Article in the CHindu on Kalari.
www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/yw/2002/11/23/stories/2002112300030100.htm
Some <b><i>nice photos</i></b> at link.
Interesting bits:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What makes Kalari unique is the fact that it is much more than a martial art. A student of Kalari learns philosophy, medicine, attack and self-defence and, above all, learns how to avoid confrontations where he has to attack somebody or defend himself. He even learns to treat the injuries he causes to his opponent while attacking or defending himself. An advanced student would learn about Marma points or pressure points in the body. A skilful blow at the right place could cripple or kill a person. These points are also used to cure various illnesses. The Chinese art of acupressure is also based on these pressure points. <b>Kalari also includes Tantra and Mantra through which a look could make a person drop dead.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->(Now that last bit would be useful on some politicians.... <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> )
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->When the British ruled India, they were unable to understand the nuances of this art and, moreover were scared by the lethal skill of its practitioners and banned it in India. The tradition would have died if not for the brave efforts of Kalari teachers to keep it alive. Thus from being a honourable art practised by kings, Kalari turned into a secretive art struggling for survival. Indeed the ban by the British did untold damage and today a lot of the information is lost. But what has survived is still potent and requires at least 12 years of dedicated study to master it.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course, CHindu psyops is unavoidable. For instance, it totally avoids mentioning Nairs while these Kshatriyas were regular practitioners in the 15th-17th century. Next to that it turns Kerala into some kind of endless feuding territory at the time (waiting for salvation by the christoterrorists from Portugal apparently):
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Fifteenth Century Kerala did not have a strong central rule, which gave rise to many small rulers constantly at war with each other. To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, they began a system where one Kalari warrior from each side would represent his king and fight the other. The winner would have won the war for his king. This gives an indication of how respectable and venerated practitioners of Kalari were between the 13th and 16th Centuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Yes, I appreciate the realism in the historic usage of the conflict-minimising one-to-one Kalari duel, but to say that therefore Kerala had been witness to "constant warfare" seems a bit more than a stretch <!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Next to that there are dating incoherencies even in one and the same paragraph:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Kalaripayatt is a traditional art practised in Kerala and though claims of a heavenly origin are disputable, foreign travellers have mentioned Kalari being practised in Kerala as early as the 13th Century, which makes it the oldest martial art to be in existence. Kalari is considered to be the most complete and scientific martial art and is the mother of all martial arts. Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from India, introduced Kalari into China and Japan. What he taught has evolved into Karate and Kung Fu. One can find a lot of similarities among the three.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->After stating the Bodhidharma bit as factual history (which it is, but nice to see the CHindu admit that much), it's funny that they still stick to 13th century as the oldest noted ball park figure for a martial art. Now we're to suppose that Bodhidharma - who is credited with developing Shaolin Gong Fu - is 13th century or later? Meanwhile Bodhidharma is dated 5th/6th century (see for instance this Japanese Buddhist Site: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/daruma.shtml ) So more fool CHindu.
www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/yw/2002/11/23/stories/2002112300030100.htm
Some <b><i>nice photos</i></b> at link.
Interesting bits:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->What makes Kalari unique is the fact that it is much more than a martial art. A student of Kalari learns philosophy, medicine, attack and self-defence and, above all, learns how to avoid confrontations where he has to attack somebody or defend himself. He even learns to treat the injuries he causes to his opponent while attacking or defending himself. An advanced student would learn about Marma points or pressure points in the body. A skilful blow at the right place could cripple or kill a person. These points are also used to cure various illnesses. The Chinese art of acupressure is also based on these pressure points. <b>Kalari also includes Tantra and Mantra through which a look could make a person drop dead.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->(Now that last bit would be useful on some politicians.... <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> )<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->When the British ruled India, they were unable to understand the nuances of this art and, moreover were scared by the lethal skill of its practitioners and banned it in India. The tradition would have died if not for the brave efforts of Kalari teachers to keep it alive. Thus from being a honourable art practised by kings, Kalari turned into a secretive art struggling for survival. Indeed the ban by the British did untold damage and today a lot of the information is lost. But what has survived is still potent and requires at least 12 years of dedicated study to master it.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course, CHindu psyops is unavoidable. For instance, it totally avoids mentioning Nairs while these Kshatriyas were regular practitioners in the 15th-17th century. Next to that it turns Kerala into some kind of endless feuding territory at the time (waiting for salvation by the christoterrorists from Portugal apparently):
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Fifteenth Century Kerala did not have a strong central rule, which gave rise to many small rulers constantly at war with each other. To avoid unnecessary bloodshed, they began a system where one Kalari warrior from each side would represent his king and fight the other. The winner would have won the war for his king. This gives an indication of how respectable and venerated practitioners of Kalari were between the 13th and 16th Centuries.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->Yes, I appreciate the realism in the historic usage of the conflict-minimising one-to-one Kalari duel, but to say that therefore Kerala had been witness to "constant warfare" seems a bit more than a stretch <!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Next to that there are dating incoherencies even in one and the same paragraph:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Kalaripayatt is a traditional art practised in Kerala and though claims of a heavenly origin are disputable, foreign travellers have mentioned Kalari being practised in Kerala as early as the 13th Century, which makes it the oldest martial art to be in existence. Kalari is considered to be the most complete and scientific martial art and is the mother of all martial arts. Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk from India, introduced Kalari into China and Japan. What he taught has evolved into Karate and Kung Fu. One can find a lot of similarities among the three.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->After stating the Bodhidharma bit as factual history (which it is, but nice to see the CHindu admit that much), it's funny that they still stick to 13th century as the oldest noted ball park figure for a martial art. Now we're to suppose that Bodhidharma - who is credited with developing Shaolin Gong Fu - is 13th century or later? Meanwhile Bodhidharma is dated 5th/6th century (see for instance this Japanese Buddhist Site: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/daruma.shtml ) So more fool CHindu.