Kalari I - Kalaripayattu Weapon & Barehand Fighting

• Learn the southern style of Kalaripayattu (Thekkan Kalari)

• Power, Speed, Flexibility

• Barehand Fighting

• Nedu Vadi - Long Staff

• Kuru Vadi - Short Stick

• Katthi - Knife

• Vettu Katthi - Machete

• Valum Parichajum - Sword & Shield

• Basic Marma Class (Vital Points)

Kalaripayattu is indigenous to the Southern state of Kerala, which the sixth incarnation of Vishnu Lord Parashuram is said to have created from the ocean. In order to protect this land, Parashuram passed his knowledge of Kalaripayattu to his 21 disciples. According to tradition, he then sent these disciples to various parts of Kerala. Keralites therefore consider Kalaripayattu to be God’s own martial art that has the power to protect God’s own country. The knowledge of this art has passed through many generations, from its beginning to the present day.

Because the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma took Kalaripayattu from India to China in the fifth century, Kalaripayattu is also the predecessor of Chinese martial arts. Once it was brought to China, practitioners of Kalaripayattu merged the art with existing fighting forms. This merging marked the birth of Kung Fu.

Later in the tenth century, the Portuguese traveler Durad Barbossa recorded in his travel log that he witnessed the Nair warriors practicing this art.

Kalaripayattu is part of the honour, inheritance and culture of India, especially of the Keralites. Their warrior clan believed that fighting for the sake of the country was a great honour and practiced the art as their birthright. Centuries ago, the Travancore armies fought many wars using these techniques, including three wars against the Dutch navy. Veluthampi the Great and Pazhassi Raja are just two of many warriors who used this martial arts against the British. Intimidated by these freedom fighters, the British banned the martial art during their rule in India. Those who wished to preserve the art had to practise Kalaripayattu in secret.

In this course you can dive into this mysterious and ancient art and experience its traditional way as well as its application in modern life.