Becoming All Eyes

My first close encounter with the martial arts was circa 1978. Bruce Lee unleashed Enter the Dragon on my generation. Some of my school mates saw the film dozens of times, after which it was mandatory to self flagellate with a nunchaku in order to earn the peers’ respect.

At this juncture, my ignorant mind was given to understand that the martial arts were akin to winning brawls and not a pursuit of the mind.

Two decades later, I was at the Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai, watching a performance of the Odyssey by the Footsbarn Theatre from France. The performance had employed artistes from Kerala executing the most amazing movements with animalistic agility. These movements I learned, were inspired by the martial art of Kalaripayattu.

One such movement, which fascinated me, was the ‘crocodile’. Watching this movement in performance I swore to myself I would learn to do that before I die but the opportunity of spending years in Kerala to fulfil this objective was certainly not foreseeable.

Mysterious Beginnings

Phillip B Zarilli, one of the foremost actor trainers in the world and Professor of Drama at the University Of Exeter, UK spent twenty years in field research in Kerala to produce the first in-depth study of Kalaripayattu titled “When the Body Becomes All Eyes”

In his book he states, that the origins and growth of Kalaripayattu are shrouded in mystery, ancient ballads and foreign accounts that have left detailed notes on its practices and the physical culture it promoted.

K. Kelappan, one of the leading nationalists of Kerala, who came from Kadattanad, wrote in 1929:"It was the custom in Kerala to fight until death, if someone proclaimed war to establish his right or, to redeem the dignity of a family”

From the 12th Century we know that Kalaripayattu was practised throughout Kerala, Coorg and south western coastal India

Kalaripayattu, which had served as the backbone of the traditional militia of Kerala, faced the challenge of the colonial powers, whose aim was to destroy the power of the militia or, utilise it for their own advantage. The Europeans understood the power and status of the militia. The history of Kerala from 16th to 19th centuries shows that the culmination of these challenges resulted in the ruin of, not only the martial institution but also the vigour of the people.

Transforming the Negative Into Positive

Almost ten years later, I experienced an upheaval in my personal life that resulted in great anger welling within. I was quick to realise that negative energies of such volcanic proportions could easily be all consuming and all destructive, if not harnessed and channelled into something positive.

Around that time I was invited to participate in a drama workshop. I was reluctant at first but eventually decided to attend. Once again, I encountered Kalaripayattu, as the basic animal movements formed part of the workshop programming. Performing these movements felt exhilarating and it seemed this martial art was beckoning me – to guide me along the right path.

Impact on Art Forms Across Caste & Community

The heroic demeanour and practical techniques of Kalaripayattu were constantly on display in medieval Kerala through actual combat or, through cultural performances – mock combats, martial art displays and dance dramas

Most of the art forms, involving elements of physical culture and the body system also developed during the medieval period in synchrony with Kalaripayattu, since battle was a dominant metaphor for conceptualising relations of spiritual and socio-political power.

In Search of a Guru

There was no teacher in Mumbai but I did find a guru in Bangalore who was my namesake, Ranjan Mullaratt. He is a wisp of a man half my size, half my weight, with a boyish smile but a searing glare and a hand-shake that can twist steel.

Ranjan Mullaratt is foremost amongst a young generation of Kalaripayattu practitioners fashioning a new avatar for this ancient art form, while preserving and endorsing the virtues of traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts.

His objective is to provide easy accessibility to the common man and in the process make it a source of inspiration for self-expression in dance forms - both traditional and contemporary, in theatre, in everyday fitness regimens and in movies too.

With him began my journey - an endless exploration of human ability and capability.

Despite the fact that I used to swim at least a kilometre every day since 1990, my first weeks of training made me feel unhealthy, ungainly, awkward and unfit. My bones crackled like a bamboo grove in a storm and I discovered muscles and parts of the anatomy through aches and pains.

Of course I wanted to throw in the towel on a daily basis, blame it on age and try and find any lame excuse to discontinue. However, while training I felt the harnessing of negative energies into a reservoir of positive energy waiting to be creatively unleashed at my command.

Having formally trained in the dramatic arts I realised, that in the decades past I had never achieved such control over the body, as I was doing now. A headstand was hitherto impossible but that was made possible. To jump five feet in the air like a Cossack dancer and perform a split was inconceivable but even that was brought within the realm of the possible.

Losing anywhere between 500 – 3000 calories a session, the body is coaxed into releasing a treasure trove of chemicals that can only be described as exhilarating.

This is when I also realised that Kalaripayattu and the other martial arts are not a glorification of unbridled violence - a childhood misconception left uncorrected - but achieving control of the mind to work in harmony with the body and strive towards perfect synchronisation.

Entering New Realms: – The Psycho-Physiological

A study of the Kalari institution reveals that its culture has a relevance to contemporary society which is exposed to radical changes. The relevance is not of its martial aptitude or, heroic talent, but one closely related to the physical culture.

Through the positive health giving experience of its practice, Kalaripayattu attracts actors and dancers who use Kalaripayattu as a psycho-physiological discipline for artistic practice.

As an artistic practice, Kalaripayattu is understood to provide a set of pre-expressive psycho-physiological techniques to develop full body awareness that can be used in dance and theatre performances. Those that share this perspective are not troubled by the years it can take to be introduced to practical self–defence techniques.

Becoming All Eyes

Through this art form the body is trained to be as sensitive as the eye and react in suddenness to any stimuli, thus disciplining the body, to entwine the mental faculties it controls.

Kalaripayattu training is derived from permutations and combinations of animal movements, as observed typically in the elephant, tiger, lion, wild boar, peacock, horse, lizard, snake and crocodile. In nature, force is exerted in measure and proportion, typically illustrated by these animals.

Also, evident in training is the role of breath control, intricate hand work and leg movements such as animals use. All these elements are integral and essential to the enhancement of mental and physical performance skills.

Kalaripayattu - Changing Times, Changing Identity

Through the latter half of the twentieth century Kalaripayattu has been adapted for practice and presentation in a variety of contexts, other than warfare and duels. The practice of Kalaripayattu is becoming more about actualizing and harnessing one’s body-mind and power for use in daily life than on the battlefield.

In the early twentieth century itself some of the native gurus, like Keeleri Kunhikannan Gurukkal well trained in the 'Kalari' system, initiated several circus groups in Tellicherry, Kerala and became the father of Indian circus. The experiments in circus training continue to be a great success.

Today, by no yardstick is life a circus. Irrespective of age and gender we encounter numerous battlefields in our daily lives, demanding performance under pressure. For the child it is the classroom, for his father it is the office environment, for the mother it is the stress of juggling multiple roles. It is also the sports arena; a college debate, a quiz on television or, any scenario where minds contest, to seek advantage over other minds.

In battle, milliseconds in reaction time make the difference between life and death. In our daily lives, a focussed mind housed within a strong body purchases you adequate time to respond rather than react impulsively – making the critical difference between winning and losing.

Perhaps, Kalaripayattu could facilitate the change you seek in your life.