Kalaripayattu

Kalaripayattu or Kalari is the oldest form of all Maritial arts. Kalari means "Battlefield" and Payattu means "Combat". It can be further broken down into Kala, which means "Light," and Ri, which means "enemy of darkness," which refers to eradicating the darkness.

This artform is believed to be 3000 years old. As per legends, Parashurama is believed to have learned this art form from Lord Shiva and he later  taught it to original settlers of Kerala.

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This artform combines weapons and bare-hand combat strategies that were specifically created for ancient battlefields. The practise of Kalari is a tremendously beneficial "Body and Mind workout" for the body.

Kalari practise aids in developing:

• Bodily strength and Immunity

• Flexibility

• Stamina

• Concentration

• Speed in neuro muscular co-ordination

• Self control

• Better posture

• Body toning

• Speed in physical movement

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The only martial art that also offers Marma therapy is Kalaripayattu. There is a great potential that you will get harmed while practising Kalari, hence it's crucial to only do certain acts (payattu) in Gurukkal's presence for prompt relief.

Gurukkal, the master of Kalari, is well-versed in the numerous therapeutic modalities and pressure sites on the human body. If techniques are not used properly, you can seriously hurt the body or even kill a person because the marmas are the essential parts of the body where life energy flows.