Dravidian martial arts

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Dravidian martial arts refers to the South Asian fighting styles practiced by the Dravidian peoples of South India.

History

Dravidian is an imaginary term created by the British to divide people of India (Bharati). By the introduction of the western education, now the educated Indians are continuing that distortions. Contrary to North, South India faced only a few foreign invasions. So that it was a good ground for spiritual and cultural development. And it really happened there. There is a series of Sidhaas and jnanis in South. Great Sage of Kalari payat. Agashthiar is one among them. If there are a lot of Yogis/Zens in one place it doesn't mean that, it's different from other part of that country. Another biggest issue made by British is caste system. Caste system is a scientific classification and its universal. In any nation, any community, in any living organism, these four classes exit. Which country don't have rulers who are intelligent enough to write the rules for the betterment of that country (brahmana). To support the law and order and execute the law Soldiers/police (kshathriyas), business people(vaishyas) and the labourers (shudras). No country can exist without this four castes. Each person have an inborn talent or interest in a particular field. That is his caste that all. Take a tree, it has the leaves which takes care of photosynthesis, branches to support the leaves towards sunlight (kshathiryas), trunk to bring water from roots to all parts of the trees (vaishyas), and roots which supply water,etc, for the whole tree.

It's absurd to say that muslims or christians or brahmins learned kalari. Kalari payat is an art devised by sages, it's universal - it is not limited to a particular people or area. To know kalari payat we should be one with their mind and we will know. It's their enormous love for the fellow human beings. The term Dravidian marital arts is not correct. It creates separation and that is not what the sages has realized and want to.

It's considered, Sage Parashurama introduced Kalari Payat. Roots can be traced to Dhanur Veda, ayur veda, sthapathya veda(vaastu shastra)etc. To build a kalari, the science of Vaastu (Vaastu shasthra) is followed. Sciences like mantra shastra, tantra shastra, marma shastra, are utilized to balance the energy level within the kalari. Like any other arts or science forms in India the Kalari payat also helps to transcend human beings to attain the higher spiritual dimension. Great Saints in Bharati (India) formulated all the arts and sciences in such a way that it helps to evolve a common man to reach the higher levels of spirituality and there by attain self realisation. Evolution from a mere physical level, emotional level, intellectual level to the spiritual level. They all had realized that the goal of human life is Self Realisation or God Realisation. Whatever action a human perform, it should evolve him to know himself. This makes the kalari payat a total art (complete art) in itself.

A good practitioner will be able to feel any movement around him and in no time he will be conscious of that moment to defend himself. There is a saying in Kalaripayattu that, the body is your eye and the mind is your weapon. When his level of Prana increases he will be able to develop psychic powers. By this he can stabilize his opponent through choondu marmas. The aim of kalari payat is to have a good physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual strength, than just killing another being. Its more than a self defence. Bodhidharma was one among the famous person who utilized it.


Written evidence of the Dravidian martial arts dates back to the 2nd or possibly 3rd century BC, when various combat techniques were described in Sangam literature. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam in ancient Tamilakkam. The word kalari appears in the Puram (verses 225, 237, 245, 356) and Akam (verses 34, 231, 293) to describe both a battlefield and combat arena. The word kalari tatt denoted a martial feat, while kalari kozhai meant a coward in war.[1]

Each warrior in the ancient Tamilakkam received regular military training[2] in target practice and horse riding. They specialized in one or more of the important weapons of the period including the vel (lance or spear), val (sword), kedaham (shield), and vil ambu (bow and arrow). The combat techniques of the Sangam period were the earliest precursors to kalaripayat.[3]

Around AD 630, King Narasimhavarman of the Pallava dynasty commissioned dozens of granite sculptures showing unarmed fighters disarming armed opponents. These may have shown an early form of varma adi,[4] a Dravidian martial art that allowed kicking, knee strikes, elbow strikes,[5] and punching to the head and chest, but prohibited blows below the waist. This is similar to the style described in the Agni Purana (c. 8th century),[4] which contains several chapters giving descriptions and instructions on dhanur veda, with reference to an earlier sutra on dhanur veda dating back centuries earlier.[6]

Martial arts were not exclusive to the kshatriya caste. The 8th century text Kuvalaymala by Udyotanasuri recorded martial arts being taught at salad and ghatika educational institutions, where Brahmin students from throughout the subcontinent (particularly from South India, Rajasthan and Bengal) "were learning and practicing archery, fighting with sword and shield, with daggers, sticks, lances, and with fists, and in duels (niuddham)."[7]

Kalaripayat and marma adi or Varma ati,[4] developed into their modern forms by the 11th century, during an extended period of warfare between the Chera and Chola dynasties.[8]

Indian martial arts underwent a period of decline after the introduction of firearms and especially after the full establishment of British colonial rule in the 19th century.[9] More European modes of organizing police, armies and governmental institutions, and the increasing use of firearms, gradually eroded the need for traditional combat training associated with caste-specific duties.[10] The British colonial government banned kalaripayat in 1804 in response to a series of revolts.[11][verification needed] The resurgence of public interest in kalaripayat began in the 1920s in Tellicherry as part of a wave of rediscovery of the traditional arts throughout South India which characterized the growing reaction against British colonial rule.[10]

Martial Arts of Kerala

  • Kalaripayat (Arena fighting)
  • Marma ati (Pressure Point Attacks)

Weapons

  • Urumi (Spiral Steel Whip)
  • Kurunthadi (Short Stick)
  • Otta (Curved Stick)
  • Gadha (Club/ Mace)
  • Kattari (Dagger)
  • Vettukathi (Machete/ Kukri)
  • Churika/Kadhara (Short Sword)
  • Val (Long Sword)
  • Paricha (Round Shield)
  • Churika/Kadhara (Short Sword)
  • Kuntham (Spear)
  • Kettukari (Long Staff)
  • Ambum Villum (Bow and Arrow)
  • Trisool (Trident)

Martial Arts of Tamil Nadu

Weapons

  • Silambam (Long Staff)
  • Muchaan (Short Staff)
  • Iretthai Mulonggol (Double Stick)
  • Iretthai Vaal (Double Swords)
  • Vaal (Single Sword)
  • Vaal/Kedeyam (Sword/ Shield)
  • Vettarival (Machete)
  • Kattari (Small Dagger)
  • Peetchuva (Double Edged Kris)
  • Surul Pattai (Spiral Steel Whip)
  • Suulam (Trident)
  • Maduvu (Deer Horns)
  • Surul Kombu (Spiral Horns)
  • Valari (Boomerang)
  • Vel or Etty (Spear)
  • Vill Ambu (Bow and Arrow)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Suresh, P. R. (2005). Kalari Payatte - The martial art of Kerala.
  2. ^ Subramanian, N. (1966). Sangam polity. Bombay: Asian Publishing House.
  3. ^ Zarrilli, Phillip B. A South Indian Martial art and the Yoga and Ayurvedic Paradigms. University of Exeter.
  4. ^ a b c Svinth, J. R. (2002). A Chronological History of the Martial arts and Combative Sports, Electronic Journals of Martial arts and Sciences.
  5. ^ Zarrilli, Phillip B. The Vital Spots (Marmmam/Varmam) in Two South Indian Martial Traditions, Paradigms of Practice and Power in a South Indian Martial art. University of Exeter.
  6. ^ Chakravarti, P. C. (1972). The art of warfare in ancient India. Delhi.
  7. ^ Luijendijk, D.H. (2005) Kalarippayat: India's Ancient Martial Art, Paladin Press, ISBN 1-58160-480-7
  8. ^ Zarrilli, Phillip B. (1998). When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial art. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  9. ^ Zarrilli, Phillip B. (1992). "To Heal and/or To Harm: The Vital Spots (Marmmam/Varmam) in Two South Indian Martial Traditions Part I: Focus on Kerala's Kalarippayattu". Journal of Asian Martial Arts. 1 (1). {{cite journal}}: External link in |title= (help)
  10. ^ a b Zarrilli, Phillip B. (1998). When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  11. ^ Luijendijk, D.H. (2005). Kalarippayat: India's Ancient Martial Art. Boulder: Paladin Press. ISBN 1581604807.
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