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Social Function
The fighters ' function was not in the rivalry among
political authorities alone. Often there were invited for settling disputes
between the ordinary people. This practice of using fighters for judicial
purposes resulted in the emergency of a peculiar institution of Ankam,
single combat. Interestingly this institution of Ankam with the same name
was prevalent in Sri Lanka, which developed there round about the Kandyan
country in the middle ages. The subject matter of a moving folk narrative in
Malayalam is the tragic story of a Ankam fighter who lost his life while
fighting for settling a dispute over management of the property between two
member of family. The Ankam was a source of income for the fighters as well
as the local and regional political authorities. Regular income to the
treasury during the rule of princely state in Kerala included the fees levied
on Ankam combats which was to be collected from the disputing parties.
Thus the martial spirit of Kerala was actively participating in the social
and political life of Kerala in the middle ages. It is in this
socio-political context that the constitution of Kalari become important as
centre of imparting military training to the local militia.
Social Base.
Medieval travelers left behind their observation on the
Kalari system in Malabar. These writings by the foreigners generally contain
an idea that Nairs alone formed part of the soldiers of the Rajas. It is
true, majority of them came of Nair families. It is equally important to
note that cast restrictions were not observed in Kalarippayattu. The social
groups of Kerala who practiced and mastered the techniques of kalarippayattu
included, besides Nayars, the Izhavas, Pulayas, Paravas, Christians and
Muslims. The Tottam invocations songs of the Teyyam performance of North
Malabar refer to some Pulaya heros who conducted eighty Kalaries in
different parts of the region. Heroic lays of the Central Travacore mention
a Paraya hero 'Chengannoore Ali' who was a master of the technique of
Kalarippayattu. Some of the celebrated heros of Malayalam folk songs belongs
to the Ezhava community. They are usually called Chekavar. There were Muslim
Gurukkals who were masters in the Tulu techniques. The Chritians of Kerala
too had their own military men. The native records of principalities
mentioned some Christian local chieftains and their soldiers who where well
versed in traditional warfare.
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Each Desam, which was a unit of administration
in traditional Kerala, had its Kalari and each Kalari was under the
supervision of its guru, who was differently known in different areas as
Panickar, Kuruppu, etc. Originally these were only names of profession but
later it tender to became the names of sub cast. That these were once upon a
time names of the profession is further supported by the fact that both these
names are found as suffixes not only among Nairs but among other cast group
of Ezhavas and Kaniyans and even among non Hindu communities. The Kalaris
imparted training literacy, body building, and warfare-weaponry. Both men
and women were admitted to the course. Medieval Malayalam folklore bear
testimony to the high level of expertise achieved by women in Kerala in the
fighting techniques. Members of royal families were trained in
Kalarippayattu under their family gurus who were endowed with property
and special status. Thamme Panikkar or Dharmothu Panikar was the
training master of the royal family of the Zamorins of Calicut.
Subversion of a tradition
This system continued uninterruptedly until the occupation
of Malabar by the English East-India company in 1792. The company was
particular in destroy traditional military character of the community of
Malabar. Thus wrote major Dow, one of the commissioners:
'It would be stipulated by the term of agreement with
different rajas and chiefs that they on no account retain above a certain
number of armed followers and those merely to support their ideas of
dignity. By these means that the civil and military fabric, the feudal system
injurious to the prosperity of a country would be gradually subverted and in
the end annihilated'.
Kalari- Structural features
Indigenous folk narratives and technical literature
furnish long lists of different types of Kalaris. The popular Pattukatha,
ballads of Malabar, speak of Anka-kalari, Cheru-kalai, Totuvar Kalari, Tottu-Kalari
etc. without giving any details of the structure and function. Technical
writings are more specific about the structure and function of Kalari.
Nedumkalari, Kurum-Kalari, Totu-Kalari, Cheru Kalari are mentioned by them.
A more scientific and specific categorization of Kalaries is in terms of the
measurements of the round plan of Kalari structure. Thus, we identified the
following types:
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Aimpatheerati (52 feet)
Nalpatheerati (42
feet)
Muppatheerati (32
feet)
Pathinatterati (18
feet)
pantheerati (12 feet)
The nomenclature, which is on the basis of the measurement
of the ground informs us that the size of the structure ranges between 12
feet and 52 feet. The most common among these is the Nalpatheerati, 42 ft.
in length. All Kalaries expect the Pantheerati bear a which a half of the
length. Pantheerati is square with the same length and breadth. The
Kalaris of the northern parts of Kerala are called Kuzhikkalari. Kuzhi means
a pit. Because the soil is digged out from the ground of the structure.
Generally a Kalari is 42 feet long and 21 feet wide, the enclosing space dug
out to a depth of about 6 feet. It is protected from the heavy rain and the
sun by a gabled roof which is thatched by weaved coconut leaves or palm
leaves and with earthen tiles. Its sides are also covered with the same material. The surface
of the ground is kept evenly rammed and smooth, Kannimoola, the
south-western corner of the Kalari ground is considered to be sacred to the
Kalari Paradevaha, the guardian deity of the Kalari . This is demarcated by a Poothara, platform of flowers with
varying number of steps in semi circular shape, narrowing towards the top. A
place for the guru, preceptor, also is demarcated and this is called
Guruthara.
There is a whole metaphysical belief system, according to
which the structure of Kalari symbolized the universe. This, along with
several other features betrays a layer of sanskritisation or adopting the
paradigms of the great tradition of India but the martial art form with all
its techniques and expertise is at home in the far south, as a part of '
little tradition' or regional culture.
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Contact Address
HINDUSTAN KALARI SANGAM
Netaji Road, Puthiyara, Calicut, Kerala, India
-673004
Email
:hindustankalari@gmail.com
Phone : 0495 2743659
09446475297
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Tasmei Sri
Gurave Namah
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