Kalarippayatt is one of the great martial arts of India. Not many people are aware of India’s vast heritage of armed and unarmed fighting arts, but in recent years Kalarippayatt has become better known.

Kalarippayatt (Kalari) literally means ‘battle ground training’. The foremost practitioner and teacher of Kalari in the UK is Paul Whitrod, who runs a full time martial arts centre in the busy Stratford area of London. Paul specialises in the ‘Tekkan’ or 'Southern' style of Kalari. The other famous style of Kalari is the 'Vadakan', or 'Northern' Kalari. According to traditional beliefs, the famous sage Agastya was the founder of the Tekkan system, while Parshuram (the wrathful Avatar of Lord Vishnu) founded the Vadakan style.

Entering Paul’s martial arts club, one is greeted by the characteristic smell of hard physical training, that anybody who has done some martial art will be well familiar with. The club has a very professional appearance to it, with a wide array of training equipment, including weapons. Adorning the walls are certificates, showing the numerous qualifications and certificates that Paul has been awarded, not only in Kalari, but in several other martial arts. There is also a shrine at the far end of the club, which is adorned with images of Krishna and Agastya. There are also pictures of other deities, such as Rama, Hanuman, Lakshmi and Ganesha. Training in the Tekkan style begins with salutations to the Guru and to God.

When questioned about the efficacy of Kalari as a fighting art, Paul insists that it measures up very well in terms of self-defence, although it depends how it is taught. He explained that some teachers of Kalari are teaching it more as form of graceful dance, instead of teaching it for its true purpose – to be an effective means of fighting. When asked what is unique about Kalari, Paul answers that Kalari offers am unparalleled range of techniques, including locks, throws, hand and foot strikes, weapons, pressure points as well as a spiritual and healing dimension.

Paul believed that Kalari should be promoted more widely and vigorously that it currently is. He lamented that many practitioners in India couldn’t afford to run a school, and therefore only passed the art down through their family. This often caused it to die out in three to four generations, because it couldn’t be guaranteed that one’s children, grand children and great grandchildren would have the same dedication. However, overall Paul was upbeat that Kalari has a bright future, having seen the interest it generated in students from a wide variety of backgrounds, some of who themselves travel to India for specialised training in the art.

Anybody who would like to find out about Kalari in further detail should visit Paul Whitrod’s website:

www.paulwhitrod.com

Paul Whitrod also teaches a range of other martial arts including Southern Praying Mantis kung fu, Hsing Yi 12 animal boxing, Thai Krabi Krabong, and is also a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine.