Kalaripayattu is a 3000 year old martial arts that is said to have originated in South India. Kerala is considered to be a stronghold of this form of martial art.
Naturally then, upon reading about the show in Munnar, we were excited and eager. Our hotel arranged the tickets for us, and off we went for both the Kathakali recital and Kalaripayattu.
Kathakali, truth be told, we knew what to expect. But not for Kalaripayattu. We were absolutely transfixed when the masters, called Gurukkal, presented their skills of combat both with weapons and empty hands. Be it with ropes, or spears or knives or swords or simple baton, the experts, in clever combination of styles and postures make Kalaripayattu lethal. We were awed by their levels of fitness and wondered how many hours of penance must have gone into mastering the art form.
Slithing like a snake, menacing, powerful, every act transforms you to a world in the past….to the jungles….when man had to rely only in his own strength to vanquish his enemy….when survival was brute physical force….as i said, we were transported…!
Here are a couple of videos we took of the show. We hope you get so interested, that when on a tour of the beautiful state, you do not miss a show of Kalaripayattu.
When in Kerala, you must, absolutely must, go for a show of Kalaripayattu!
P.S: Need help to plan a roadtrip in Kerala? Read this post for itinerary, food and shopping tips — A Kerala Roadtrip to Discover God’s Own Country