Indian martial arts

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 23. Chapters: Kalarippayattu, Asian martial arts, Gatka, Pehlwani, Malla-yuddha, Varma ati, Dravidian martial arts, Lathi, Vajra-musti, Thang-Ta, Kuttu varisai, Mukna, But Marma Atti, Musti yuddha, Shaolin Fist, Adithada, Inbuan wrestling, Bridge, Sarit Sarak. Excerpt: Kalaripayattu (Malayalam: , pronounced ) is a Dravidian martial art from the Indian state of Kerala. One of the oldest fighting systems in existence, it is practiced in Kerala and contiguous parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka as well as northeastern Sri Lanka and among the Malayali community of Malaysia. It was practiced primarily by the Nairs, the martial caste of Kerala, and also by some other castes such as the Nadars, Ezhavas and the Mappilas. Kalari payat includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods. Regional variants are classified according to geographical position in Kerala; these are the northern style of the Malayalis, the southern style of the Tamils and the central style from inner Kerala. Northern kalari payat is based on the principle of hard technique, while the southern style primarily follows the soft techniques, even though both systems make use of internal and external concepts. Some of the choreographed sparring in kalari payat can be applied to dance and kathakali dancers who knew martial arts were believed to be markedly better than the other performers. Some traditional Indian dance schools still incorporate kalari payat as part of their exercise regimen. The term kalari payattu is a tatpurusha compound from the words kalari (Malayalam:¿¿¿¿) meaning school or gymnasium and payattu (Malayalam:¿¿¿¿¿) derived from payattuka meaning to "fight/ exercise" or "to put hard work into". In Tamil, kalari payattu is a compound from the words kalari meaning war fight and payattu derived from payattuka meaning "learning exercise" Belying the assumption that the compound itself might have an equally antique use as the singular kalari and payattu, the unpublished Malayalam Lexicon notes that the earliest use of the compound, kalarippayattu is in Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer's early twentieth century drama Amba when it is probable that the systems of martial practice assumed a structure and style akin those extant today. M.D. Rag