KALARIPPAYATTU the Martial and Healing Art of Kerala
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KALARIPPAYATTU THE MARTIAL AND HEALING ART OF KERALA SHAJI K JOHN © Shaji K John, 2011 Published by the Author Koovackal Kappumthala PO Muttuchira, Kottayam Kerala 686 613 [email protected] WITH DUE RESPECTS TO MY GURU Shri. E.P. VASUDEVAN GURUKKAL DEDICATED TO CHANDRALEKHA ""Ifcn icochpw IfcnhnZymÀ°n IfcnbpsS Bßmhpw BIp¶p!'' --hmkptZh Kpcp¡Ä “Kalari is the body and the disciple of Kalari its soul!” IfcnVasudeva Gurukkal CONTENTS PREFACE x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xii TRANSLITERATION xiii I II III IV V VI The Legend of A Historical Northern Style Kuzhi Kalari Kalari Niyama Kalari Vya=ya=ma Paras`ura=ma Account Kalarippayattu Literary Evidence: Place of Practice: General Discipline: The earliest history The word Kalari refers Tradition gives of warfare is found to the place of practice importance to the ethical recorded in the and payattu means and moral discipline of Dhanurveda, an practice.... a student of Kalari..... Upaveda to the Yajurveda... 1 5 7 9 12 15 VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII Meitha=ri Koltha=ri An?gatha=ri Verumkai Upa=sana= Marma Vidya= Kalari Marma Chikilsa= Physical Discipline: Metal Weapons: Bare-hand: Vital points: Treatment: Meitha=ri is the foun- An?gatha=ri is the use In Kalarippayattu Study of marma A Kalari Gurukkal dation to develop of sharp and lethal the most important points is the most is well-known in the skills that are neces- metal weapons.... part is the use of advanced stage villages of Kerala sary for advanced.... empty-hand. As the of Kalari training as a vaidya or name Verumkai.... course... physician... 20 24 28 36 42 43 46 GLOSSARY 49 SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY 50 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 52 PREFACE Observing these aberrations, I felt it is imperative to explain the true Kalarippayattu is the indigenous martial art of Kerala and is known depth of Kalarippayattu as found even today in traditional training to be in practice for more than five hundred years. It has been preserved centres in Kerala. I carry forward that tradition with the same spirit in for many centuries following the tradition of guru-s`is/ya parampara=. my teaching in Chennai. True to the tradition, the generations of Gurus are worshipped symbolized by the pa=duka= placed at the Guruthara in every Kalari. This book attempts to provide a general outline of the teaching and Kalarippayattu is a wholistic art that not only knows how to hurt the learning of this martial art, specifically to the students of Kalarippayattu. other but also knows how to heal. This unique combination makes It is presented in thirteen chapters supported by photographs taken it a complete science and hence it is regarded as the ‘mother of all during various occasions from 1994 to 2011 by different photographers. martial arts’. The martial training aims at the overall development of The first three chapters are more of an introduction to the martial an individual beginning from physical strength, mental balance and form tracing it from the Pura=n/as, the legend of Paras`ura=ma, whose progressing to spiritual upliftment. It forms, as it were, a path guided life is commonly associated with the origin of Kerala state and very by the tradition to lead a complete life. importantly with the origin of Kalarippayattu. The second chapter deals with a historical account of warfare extending to an introduction The practice of Kalarippayattu in cities and its partial application in to the Northern Style Kalarippayattu in the third chapter. The chapters visual arts has often led to the notion that it is not more than a physical four to six deal with the principles of construction of a Kalari and fitness workout and worse, it is often classified as a performing art. the eligibility criteria of a Kalari student. The actual sequential Kalari x training is discussed in chapters seven to ten. The eleventh chapter I take this opportunity to pay my respects to my revered Guru endeavours to capture the elevation as it were, for a Kalari student who Shri E.P. Vasudevan Gurukkal, Kaduthuruthy, Kerala. He is a teacher graduates into the secret knowledge of Kalarippayattu. It deals with par excellence who always insisted that one should discriminate the importance of meditation or upa=sana=. The twelfth chapter deals - question - and examine (samshayikkiya - chodyam cheiyuka - with the Science of Marma, the central principle of Kalarippayattu, parikshikya) throughout the learning process of this martial art. His followed by Marma Vidya= or Kalari Treatment in the last chapter. quest and commitment in this martial art has motivated many young Thus, it is a concise presentation of the tradition of Kalarippayattu. minds in the villages of Kerala and I happen to be one among them. He directed me to Chandralekha, Dancer-Choreographer to be part The terms in Sanskrit and Malayalam are given in italics with diacritical of her creative productions in Chennai. She communicated her deep marks. A key to transliteration and pronunciation is provided in the love towards this ancient martial and healing art form through her beginning as found in the publications of Ramakrishna Mutt. The innovations. Imbued with an intense desire for the spread of words in Malayalam with the vowels i (e) and u that are long are Kalarippayattu she encouraged me to impart this knowledge in her written as ‘ee’ and ‘oo’ respectively to facilitate pronunciation. The premises. Here, I remember Chandra through the words of my Glossary at the end provides meaning for some of the important words Guru, “Chandra, thus attained ‘gurusthanam’ in kalari and will be used in Kalari training which are in Malayalam. Select Bibliography acknowledged as one of its revered mothers.” gives a list of books consulted for shaping the present book. Shaji K John xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Editorial Consultant Information Centres Padmamalini. S Adyar Theosophical Research Library DakshinaChitra Library Research Co-ordinator Government Oriental Manuscript Library S. Bhuvaneshwari Tamilnadu Archives Photographers Design Simon Richardson (England) Rhoda Alex (Late) Ann (Auroville) Leslie Layout Biju Chandra Kumar S Joel Printer In Photo Session Joh Graphics Shaji K. John 1/116, Madharasha Street, P A Binoy Sheik Abdulla Nagar, Pramod Yadav Alwarthiru Nagar, D.T. Vijay Chennai - 600 087 Jayakumar Rajesh Kalyani (Auroville) xii KEY TO TRANSLITERATION AND PRONUNCIATION SOUNDS AS IN SOUNDS AS IN A A a o in son f U d/ d Aa B a= ah! F V d/ha dh in godhead # C i e [ W n/ n $ Cu i= ee t X ta French t % D u u in full w Y tha th in thumb ^ Du u= oo in boot d Z da th in then \ E r/ ri x [ dha theh in breathe here @ G e e in bed n \ n n @e sF ai y in my p ] pa p Aae Hm o oh ) ^ pha ph in loop-hole AaE Hu au ow in now b _ ba b k I ka k É ` bha bh in abhor o J kha ckh in blockhead m a m m g K ga g y b y y L gha gh in log-hut r c r r M n? ng l e l l c N ca ch (not k) v h v w D O cha chh in catch him z i s` sh j P ja j ; j s/ shh (almost) H Q jha dgeh in hedgehog s k s s | R n# n (somewhat) h l h h q S t/ t < m? ng Q T t/ha th in ant-hill > h/ half h xiii I The Legend of Paras`ura=ma …muin< dIÝtpaexnm!, Paras`ura=ma, the sixth incarnation of Vis/n/u, A<savs´przu< jqavLklxair[m!. descended on the request of Mother Earth who appeared before him in the form of a gaErmi¶izoakar< tejsa ÉaSkraepmm!, cow bemoaning the atrocities of the wicked ]ÇaNtkrm]ae_y< vpu:mNtimva[Rvm!. ks/atriya kings, says the Brahma=n/d/a Pura=n/a.1 According to the Nr/sim?ha Pura=n/a, Vis/n/u NySts<k…ictaxan< kale ÷t÷taznm!, lying on the milk-ocean was eulogized by i¬Ú< iÇ;v[aMÉaeiÉra*< devgué< ywa. the sages to relieve them from the cruel ks/atriyas on earth.2 The purpose of this svTsa< xenuka< ñeta< haemxukœ kamdaehnam!, incarnation is also described in the Vanaparva ]Irari[< k;Rma[< mheNÔigirgaecrm!. of the Maha=bha=rata. The ks/atriya king Ka=rtavi=rya=rjuna endowed with great power …ÉagRv< rammasIn< mNdrSw< ywa rivm!. 1 See Pura=n/ic Encyclopaedia of Vettam Mani, p.568 Harivam?s`a (Vis/n/u Parva), 39, 21-25 2 pura devg[EivR:[u> Stut> ]IraedxaE n&p, Nr/sim?hapura=n/a, 46.2 przuram #it Oyat> svRlaeke;u s àÉu>, Êòana< in¢h< ktuRmvtI[aeR mhItle. Nr/sim?hapura=n/a, 46.3 1 and wealth, was creating havoc for devas, yaks/as and r/s/is.3 The afflicted he was stopped by Jamadagni and Ren/uka=, the minister killed the devas and r/s/is approached Vis/n/u for protection4 and pleaded with him sage.11 Hearing the lamentation of his mother, Paras`ura=ma entered the to vanquish Ka=rtavi=rya for the benefit of all beings.5 Vis/n/u consulted hermitage.12 Consoling her, he took a vow that he shall kill the wicked Indra for the course of action to destroy Ka=rtavi=rya.6 Vis/n/u as (Paras`u) Ka=rtavi=rya and his minister.13 Further he proclaimed that since his Ra=ma was born to Jamadagni (and Ren/uka=) as their fifth son.7 mother wept beating her chest twenty-one times he would go around the world twenty-one times to get rid of the ks/atriyas.14 Once Ka=rtavi=rya, the son of Kr/tavi=rya who became a great emperor by the grace of Datta=treya,8 visited the hermitage of Jamadagni.9 Paras`ura=ma undertook severe penance in order to obtain the powers to fulfill his vow.