kalaripayat

kalarippayatt underwent a period of decline after the introduction of firearms and especially after the full establishment of British colonial rule in the 19th century.^[19]

The resurgence of public interest in kalarippayatt began in the 1920s in Tellicherry as part of a wave of rediscovery of the traditional arts throughout South India^[20] and continued through the 1970s surge of general worldwide interest in martial arts.^[21]

Ankathattu (Malayalam അങ്ഗഥട്ടു)is a Malayalam word meaning - a platform constructed temporarily for the purpose of fighting duels. It is a four to six feet high platform constructed in Kerala, south India. Ankam means war in Malayalam language. This platform will be constructed as per the tradition and will be in the center of the ground from where all peoples can watch the fight. This place altogether is called AnkaKalari.[1]

Few centuries back in Kerala if there was a quarrel between the local rulers, its finally solved by fixing an Ankam (war), usually a duel fighting. Each ruler will be represented by an Ankachekavar. The ruler of the Ankachekavar who wins the fight is considered as a winner.

History

The origins of Dravidian martial arts date back to the 2nd possible 3rd century BC, when various martial arts were described in Sangam literature at the time. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the martial arts of ancient Tamilakkam, including forms of one-to-one combat, and the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam. The word "kalari" appears in the Puram (verses 225, 237, 245, 356) and Akam (verses 34, 231, 293) to describe to 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, and specialized in the use of one or more of the important weapons of the period, including the lance or spear (vel), sword (val) and shield (kedaham), and bow (vii) and arrow. The combat techniques of the Sangam period were the earliest precursors to Kalarippayattu.[3]

Around 630 AD, 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 Dhanur Veda martial art described in the Agni Purana (c. 8th century),[4] which contains several chapters giving descriptions and instructions on the fighting arts of Dhanur Veda, with reference to an earlier sutra on Dhanur Veda dating back centuries earlier.[6]

Martial arts were not exclusive to the Kshatriya warrior 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]

The modern forms of Marma Adi or Varma Ati,[4] and Kalarippayattu were developed by the 11th century, during an extended period of warfare between the Chera and Chola dynasties.[8] Kalarippayattu of Kerala today is an internationally known martial art.