‘Closest to being a superhero’: Why young Keralites are turning to kalari, India’s oldest martial art

WAYANAD, Kerala: Every year Vani Uma Krishnan looks forward to the Vijayadashami festival to publicly demonstrate her fighting, weapon, and self-defense skills — all polished through the rigorous practice of kalaripayattu, one of the world’s oldest martial arts. Kalaripayattu, often called kalari, is believed to have originated around the third century B.C. on India’s southwest coast, in what is now the state of Kerala. It is a complete combat system with physical and spiritual training. The practice combines strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry, healing methods, and meditation.

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