalari centre in Kerala, a 70-year-old training school that conducts lessons in the use of weapons such as daggers, swords, spears, maces, bows and arrows.

The men began the show with a warm-up routine involving a set of exercises to the beats of a drummer on stage. As curious visitors of diverse nationalities gathered before the revamped Global Village stage, the artists changed gear and went on to demonstrate their famed fighting skills using various weapons.

Working first with sticks (ottakol), the Kalari artists had the crowd cheering them with every move they made.

But it was when they pulled out the daggers and swords that people went silent, unsure of what to expect next. What followed was vigorous combat between supremely skilled martial arts exponents as they executed one deadly move after another in a brilliantly choreographed fight sequence.

“What we have shown here at Global Village is just a glimpse of Kalaripayattu, the oldest martial arts form in the world dating back more than 2,000 years. It is the forerunner of Chinese martial arts. Unfortunately India had lost touch with this ancient art until it was revived 80 years ago by my grandfather by setting up the CVN Kalari centre in Kerala,” said Gopa Kumar, owner of the CVN Kalari centre.

“Our masters have trained a number of enthusiasts from all over the world, taking the martial arts to an all new level,” said Kumar.

“Performing at the Global Village is a huge opportunity for us, considering it is a melting pot of people of different cultures. The crowds loved our performance and we hope to come back next year with a bigger show.”

Brush with celebs

The CVN Kalari centre has gained fame after its association with a number of Indian and international movies. “We have trained celebs like Jackie Chan in The Myth, Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se and Asoka, Ajay Devgn in Lajja, Abhishek Bachchan and Vikram in Ravan, and more recently Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone in Bajirao Mastani,” he said.

Healing massage

Kumar has set up a stall for a specialised Kalari massage called Marma Chikitsa. The massage, using medicated ayurvedic oils, is said to cure ailments such as backache, joint pains, spondylitis, arthritis and rheumatic diseases. “A lot of people from the Gulf region come to Kerala for treatment. Seeing such a huge response, we are planning to open a centre in Dubai soon.”

GeneChing

02-09-2016, 07:23 PM

Very impressive! What a treasure. RESPECT!

Defying age with a sword: Meenakshi Gurrukkal, Kerala’s grand old Kalaripayattu dame (http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/defying-age-sword-meenakshi-gurrukkal-kerala%E2%80%99s-grand-old-kalaripayattu-dame-38620)
At 74, she is possibly the oldest woman exponent of Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial arts from Kerala.
Saturday, February 6, 2016 - 14:19

http://www.thenewsminute.com/sites/default/files/kalari%20meenakshi%20main.jpg

By Supriya Unni Nair

Meenakshi Gurukkal crouched low, sword poised; her eyes unblinking as she faced her opponent in the mud-paved 'kalari' or arena. From the tree tops, a mynah's call resonated in the silence. In a flash she moved to attack, twirling her sword; metal clashing loudly as it made contact with a shield.

At 74, she is possibly the oldest woman exponent of Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial arts from Kerala. She has been practising Kalaripayattu for no less than sixty-eight years - training and teaching.

Around 150 students learn Kalaripayattu in her school Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam, in a tiny hamlet in Vadakara, near Calicut, Kerala. From June to September every year, classes are held thrice a day teaching the Northern style of Kalaripayattu, including "uzhichil" or massages for aches and pains. Techniques have been passed down through generations, written in a palm ‘booklet’, grey and delicate with age. When school term is over, Meenakshi takes part in performances. “Nowadays, apart from teaching, I practise only when I have a show,” she says nonchalantly. This, from someone who on an average performs in 60 shows a year.

More than a third of the students are girls, aged between six and twenty six. Meenakshi’s school welcomes children from all walks of life. "Gender and community are totally irrelevant. What matters is age. The earlier you start, the more proficient you are," she explains.

The school runs on a 'no fees' principle. At the end of each year, students give her whatever guru dakshina they chose to. Today, some of her students are now Gurukkals or masters themselves.

The kalari walls display weapons - fist daggers, shields, spears, thick wooden rods, tusk-shaped 'ottas' and 'urumis' - long flexible blades used in combat. Among them is a shield, polished, but old with use - one that Meenakshi herself had trained with as a young girl.

She started learning Kalaripayattu at the age of six, when her father had taken her and her sister to a local kalari. "There were only a handful of girls in our class. But my father wasn't bothered. He was determined we learn Kalaripayattu," she says.

Meenakshi turned out to be naturally gifted, and her father encouraged her to continue training even past puberty, when girls normally stopped.

http://www.thenewsminute.com/sites/default/files/kalari%20meenakshi%202_0.jpg

It was then that she met and married Raghavan Master, a school teacher with a passion for Kalaripayattu. Shunned from joining a local kalari because he was from the backward Thiyya/Ezhava community, Raghavan Master had built his own Kalaripayattu training school in defiance. Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam was set up in 1949; a place where anyone and everyone who had a passion for the martial art could join. "His goal was to make Kalaripayattu accessible to everyone. Today we have done that," explained Meenakshi, who started teaching Kalaripayattu at his training school at age 17.

Oral folklore in north Kerala, known as Vadakkan Pattu or Northern Ballads, is rich with tales of Kalaripayattu champions. Among them are the Thiyya/Ezhava warriors of Puthooram tharavad in North Malabar- heroes and heroines such as Aromal Chekavar, an expert in 'ankam' (duelling) and Unniarcha, a women skilled in 'urumi' combat who singlehandedly took on vagabonds to ensure safe passage for women in that area. Ironically, Raghavan Master, from the same Thiyya/Ezhava community, had to fight discrimination in the late 1940s and set up a separate kalari to train and teach.

Historians stress that Kalaripayattu was popular in medieval Kerala.

"Each 'desam' or locality had a kalari or gymnasium with a guru at its head and both boys and girls received physical training in it," noted historian Prof A Sreedhara Menon in his work 'A Survey of Kerala History'.

Portuguese traveller Duarte Barbosa, wrote of how he saw Kalaripayattu students in North Kerala in the early 1500s, who "...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.." (exerpt from The Book of Duarte Barbosa, Volume II, Duarte Barbosa)

Mythology credits Parasurama being the father of Kalaripayattu having learnt in from Shiva himself. Historically, it finds mention in early Sangam literature. Kerala historian, Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai, in his book Studies in Kerala History, opined that the northern form Kalaripayattu practised today came into existence in 11 th century, in the wake of the strife between the Tamil Kingdoms of Cheras and Cholas.

http://www.thenewsminute.com/sites/default/files/kalari%20meenakshi%201.jpg

Later, colonial rulers were quick to ensure that locals did not pose a threat to them, and strongly discouraged Kalaripayattu. Their prudish sensibilities also prevented women from learning such skills. Prof Menon noted that after the 17 th century, interest in Kalaripayattu declined.

Restrictions on carrying arms ensured that most Kalaripayattu weapons were kept in cold storage.

Kalaripayattu was revived in the 1920s, but practitioners had to ask authorities for special licences to use weapons.

“It was well past Independence that things really picked up. Now it's a way of life for us," says Meenakshi. Her children, two sons and two daughters, also started training in Kalaripayattu at six, and today her son Sajeev is a Gurukkal. "I will practise Kalaripayattu for as long as I physically can," she adds.

This grand dame of Kalaripayattu is determined to prove the cliché that age is just a number.

GeneChing

06-22-2016, 09:15 AM

You'll have to follow the link to see the vid. She's quick.

This 76 YO Woman Uses A Stick And An Ancient Martial Art To Beat A Man In An Awe-Inspiring Duel (http://www.indiatimes.com/videocafe/this-76-yo-woman-uses-a-stick-and-an-ancient-martial-art-to-beat-a-man-in-an-awe-inspiring-duel-257196.html)
Nitesh Raikwar
June 22, 2016

Meenakshiamma, a 76-year-old woman from Vadakara, is seen here in action mesmerising everyone with her Kalaripayattu skills. This ancient martial art,which many believe is the mother of Shaolin Kung fu - is also oldest living martial art in the world
And what this Kalari teacher can do with a stick surely shows how effective it is for everyone.
The video was posted on a Facebook page called 'India Arising' on 16 June since then it has been viewed over a million times. You don't wanna miss her amazing skills!

Oso

10-23-2016, 06:05 AM

http://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/this-74-year-old-is-the-oldest-practitioner-of-an-ancient-indian-martial-art

mickey

10-23-2016, 07:59 AM

Greetings Oso,

That definitely was a great big story.

Thank you for bringing that to us.

mickey

GeneChing

12-23-2016, 09:46 AM

Marxism and Martial Arts (http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/new-year-double-issue/marxism-and-martial-arts)

http://www.openthemagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/detail_page_image_size/public/public%3A/Marxism1.jpg?itok=SfH0s5YM
Marxism and Martial Arts

http://www.openthemagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/detail_page_image_size/public/public%3A/Marxism2.jpg?itok=99ofJXO3
Madhavi as Unniyarcha in Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha

http://www.openthemagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/detail_page_image_size/public/public%3A/Marxism3.jpg?itok=6FEJquEk
BJP activists forcibly close down shops in protest against the killing of a party activist in Kannur

by Ullekh NP

The death of fear in Malabar

FOUR-YEAR-OLDS hate being woken up at 4.30 am and taken through morning ablutions by force, especially when they see most grown-ups in the joint family snoring away. But then a short walk that follows to a kalari session in the rain could lift your spirits. Petrichor is a feeling you experience long before you discover the word, and you can’t have enough of it. Soon, it is time to climb down the steps into a large pit that resembles a threshing floor, lit by a few oil lamps and a handful of unrecognisable photographs, framed and revered.

I remember doing whatever others did: my older cousins would immediately strip, apply coconut oil all over their bodies and change into langotti, a diaper-like loin cloth—a laughable sight for sure— and start off with the prayer to mother earth before saluting the kalari devi, who is Durga herself. We often had to fight back mirth at seeing cousins underdressed because the aasan (master) of the kalari was a strict man who brooked no nonsense. We were all there because we had to learn Kalaripayattu, step by step, and had to shape our mind and body to suit the practice of this ancient martial art form, which, we were told, was the father of all martial art forms, including Karate, Kung Fu, Judo and others. It wasn’t just a morning ritual, it was a way of life, like yoga. The elders at home who had the luxury of enjoying their morning sleep never hesitated to offer gratuitous pieces of advice—that if you become a fine practitioner of Kalaripayattu, you become fearless and far more mature for your age. All of us cousins, with hardly two or three years age difference between us, wanted to be grown-ups pretty soon. We also wanted not to fear the bullies in school or kindergarten or the football ground, and for that matter, anyone. It was around this time we came across Vadakkanpaattu (Northern Ballads), a collection of fables worn around exceptionally skilled warriors and Kalaripayattu wizards such as Aaromal and Unniyarcha and others—we were also told we trace our lineage to them. It was the early 1980s and purist masters had begun to rue how youngsters were going astray, joining Karate and Kung Fu classes run by failed stuntmen from Kodambakkam, the nerve centre of the southern Indian film industry, who were inspired by movies such as Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon, and the global trend that the short-lived Chinese icon spawned. Karate senseis spread the word that regular practice would help them attain physical and mental maturity. You also overcome fear just as in Kalaripayattu, a besotted cousin, who soon shifted his loyalty to Kung Fu, told me.

Overcoming fear had been an obsession in my childhood spent among Marxist revolutionaries of Kannur, in northern Kerala, which had in previous decades seen massive repression of Leftists by Congressmen, police and the state. It is true that Kalaripayattu exponents did throw their weight behind the fledgling band of communists; in many parts of the region, small groups of party cadres would batter landlords, Congress rowdies and their police lackeys into submission. “The communists had to resist attacks on them, especially on hapless women in their households who were singled out for attack because the men were mostly away, underground. It was thanks to those Kalaripayattu wizards who organised squads of volunteers and trained them to resist that the opponents backed off,” says P Jayarajan, district secretary of the Communist party of India (Marxist) whose right-hand was chopped off by suspected RSS killers in an attack on Onam day in 1999 at his home in Kizhakke Kathiroor, a place that was once home to the great warrior Kathiroor Gurukkal.

Babu, a Kalaripayattu aasan from Eramam, Payyannur, in North Kannur, tells me that his father, martial arts expert Narayanan Nambiar, like various other practitioners before him, had helped the undivided Communist Party in the face of relentless attacks from goons hired by the Congress to crush the party at a time it had launched several peasant movements in the district. “Back then, force was used for positive purposes by Kalaripayattu gurus and there was overwhelming popular support on one hand for the party, which, on the other hand, earned the wrath of all anti-socials and lawbreakers in society,” he notes.

continued next post

GeneChing

12-23-2016, 09:47 AM

We came across Vadakkanpaattu (Northern Ballads), fables around exceptionally skilled warriors and Kalaripayattu wizards such as Aaromal and Unniyarcha—we were told we trace our lineage to them

He also brings in a controversial anthropological argument as a cause of the violence that continues to grip the region as cadres of opposing political groups fight each other over either retaining or winning political turf in one of the most blood-stained killing fields of modern Kerala’s history. While law-and-order cases are higher in other Kerala districts, Kannur is often in the news thanks to frequent eruptions of mindless violence among Marxists and cadres of the RSS, Muslim League and radical Islamic outfits such as Popular Front of India (PFI). Babu says that as a Kalaripayattu aasan, like his father before him, he had noticed that the numerically preponderant Thiyya community in North Kerala exhibits what he calls higher levels of rajogunam, or ferocity, compared with other castes, including his own of Nambiars, who have also traditionally practised and taught Kalaripayattu. “I am saying this from my experience of interacting with my students and by generally observing society from the point of view of someone who knows a bit about physical and mental aggression and the role of martial arts in it.” While anthropological studies on caste-group peculiarities are rare in the country, several others, including politicians and scholars, tell me on the condition of anonymity that this perception could be true. However, historian Rajan Gurukal disapproves of using references from the Northern Ballads to explain away what he considers a law-and- order issue.

Whatever he may say, the ankam (duel) culture of yore is zealously invoked by writers and political analysts to put a finger on Kannur’s unending saga of political skirmishes. Such ankams are fixed if two chieftains or kings have a dispute. It could be over an issue as trivial as who must wait for the other to cross a narrow bridge over a stream that allows only solo passage. Chekavars, or mercenaries, mostly from the Thiyya community, often fight in an ankam to defend the honour of the princeling or local ruler they work for. This had been the practice for centuries, and the chekavars had just one function: to train in martial arts and fight to the death if need be. According to SRD Prasad, a Kalaripayattu teacher and the author of an encyclopaedia on the martial art form, it was the judicial system of the day. He argues that chekavars played a significant role in societies those days. “Thanks to them, the rest of the subjects of two kings who had fallen out over an issue did not have to fight each other. Nor was there a scope for a war in which many people would get involved. Chekavars alone fought in a duel and decided the outcome, who wins and who loses (like the samurais of Japan, chekavars believed in honour and would choose death over the humiliation of losing). There is an absurdity in that when we look at it from the current human-rights point of view, but the system of the time minimised deaths.”

VARIOUS SPIRITUAL GURUS and astrologers contend that the violence in the region is an outcome of long years of that tradition—which allowed young, able-bodied men to martyr themselves for frivolous reasons. A section of them also peddle a strange theory that has takers among some believers: that the disquiet in the district is due to the ‘wandering souls of the dead’ who have found no redemption. A senior Congress leader in the district tells me that he has requested the help of a few mystics to perform rituals to address the problem.

Of course, such claims and pronouncements are the stuff of superstition, yet at least two temples in Koothuparamba, the epicentre of violence lately, have begun to do ‘rites’ to “contain the negative effect of the long- observed tradition”, says M Radhakrishnan, an office-bearer of a Shiva temple in the area.

Various Marxist leaders such as Jayarajan and scholars such as Gurukal have dismissed such talk as rubbish. Meanwhile, Kalaripayattu practitioners blame it on the ‘dilution’ of the martial art—the way it is taught by gurus interested only in making a quick buck. “Everyone knows that human nature is unpredictable, but Kalaripayattu has to be taught to a student who is discerning and who appreciates that it is not to be used to settle petty personal scores,” Babu avers.

For most masters, being choosy about students makes for poor economics. Besides, the martial art form has degenerated since British colonialists clamped down on the teaching of various forms of Kalaripayattu, especially the chuvadukal (steps) and adavukal (tactics) that are said to give superhuman strength for the well-trained. After the setback in the 1797 battle in Wayanad in northern Kerala when British forces faced initial defeat against Pazhassi Raja of Kottayam kingdom in North Malabar, intelligence officers inquired into the causes of the setback at Periya Pass. They found that men of exceptional strength and skills who could perform ‘miracles’ were behind Raja’s success. They were all Kalaripayattu warriors and had trained in Tulunadu, now in Karnataka. Kalaripayattu historians say a lot of ‘treasured knowledge’ of the martial art was lost over the next century following the partial ban on it. Over time, lack of discipline that is integral to ‘pure’ Kalaripayattu and the rise in indoctrination of trained youth by various political parties became a ****tail for disaster, contends Babu.

Prabhakaran (name changed), who has trained in Kalaripayattu and later became a CPM henchman, confides that he did everything the party asked him to do. “I used to attend party classes regularly,” he says, “I still don’t regret finishing off political rivals because they were a hindrance to the growth of the party and a menace to society. They needed to be stopped.” Like the RSS, the CPM, too, has bomb-making squads and assassins trained at select camps. Since the 1990s, says a former RSS worker who has now quit active politics, both the CPM and the RSS depend on gangsters for getting their “work done”. Which is why it so happens that there has been a spurt in “quotation teams” (or hired killers) in the region as elsewhere in Kerala. “These are young people with no political orientation. They see an economic opportunity as political parties kill each other. There is no ideology in these killings.” Both the CPM and RSS have blamed each other for fomenting violence to “crush each other ideologically and physically”. While the CPM claims that the RSS, which started off in the region as a private army for the beedi barons of Mangalore, is frustrated at not being able to beat the CPM electorally, RSS leaders state that the CPM is unleashing violence because it is worried about the prospects of losing its traditional voters—Kerala’s Hindus— to the Sangh.

Prasad warns against linking the ongoing blood battle with Kalaripayattu. He feels that promoting the discipline as a sport could, on the contrary, be an antidote to combating political crime. “Unlike earlier when Kalaripayattu was a way of life in these parts, these days there are very few practitioners. Young people have no avenues to channelise their excess energy.” Northern Kerala, especially Kannur, is home to abrasive sport forms such as adiyutsavam, an annual event held at the Mavilayi Kavu, a place of worship, in which people engage in seemingly mock fights that can inflict terrible injury. Incidentally, Mavilayi is the birthplace of the great Marxist leader AK Gopalan.

In its purest form, Kalaripayattu is considered a meditative and reflective practice that is supposed to develop the ultimate spiritual powers of a human being. Which is why a day at a kalari begins with a salute to planet earth, a mark of shedding the ego and bad motives. Those rain-drenched mornings of my childhood are a far cry from the ruthless games of vendetta that politicians play today in the name of ideology. They give the ancient martial art a bad name.

The author shares a lot of insights and terminology for Kalari. Good stuff.

boxerbilly

12-23-2016, 10:21 AM

20 odd years ago. I asked the owner of a local dunkin donuts about this in his former country. He said he knows of it but there is little interest anymore. He is now a multi millionaire and sold his stores to sell cars in Jersey.

GeneChing

02-27-2017, 09:51 AM

Meena Raghavan = Meenakshi Gurukkal (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts&p=1290637#post1290637) = Meenakshiamma (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts&p=1294478#post1294478), yes or no? The 'amma' in Meenakshiamma means 'mother' if I'm not mistaken, but she looks different in the vid. Gurukkal means teacher, like Guru. Raghavan is an Indian surname. Pardon my Hindi.

Great Big Story

January 14 ·
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At 74, Meena Raghavan is the oldest known practitioner of Kalaripayattu, an ancient martial art from southern India. Since she was 7 years old, Raghavan has trained with the best of them. Now, she runs a school where she proudly trains boys, girls, men and women alike.

https://www.facebook.com/greatbigstory/videos/1638738503095243/
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1.4M Views
7.3K Likes 301 Comments 6.1K Shares

GeneChing

03-17-2017, 07:48 AM

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for The Lost Warfare of India: An Illustrated Guide (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-lost-warfare-of-india.php) by Harjit Singh Sagoo and Anthony Cummings, Autographed by Harjit Singh Sagoo! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 3/30/17.

GeneChing

06-20-2017, 08:16 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOxjYcPXYiU

This was last week's episode's extra reel. I'm not in that episode or this week's episode (but you can see me for a millisecond at 0:16 in this extra reel).

Man At Arms: Art of War (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70140-Man-at-Arms-Art-of-War-New-Original-Series-from-EL-REY-Network) & Indian martial arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

07-07-2017, 07:21 AM

Enter to win KungFuMagazine.com's contest for Shastra Vidya: The Ancient Indian Martial Art of the Hindu Kshatriyas Autographed by Harjit Sagoo Singh (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/sweepstakes-shastra-vidya.php)! Contest ends 5:30 p.m. PST on 7/20/2017.

GeneChing

02-01-2018, 09:59 AM

Pictures Reveal Ancient Mud Wrestling Tradition (http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel-and-adventure/2018/01/pictures-reveal-ancient-mud-wrestling-tradition)
Despite declining popularity, the sport remains a way of life for some men. Tuesday, 16 January
By Catherine Zuckerman
Photographs By Matthieu Paley

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_885/public/01-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF1873.jpg

Far from the slopes of Pyeonchang, South Korea, and the buzz of the approaching winter Olympics, India and Pakistan for centuries have been hosting a sport few people have heard of today. A form of competitive mud wrestling known as kushti or pehlwani, its roots may date to as far back as the 4th century B.C., though interest in the sport has been declining for at least two decades.

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_885/public/07-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF2014.jpg
Rasheed Bukhari is an accomplished pehlwan who has traveled to Germany to compete. His fellow wrestlers massage him with oil after practice to increase blood flow in his muscles.
PHOTO BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

That may be “because of the lifestyle and resources it demands” or because kushti is simply not as fashionable as it once was, says University of Oslo anthropologist Paul Rollier.

Rollier characterizes the sport—which he writes about in his book, Wrestlers, Pigeon Fanciers, and Kite Flyers—as “a way of life, almost a devotional practice” that does require discipline. Sex, alcohol, and tobacco are forbidden. And a specific, dairy-rich diet is meant to provide the proper nutrition to support the wrestlers’, or pehlwans’, rigorous training demands.

“Nowadays in urban Pakistan few people practice pehlwani,” says Rollier.

Still, devotees exist. In Lahore, for example, a group of men gather routinely at an outdoor pit called an akhara to train. There they engage in an intense workout that involves climbing, pushups, and digging and leveling the earth into a flat surface. Afterward, the pehlwans critique each others performance, massage their considerable muscles with oil, and prepare for the next time they'll need to put them to use.

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_885/public/02-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF9611.jpg
Adil, center, trains with his fellow pehlwans.
PHOTO BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

...

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_1900/public/03-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF1905.jpg
Pehlwans practice in an akhara, or outdoor earthen pit, on the edge of Lahore’s Walled city.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_1900/public/06-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF9555.jpg
A pehlwan prepares to train by climbing up a tree. This training area, near a Sufi shrine in Lahore’s Walled City, is next to a recycling station.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/sites/uk/files/styles/image_1900/public/04-pakistan-wrestlers-DSCF9530.jpg
A Lahori pehlwan glistens with oil, applied via massage to aid in muscle relief.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU PALEY, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Thread: Kushti (Indian Wrestling) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?67193-Kushti-(Indian-Wrestling))
Thread: Indian Martial Arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

12-02-2020, 09:18 AM

Kalaripayattu is Dia Mirza's New Fitness Routine, All You Need to Know About This Martial Arts Form (https://www.msn.com/en-in/lifestyle/other/kalaripayattu-is-dia-mirza-s-new-fitness-routine-all-you-need-to-know-about-this-martial-arts-form/ar-BB1bkJcL)
News18 25-11-2020

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB1bkJcH.img?h=832&w=1248&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f© Provided by News18 Kalaripayattu is Dia Mirza's New Fitness Routine, All You Need to Know About This Martial Arts Form
Social media may have us chasing that perfect body image goal, but the path to personal fitness is not always through the gym. The fitness and nutrition industry has grown and evolved from that typical exercise routine of the eighties. Today we are seeing a revival of ancient forms of physical exercises like Yoga and Martial Arts. People have more options than going to the gym and lifting weights.

Talking about traditional martial art forms, one such form is Kalaripayattu, which originated in the southern state of Kerala and can be traced back to the third century BC. Martial arts are quite challenging and require dedication. And Kalaripayattu is considered to be an overall mind and body fitness activity. Actor Vidyut Jammwal has been a strong advocator of it.

Now, following this fitness routine is none other than actor Dia Mirza. The actor and social activist who is training for a film project shared a glimpse of the training session on her Instagram.

If Dia's latest fitness routine is something that intrigues you then probably you should explore what Kalaripayattu is about.

The traditional martial arts form is an overall body workout which helps build bodily strength and flexibility while improving focus and coordination. With continuous practice of this fitness routine, with a trainer, you might develop an improved posture, speed, stamina and self-control.

The initial stage of Kalaripayattu is all about body conditioning exercises such as sequences, workouts and kicks to develop the pace of the body. By the second stage, you will learn fighting techniques with wooden weapons such as sticks. In the third stage, you will be elevated to use metal weapons, while the fourth and final stage includes bare hand fighting techniques, massage treatments and more.

The kicks learnt in Kalaripayattu help you increase stamina and balance, that in turn, help improve the metabolism rate. While the correct postures engage different muscles in the core and body, which further helps the training like weight training, yoga and running.

There is no particular diet that you would have to follow while training for Kalaripayattu. It is subjective from person to person. However, one needs to follow a healthy, balanced diet to support the intense training of this martial arts.

Threads
Bollywood-Kung-Fu!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Indian-Martial-Arts (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

01-22-2021, 12:00 PM

Four native martial arts are now part of Khelo India Youth Games (https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/four-native-martial-arts-are-part-of-khelo-india-youth-games-2021/article33626383.ece)
PRIYADERSHINI S
KOCHI, JANUARY 22, 2021 15:23 IST
UPDATED: JANUARY 22, 2021 15:23 IST

https://th.thgim.com/life-and-style/fitness/p6jz4e/article33626373.ece/ALTERNATES/FREE_660/KIMPKALARIPAYATTU1
Beyond physical prowess A Thang-ta artiste; students Kalaripayattu; Mallakhamb and Gatka performers in full form | Photo Credit: K_K_Mustafah

Four indigenous martial art forms walk a tightrope to maintain their core culture and the need to modernise, after their inclusion in 2021 into the Khelo India Youth Games
Every morning before sunrise, Narayanan Embranthri steps into the kalari, a rectangular training space, with his right foot first.

He reverently touches the mud floor, a gesture to God and the gurus of the ancient martial discipline of Kalaripayattu. Before his students arrive, he lights the lamp, oils his body and dons the arakacha or tight loincloth. He then goes to the southwest corner of the kalari (which means battlefield) where seven steps, representing the seven power points in the body, are built, and offers a prayer. “That’s the poothara. Every student who learns this art follows these rituals: the prayer, the dress, the techniques,” says Narayanan, who teaches Kalaripayattu at the ENS Kalari built by his father in 1954 in Nettoor, Kochi.

Culture vs Sports
In a recent move, the Sports Ministry inducted four indigenous martial art forms — Kalaripayattu of Kerala, Mallakhamb of Central India, Gatka of Punjab and Thang-ta of Manipur — into the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG). As practitioners, coaches, students and federations who have kept these ancient martial arts alive rejoice, they also voice concern over a possible dilution of the culture and ritual that is at the core of these regional forms, when modified to a sport version.

“It is a moment of great joy and pride for all of us who are continuing this 3,000-year-old tradition,” says Narayanan, who is also the secretary, sports of Kalaripayattu Association of Kerala. “Despite the British banning it, we have nurtured this native form of battle and defence. There are roughly 1,000 to 1,500 kalaris in Kerala. This recognition is as gratifying as much as it is a challenge, for teachers and practitioners.”

He is wary that this new-found scope as a sport may overshadow the essence of Kalaripayattu, if not formatted with care. While he accepts that it will make the art form more popular and recognised, he adds, “We have to take care that it does not lose its traditional element. It has rituals and philosophy.”

Kalari and yoga guru Sharath S Achari states, “This is the mother of all martial arts. Judo, Kung Fu, karate are its children. These are world famous but Kalaripayattu has remained inside Kerala. Why?” He explains that there are several grades of Kalarippayattu like meythari, which is practice of body flexibility and leg movements, followed by kolthari or fight using short and long sticks and an advanced state of sword play with shield. “As of now, we are not clear what will be included in the Khelo India competitions, and how will it be marked and graded.”

For the 50-year-old Narayanan, who began learning the art from his father at the age of 14, “A sporting career is only between the age of 7 to 21. What will happen to the sports practitioners after that?” He adds that the kalaris, registered and unregistered, have so far received little support from the Government.

However, advocate Poonthura Soman, Secretary General Indian Kalaripayattu Federation, Thiruvananthapuram, differs: “Technically Kalaripayattu is a sport. It consists of 18 different warfare techniques. In 1958 the Government of Kerala recognised the Kerala Kalaripayttu Association and affiliated to the Kerala State Sports Council. It was considered a sport then itself.” In 2015,Indian Kalaripayattu Federation was recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, as a National Sports Federation. Since then we have been conducting National Championships. This decision is a boost for the Kalaripayattu fraternity,” he says. According to him eight events ranging from basic steps to sword and shield play have been included in the Khelo India sports format.

https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/fpmy4z/article33626375.ece/alternates/FREE_615/kimpmallakhamba1jpg
Ramesh Indoliya, president, Mallakhmabh Federation of India, is elated. Mallakhamb is a traditional form of gymnastics performed with a wooden pole (made of wood from sheesham or Indian rosewood and polished with castor oil), a cane, or a rope.
“This is a huge step for Bharatiya [Indian] games. Till now only Olympic games were given importance. Now indigenous sports will get respect. Earlier it was a demo game but now it is part of the mainstream; it’s a big honour,” he says, adding that they have contemporising an ancient art is required for it to remain relevant. Ramesh points out that girls are now allowed to perform with the pole, which was not the case earlier. “We have introduced that,” he says.

Though Madhya Pradesh declared Mallakhamb the State sport only in 2013, it had been developed as a competitive sport since 1981, with rules and regulations introduced at the first National Championship that year.

Future forward
Harjeet Singh Grewal, president of the Chandigarh-based National Gatka Federation of India, is thrilled at the new platform accorded to Gatka. He does not fear the dilution of the cultural aspect. “It is in our hands how much we keep and how much we forfeit. We have to change with the times.”

Gatka is a style of fighting with wooden sticks that originated in Punjab in the 15th Century. Originally called Shastar Vidya, it began as a means to defend righteousness and is considered both a spiritual and physical practice. The bana and chola are worn for the ritualistic performances but, when performed as a sport, the practitioner wears track pants and T-shirt. “The techniques remain the same,” he says emphatically. Besides, the stick is no longer the size of a man, he points out.

https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/x0ufx2/article33626377.ece/alternates/FREE_615/kimp-Gatka-1
Gatka originally began with a display of over two dozen equipment used in battle and self-defence. “Of these, only the gatka has been taken into the sport. Our aim is to take it till the Olympics,” he says, adding that this may necessitate redesigning the format.

“Look at how far the T20 version took cricket. Similarly, the sports version of Thang-ta will rejuvenate it,” says Vinod Sharma, secretary-general, Thang Ta Federation of India. This Manipuri art form combines ritual, demonstration and combat and involves a variety of dance forms and warrior drills. Training begins with stepping patterns and basic sword strikes. Spear techniques are taught later.

“It is a moment of great pride that Thang Ta has been made a part of the Youth Games. It would have passed into oblivion in the recent decades had the national recognition not come,” he says, adding that it can be compared to the Chinese Wushu, the Japanese Ninjutsu and the martial arts of the Filipinos. Thang Ta, which has eight to 10 types of punching and 12 types of kick techniques, is “the best form of self-defence,” says Vinod.It was converted into sports version 25 years ago, and 25 National Championships and five International championships have been conducted so far. “If a newer format is required for Khelo India Youth Games, so be it,” he adds.

https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/6u2gti/article33626382.ece/alternates/FREE_320/KIMPTHANG-TADANCE
HYDERABAD, TELANGANA, 27/03/2015: Artistes from Manipur display ‘Thang- Ta’ dance during the inauguration function of “Parv Purvottar” festival at Shilparamam in Hyderabad on Friday, March 27, 2015. Thang means sword and Ta means spear. Thang-Ta is the martial art of Manipur practiced with sword and spear such as sword fight, spear fight and wrestling style of fight (Mukna). These were not originally a performing art but a serious form for self-defense event, acts of aggression against the enemy in martial tactics. Thang-Ta provided basic training of warfare, and kings of Manipur maintained Than-Ta experts in their courts. Photo: Nagara Gopal | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Interesting inclusions.

GeneChing

06-24-2021, 09:19 AM

Silambam: An unlimited martial art form faces uncertain future (https://mediaindia.eu/culture/silambam-an-unlimited-martial-art-form-faces-uncertain-future/)
Players learn much more than just competitive sport
CultureJune 24, 2021/ By Susanti Sarkar / Gurugram
https://mediaindia.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2c454e07-02da-4230-b4ac-2d590e8e3712.jpg
Many Silambam players learn to perform the complicated art of fire blowing (Photo: N.Silambarasan)

Martial arts have existed in India since the Vedic period and have been documented in Sanskrit texts, each regional form known for being used in different wars throughout history. Silambam is an ancient Indian martial art of fencing that originated in Tamil Nadu.

Karthik Ajay, a self-defence trainer from Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, had first thought of Silambam as simply an old tradition that did not hold any value in modern times. But after going through some difficult times in his personal life and feeling lost, it suddenly came into his life and inspired him towards on the right path again.

“I felt like I didn’t have any identity. I thought of consuming alcohol and even tried to smoke like many other boys over here, but luckily my friends were very supportive during this tough phase. And there I found a golden gem amongst my friends who was a Silambam player. He was the one who taught me the beauty of Silambam as a sport and martial art rather than just a forgotten piece of the past,” Ajay tells Media India Group.

According to Sangam literature, the history of Silambam dates back to 4th century BC, when it was used for self-defence and to ward off dangerous animals with the sport’s main weapon, a 3-foot-long bamboo staff, known as “Silambambu” in Tamil.

Later, it evolved into present-day martial art and was notably used by Tamil kings and their armies to successfully fight the British army from 1760 to 1799, causing severe losses. Before the British period, awareness about Silambam had spread internationally, throughout southeast Asia and some parts of Europe and North Africa, and the staves, along with pearls, swords, and armour were in great demand while trading with these kings. Eventually, when the colonists triumphed, they banned Silambam and other martial arts and traditional weapons in India during the British Raj, instead focusing on modern military training with firearms. After the end of the British rule in 1947, the ban was lifted and silambam was revived in India.

Although the main focus of the martial art is the bamboo staff, there are some variations. One type of staff that is very popular as well as weighted or lighted balls of cloth on each end of the stick, called ‘torch Silambam’ or ‘Panthukol’. This is the weapon mostly used by fire dance performers at events or festivals that showcase Silambam.

Originally a martial art that was taught by the guru to the student and practiced without formal levels, Silambam has now transformed into a competitive sport. As this was only a recent development, it could be one of the reasons why Silambam hasn’t received as much attention as established martial arts like karate. Players compete in state and nationwide competitions, and a Silambam match is usually three minutes long with two 90-second fights.

Footwork techniques, 16 positions in the sport in total, are vital in the sport, and practitioners must learn how to maintain a proper fighting stance while simultaneously employing various moves with the stick and continuously blocking attacks. Flexibility, hand-eye coordination, kinaesthetic awareness and a combination of balance, strength and speed are crucial skills learned during fighting.

https://mediaindia.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-24-at-10.24.27-AM-768x573.png
A variety of weapons are used in Silambam (Photo: Arunachalam Mani)

“The very first time I held the stick in my hands, everyone made fun of me and discouraged me, but I have never thought of giving up on this since it has turned into my life’s passion. At my first state level tournament, I was scared but I managed to win a gold medal! The medal was awarded in my own college, which was truly a moment of pride. It was a really remarkable and unforgettable memory and with it I was able to create a new identity for myself,” says Ajay.

Ajay went on to win more gold medals in three consecutive state matches and then won another at his first national-level match. It was a turning point in his life and further inspired him to become a coach so he could pass on his dream to other aspiring players.

Although Silambam has become a lifelong passion for many players, some agree that it lacks proper recognition as a sport in India. In 2019, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognised Silambam Asia and the World Silambam Association and gave it Special Status in the United Nations. Silambam has also been approved and recognised by other international sports organisations such as TAFISA (The Association for International Sport for All) and ICSSPE (International Council of Sports Science and Physical Education), but strangely, despite being such an ancient Indian martial art form, it has not received its due from the Central government.

In 2020, the Sports Ministry approved the inclusion of four indigenous sports – Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Thang-ta, and Mallakhamba in Khelo India Youth Games 2021, but Silambam was left out. Situations like this make it difficult to procure funding for matches and Silambam is often seen as more of a performance art rather than a competitive martial art form.

https://mediaindia.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-24-at-10.38.39-AM-768x367.png
N. Silambarasan, a 4-time National Gold Medalist, participates in a touch and take match

This is why players like Ajay find it important to spread the message. Some players have started popular Instagram pages to promote the sport, such as @silambam_vicky_ which has more than 20,000 followers.

In particular, Ajay emphasises the idea that there should be more female Silambam players, because aside from being a competitive sport, it also teaches self-defence techniques, which is a necessity especially in India.

“My utmost thought is that young girls and women should show more interest towards this self-defensive art which will be highly beneficiary for them. It will increase their level of self-confidence and they will be able to go around places at any time without fear. I have witnessed my female students possessing these features and the variations within them after getting proficient and many of them have won in National level tournaments too! So, I think it is very important to introduce girls to martial arts right from their schooling, because it’s something apart from sports that is highly helpful in maintaining a coherent brain functionality level and staying fit and healthy,” explains Ajay.

Silambam has also been heavily encouraged by Tamil movies, such as M G Ramachandran’s films from the 1950’s and 1960’s which featured Silambam in an attempt to popularise the sport, and was most recently highlighted in the martial arts film 7aum Arivu (2011). Nowadays, it is often a training mandate for aspiring action heroes in Tamil cinema and those preparing for stunt scenes, as its range of techniques are perfect for performing fight sequences and improving agility and strength.

Ajay aims to expand his knowledge of techniques in Silambam, and take it to the next level by incorporating skating as well. He hopes that Silambam will eventually become more accepted, as this would greatly encourage and improve opportunities for aspiring players.

“Silambam should be recognised in India and as well in the world and I hope that eventually, it can be added in the list of Asian and Olympic tournaments, where people all over the world might come to know about this energetic sport!” says Ajay.

Nice rack!

...weapons rack. :rolleyes:

GeneChing

07-21-2021, 06:05 AM

Kalaripayattu probably deserves its own indie thread

Kalaripayattu: Indian Martial Arts Harnessing Female Power (https://indiacurrents.com/kalaripayattu-indian-martial-arts-harnessing-female-power/)
ARUN SURENDRAN20 JUL 2021FEATURES, HEALTH & WELLNESS
https://i2.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/gopika.jpg?w=785&ssl=1
Gopika practicing Kalaripayattu.
Shakthi! Power! Feminine Energy!

In today’s world women have broken the frontiers of space, air, and water. There is no mountain that they have not climbed, no desert they have not explored. Women have become world leaders; they hold important political and corporate posts. Take our very own Kamala Harris, a woman of Indian descent from California, who has broken the male legacy in our political system in the United States!

Is this just a modern phenomenon? Or has the world failed to see the power of the woman in legends, history, and mythology the world over?

Bringing this power to the fore in every woman is Shakthi — a special self-defense program for women that focuses not just on the training of the body, but the mind as well. It helps women find that inherent deep spiritual power that made women like Kaplana Chawla, Kamala Harris, Indira Gandhi, or Mother Teresa had in order make a mark in the world.

Offered by Dr. S Mahesh Gurukkal of the Agasthyam Kalari, Shakthi is a program that is not geographically limited. It is within the reach of every woman who wants to discover her inner strength. Not just for self-defense, but to transcend that inner barrier to rediscover herself. Dr. S Mahesh designed this program to capture the fearless feminine essence of women that has been celebrated in folklore and ancient texts. This half-day workshop with hands-on Kalari-based techniques focuses on the mind as well as the body. Confidence and presence of mind are just as important as the lightning-fast reflexes that the trainees are equipped with.

https://i0.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/rukku.jpg?w=446&h=446&crop=1&ssl=1https://i0.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/DSC05659.jpg?w=446&h=446&crop=1&ssl=1
There is one such story of Ahalya, a demure 18-year-old, who enrolled in Dr. Mahesh’s class three years ago. It was a balmy summer evening when she first set foot in the Agasthyam Kalari in Thiruvananthapuram. Demure Ahalya stood silently staring at the floor. Her father was talking to Dr. S Mahesh about admitting her along with her two younger brothers to regular Kalaripayattu training. She did not think it was going to work.

Today, Ahalya has transformed into a vivacious, vibrant 21-year-old who is the National Champion in the senior category of Kalaripayattu Chuvadu. She receives a monthly scholarship from the government of India and is treated at par with the national champions in all other sports. The dynamic transformation that Kalaripayattu training has brought about has incited her interest in training those all over the world and of all ages via online classes offered by Agasthyam Kalari.

Coming from a very prestigious and traditional lineage of Kalaripayattu maters, Dr. S Mahesh carries a deep spiritual connection to this ancient martial art created by Sage Agastya. His grandfather Krishnan was an extraordinary exponent of the ‘choondani viral marma vidya’, a technique using yogic powers through pointing a finger at opponents that immobilized them. His father is the legendary Kalari master and Sidha expert Sanal Kumar Gurukkal.

“Fear and alertness cannot coexist actually,” admits Suchitra, a Kung Fu blackbelt in her student days who has recently taken up Kalaripayattu. “Fear shrinks our sense of space. It leads to freezing when there is an actual danger. Martial arts help the mind become fearless. Kalaripayattu is considered the mother of martial arts. Such training must be included in schooling.”

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Suchitra practicing Kalaripayattu.
“Thanks to many popular movies, everyone knows about Unniyarcha, the legendary female warrior of Kerala,” Dr. Mahesh Gurukkal smiles, “But the fact is that boys and girls were trained together in Kalaris centuries ago. The gender gap appeared only after the British crackdown on Kalaris and the subsequent revival in the 20th century. But we are quickly gaining lost ground. It is important not just from a physical preparedness point of view, Kalaripayattu transforms the mind to deal effectively and calmly with today’s working woman’s professional stress and work-family imbalance.”

Other than Shakthi, Agasthyam Kalari offers Nalludal, a unique Kalari-based health and fitness program for all age groups; Prana – a breathing-based energizing and rejuvenating program; Akam – Agasthyam kriya for awakening the mind; and Nithyam – a daily program based on authentic Kalaripayattu techniques.

Sreedevi Pillai had worked in the IT industry around the world for over two decades before taking a break. “Though I had continued by Bharatanatyam training, I wasn’t sure I could start Kalaripayattu training in my 40s,” she says. “So I was surprised at the meticulously individual attention with which the Aashans (trainers) eased us into the different steps and routines in the Nalludal program. Kalari has helped me with my dance as well.”

https://i0.wp.com/indiacurrents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/sreedevi-pilla.jpg?w=1024&ssl=1
Sreedevi as part of the Nalludal program.
The online classes are conducted in small batches so that individual attention is not compromised. There are participants from all over the world. The rising popularity of Kalaripayattu, along with the opportunity to start at any age, has led to the opening of Agasthyam offline city centers in different locations.

A lasting testimony to the power of the Shakthi program is Ahalya. In the Kalaripayattu performances that Agasthyam Kalari regularly gives at different venues, Ahalya fearlessly confronts three male opponents armed with swords with her bare hands. Though the action is choreographed, the danger is every bit real. As she brings down the opponents one by one into a pile and takes the victor stance in the end, there is a glimpse of a great future of fearless women being born in Kalaris across the world.

Shakthi! Onward!

Dr. Arun Surendran is the Director of Agasthyam International Kalari. He holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Texas A&M University and is the Principal of Trinity College of Engineering Trivandrum. He is also the founder of Adcy.io Cybersecurity Solutions. He was awarded the prestigious Eppright Outstanding International Student Award, the highest honor given by the Texas A&M University to any international student.

GeneChing

10-04-2021, 09:22 AM

This 78-year-old great-grandmother is keeping an Indian martial art alive (https://www.forbesindia.com/article/forbes-lifes/this-78yearold-greatgrandmother-is-keeping-an-indian-martial-art-alive/70805/1)

Meenakshi Amma, practitioner and teacher of 'Kalaripayattu', has been a driving force in the revival of India's oldest martial art and in encouraging girls to take it up

BY AFPRELAXNEWS
2 min read
PUBLISHED: Oct 4, 2021 04:20:27 PM IST
UPDATED: Oct 4, 2021 04:30:39 PM IST

https://www.forbesindia.com/media/images/2021/Oct/img_169217_meenakshiamma.jpg
Meenakshi Amma, practitioner and teacher of 'Kalaripayattu', a traditional martial art originated in Kerala, posing for pictures at her family-run Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam school in Vatakara in the Kozhikode district of the state of Kerala
Image: Manjunath Kiran / AFP

Deftly parrying her son with a bamboo cane, Meenakshi Amma belies her 78 years with her prowess at kalari, thought to be India's oldest martial art.

The great-grandmother in Kerala, southern India, has been a driving force in the revival of kalaripayattu, as the ancient practice is also known, and in encouraging girls to take it up.

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"I started kalari when I was seven years old. I am 78 now. I am still practising, learning and teaching," the matriarch of the Kadathanad Kalari Sangham school, founded by her late husband in 1949, told AFP.

"When you open the newspapers, you only see news of violence against women," she said.

"When women learn this martial art, they feel physically and mentally strong and it makes them confident to work and travel alone."

Kalari, which contains elements of dance and yoga, can involve weapons such as swords, shields and staffs. Reputedly 3,000 years old, and mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures, it remains infused with religion in the present day.

India's British colonial rulers banned the practice in 1804 but it survived underground before a revival in the early 20th century and after independence in 1947.

In recent decades it has come on in leaps and bounds, thanks in no small measure to Meenakshi, who won a national award in 2017.

Now it is recognised as a sport and practised all over India.

Inside Meenakshi's kalari hall, her bare-chested son Sanjeev Kumar, a lungi tied around his waist, puts barefoot pupilsn—boys and girls aliken—through their paces on the ochre-red earth floor.

"There are two divisions in kalaripayattun—one is that kalaripayattu is peace and the other is kalaripayattu in war," said the "gurukkal" (master).

"It's an art that purifies mind, body and soul, improves concentration, speed and patience, regenerates physical and mental energy.

"When totally connected mentally and physically to kalari, then the opponent disappears, the body becomes eyes."

"It's a form of poetry," said civil engineer Alaka S. Kumar, 29, daughter of Kumar and the mother to some of Meenakshi's many great-grandchildren.

"I am going to teach kalari, with my brother. We have to take over. Otherwise it is gone."

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Give-it-up-to-the-elderly!!!!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57037-Give-it-up-to-the-elderly!!!!!)
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GeneChing

12-07-2021, 09:42 AM

Lakshmi Manchu is 'learning something new' - the Indian martial art Kalaripayattu (https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/lakshmi-manchu-is-learning-something-new-the-indian-martial-art-kalaripayattu-101638854223899.html)

Kalaripayattu, as performed by Lakshmi in the video, comes with multiple health benefits. It helps in improving the flexibility of the body. When incorporated in the daily fitness routine, Kalaripayattu helps in gaining more body awareness and self-defense.
https://images.hindustantimes.com/img/2021/12/07/550x309/pjimage_(2)_1638854284327_1638854297388.jpg
Lakshmi Manchu is 'learning something new' - Kalaripayattu(Instagram/@lakshmimanchu)
Published on Dec 07, 2021 10:50 AM IST
By
Tapatrisha Das, Delhi
Lakshmi Manchu is ditching all the other martial art forms and picking up the Indian martial art and fighting style Kalaripayattu. The actor is a fitness enthusiast and anything about fitness is sure to have her undivided attention. In fact, her daughter has started early in the fitness process and is often seen accompanying her mother in fitness routines.
For Monday, Lakshmi shared a glimpse of what her new martial art style is looking like. The actor is learning Kalaripayattu - "The Indian martial art and fighting style that originated in modern-day Kerala. Kalaripayattu has been recorded as early as 300 BCE," Lakshmi wrote. Karalipayattu is a fighting style that requires intense physical functionalities and flexibility. The swiftness of the body parts in movement and defending oneself from the attack of the opposite person forms the sole process of this martial art.

In the video, Lakshmi can be seen starting in a squat position with her hands folded in front. Then she can be seen moving her hands and legs slowly in motion and going forward. With her fitness trainer supervising the entire process, Lakshmi can be seen stretching her arms and legs and moving slowly, while learning all the positions. She also mentioned that she has just started learning this art and there will be more snippets for her Instagram family when she would have aced this routine. " This is just a sneak peek, stay tuned for more," she wrapped her post.

Kalaripayattu, as performed by Lakshmi in the video, comes with multiple health benefits. It helps in improving the flexibility of the body. When incorporated in the daily fitness routine, Kalaripayattu helps in gaining more body awareness and self defense. It also helps in developing concentration and gaining control over the body and mind.

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Bollywood-Kung-Fu!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48576-Bollywood-Kung-Fu!!)
Indian-Martial-Arts (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

05-18-2022, 07:26 AM

More on Amma here (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts&p=1321884#post1321884).

Meet the Sword-Wielding Grandmother Bringing Women Back to Indian Martial Arts (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/grandmother-meenakshi-amma-martial-arts)
Women who practiced kalaripayattu were a thing of the past—until Meenakshi Amma.
BY SHOMA ABHYANKAR
MAY 13, 2022

https://img.atlasobscura.com/GTbehhqzwOBpCnjwTiJuy-ji1s_VD3Svf4GfMkG6zao/rt:fit/w:1280/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL2Fzc2V0/cy81MDA5NjUxNTZh/OTU1YjQ4YzdfR2V0/dHlJbWFnZXMtNjIy/MjcyMTI0LmpwZw.jpg
Meenakshi Amma, shown here at age 76, continues to teach students kalaripayattu in her “kalari,” or arena, in Kerala, India, today at age 81. ALL PHOTOS: FUTURE PUBLISHING VIA GETTY IMAGES

CLAD IN A RED SARI with a gold border, Meenakshi Raghavan wields a sword and a shield. The petite woman assumes a formidable stance and matches each strike from her opponent—twice her size and less than half her age—with an alert ferocity that reflects in her eyes. Meenakshi Amma, as her family and disciples fondly call her, is at the “kalari,” or arena, in Vadakara, a small town in northern Kerala, India, training her students the moves of the martial art of kalaripayattu. One disciple, as her students are known, swings his sword through the air but Meenakshi Amma suddenly twists on the mud floor dodging the attack and counter striking, taking her disciple by surprise.

Everything about Meenakshi Amma is a surprise. At 81 years of age, Meenakshi Amma is the oldest woman “gurukkal,” or teacher, actively practicing this ancient practice from the southern Indian state of Kerala. She is credited in popularizing the once-banned practice and with inspiring women—long excluded from the kalari—to take up the martial art as means to self-defense.

Derived from the Sanskrit word “khalurika” meaning battlefield or military training ground, kalaripayattu—or simply, payattu—dates back thousands of years and was traditionally practiced by the Nair community warriors of Kerala. Yoga postures paired with wooden sticks, metal blades and bare-hand combat techniques make it one of the more complex martial arts. “Kalaripayattu is a complete art form that has the grace of a dancer and lethal moves of a warrior. It synchronizes both mental and physical faculties and tests the extreme limits of the body and mind.’ says Meenakshi Amma.

https://img.atlasobscura.com/kltYKbHXPidkd-dvNqvDgOju8KlDqE5i4vDD0Q_vj40/rt:fill/w:1200/el:1/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL2Fzc2V0/cy81MDA5NjUxNTZh/OTU1YjQ4YzdfR2V0/dHlJbWFnZXMtNjIy/MjcyMjMyLmpwZw.jpg
Kalaripayattu had been a part of the culture in Kerala for centuries until it was banned under British rule in the early 19th century.
For centuries kalarippayattu was deeply ingrained in the culture of Kerala, according to the late historian and Kalaripayattu master, Chirakkal T. Sreedharan Nair. It was both a mode of warfare and a method of settling disputes between feuding families. Throughout this time, women trained along with men. Some, such as Unniyarcha, identified as a 16th-century woman warrior, became fixtures in the folklore of Kerala.

But the prominence of kalaripayattu had already begun its slow decline with the arrival of Europeans on the shores of Kerala around the late 15th century. Its traditional weapons were no match for the firearms of the Portuguese. The final blow came with British rule. An armed revolt between 1796 and 1805 by the combined forces of Pazhassi Raza, Nair warriors, and Kurchiya tribes of Wayanad, resulted in the British officer Lord William Bentick issuing a government order in 1804, permanently banning possession of weapons and weapons training to curb future revolts. For almost 150 years under the oppressive British rule, the young men and women could not learn and practice the traditional martial art.

The ban on the practice of kalaripayattu by the British lasted until the countrywide Swadeshi Movement, defying British rule, began in the early 1900s. The century-and-half ban had almost wiped away the tradition of systematic practice of the martial art. With the Swadeshi movement, however, began the slow revival when some of the traditionally trained gurus restarted training villagers covertly. It was only in 1958, almost a decade after independence of India that an organized effort towards the revival of martial arts started with the formation of the State Kalaripayattu Association.

Meenakshi Amma was seven, the traditional age for starting kalaripayattu training, when her father introduced her to the practice on the advice of her Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance) teacher. She started training under her future husband, the legendary late VP Raghavan Gurukkal in 1949 at Kadathanad Kalari Sangham in Kerala. “It is so much a part of me now, just like breathing” the matriarch says now.

“It is so much a part of me now, just like breathing.”
But in the mid-20th century, it was unusual to see a woman in the kalari. Women had become homebound, and the legends of 16th century female warriors like Unniyarcha were history, cited and extolled only in ballads. “I got a lot of encouragement though,” says Meenakshi Amma. “My dance guru and most of the family supported the idea of me being trained in an activity that was predominantly a male bastion.”

While most of the small number of women who did study kalaripayattu gave up after marriage and childbirth, Meenakshi Amma, who married her kalaripayattu teacher, continued her practice. “I took a break during my pregnancies and when my children were younger, but I was always by my husband’s side every day at the kalari. I prepared the herbal oils and Ayurvedic medicines for ‘marmchikilsa’ [massage treatment for vital pressure points of the body], cuts, bruises, pains and aches, an essential part of training of kalaripayattu,” she recalls.

https://img.atlasobscura.com/X10LdGt4SPJYhdRaa2MdFEvVmtmzJaBrJEh3X8pQD4c/rt:fill/w:1200/el:1/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL2Fzc2V0/cy81MDA5NjUxNTZh/OTU1YjQ4YzdfR2V0/dHlJbWFnZXMtNjIy/MjcyMDUyLmpwZw.jpg
Meenakshi Amma’s example brought more girls and women to kalaripayattu. “Learning the martial arts makes women fearless,” she says.
Meenakshi Amma stepped into her husband’s shoes as a gurukkal after his death in 2009 and has been training young and old, men and women from across the country and abroad. In 2017, “She was like a mother to her students,” says Kunnathukuzhi Francis Thomas Gurukkal, one of her students who runs a kalaripayattu school of his own in Wayanad.

In 2017, Meenakshi Amma was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian awards for her work. In her paper in Women’s Studies, A****ha Mandakathingal writes, “The massive media coverage Meenakshi received after her national recognition placed Kalaripayattu in limelight in national headlines making it popular talking point, leading to the revival of Kalaripayattu in contemporary Kerala.”

Seeing an old woman handling spears, swords and sticks effortlessly generated a desire and confidence among young women to learn kalaripayattu. “Women should take up payattu to empower themselves,” Meenakshi Amma says. “It not only makes the body stronger but also helps in improving stamina, concentration, and control over motor skills.” She adds, “Learning the martial arts makes women fearless.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story included an image that was incorrectly identified as a childhood photo of Meenakshi Raghavan.

threads
Give-it-up-to-the-elderly!!!!! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57037-Give-it-up-to-the-elderly!!!!!)
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GeneChing

06-21-2022, 10:19 AM

Tamil Nadu martial arts expert collapses, dies minutes after performance (https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tamil-nadu-kalari-martial-arts-expert-collapses-dies-youtube-video-1965099-2022-06-21)
A martial arts expert from Tamil Nadu's Chennai died after demonstrating his art for a YouTube channel on Sunday. A probe into his death is underway.

Pramod Madhav
Chennai
June 21, 2022UPDATED: June 21, 2022 18:31 IST
https://akm-img-a-in.tosshub.com/indiatoday/images/story/202206/Collage_Maker-21-Jun-2022-06.2_1200x768.jpeg?fiF8JUcCZqQBA5fy1CNgkCJKzHy4xL5 X&size=770:433
Giridharan was preparing for the demonstration without rest for the past few days. (Photo: India Today)

Giridharan, a 29-year-old Kalari Payattu instructor from Tamil Nadu passed away minutes after performing and explaining intricacies associated with the martial arts, during an interview for a YouTube channel.
On Sunday, he demonstrated martial arts skills to a crew who were recording the video for the YouTube channel. Minutes later, Giridharan collapsed on the ground and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He was declared brought dead.
The police were informed about the incident and Giridharan’s body was returned to his family after autopsy. While the cops are waiting for a detailed autopsy report, Giridharan was said to have been practising rigorously for the YouTube interview, without rest.
The channel associate, however, claimed that the interview had gone on for only five minutes as he complained of uneasiness and asked to postpone the rest of the shoot after demonstrating his art.
He owned and operated a martial arts school named Kalariyil Kshatriya at Chennai's Valsaravakkam for the past six years.
Further investigation into his death is underway.

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Indian-Martial-Arts (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)

GeneChing

10-06-2022, 09:29 AM

Indian man smashes 42 coconuts on heads with nunchaku in a minute, sets Guinness World Record (https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/indian-man-smashes-42-coconuts-on-heads-with-nunchaku-in-a-minute-sets-guinness-world-record-101664697001142.html)
Trending
Published on Oct 02, 2022 03:16 PM IST

A man from India sets Guinness World Record for smashing the maximum number of coconuts on heads with a nunchaku in a minute.

https://images.hindustantimes.com/img/2022/10/02/550x309/guinness-world-records-man-smashes-coconuts-india_1664703426556_1664703426708_1664703426708.jp g
The image shows KV Saidalavi, who hails from India, smashing coconuts on heads with a nunchaku to achieve a Guinness World Record. (Twitter/@gwr)

By Arfa Javaid
India is home to several Guinness World Records, and there is now the latest inclusion to this list. Recently, a man from Karnataka's Mudur bagged the world record title for smashing the maximum number of coconuts on heads with a nunchaku in a minute. The bizarre world record has stunned people and may have the same effect on you.
Guinness World Records shared the video on Twitter with the caption, "New record: Most coconuts on heads smashed with a nunchaku in one minute - 42 by KV Saidalavi (India). He starts slow, but once he gets going there is no stopping." The video shows KV Saidalavi smashing coconuts kept on the heads of several volunteers with nunchaku. The text insert on the screen reveals that the coconuts used in the world record attempt were distributed for eating, and some pieces were used to make coconut oil.
According to a blog by Guinness World Records, Saidalavi practices the Kalaripayattu martial art and trains for two hours every day.

Martial-Arts-World-Records-and-Stunts (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52601-Martial-Arts-World-Records-and-Stunts)
Indian-Martial-Arts (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69806-Indian-Martial-Arts)