Two questions we must ask ourselves: 1. The kalari payat is an indigenous or imported? 2. Has remained unchanged over time or has evolved?
And 'can ascertain that this art was practiced martial in the south of India as early as 6 ° -7 th century BC Statues and temples built in Kanchipuram, near Madras, to the 7 th century BC Show effigy of disarmament techniques and the use of various types of weapons white. There is also to remember the famous pilgrim, Chinese scholar and diplomat Hsuan Tsang, who wrote about the different weapons in use in India, whom he met during his various trips.
"The captain chose the best men of the villages, especially the children of professionals, from start to the practice of war. These duellavano around the building (in peacetime), but when they were marched in and formed ranks first four divisions: the infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants. "The elephants were covered by heavy armour, were guided by trainers and only their ubbidivano; were the first to break opponents on the power of shock accompanied by their barriti.
"I brought two wagons waiting, as well all'armigero, who controlled the camps on the sides of the battle. The general was on one of these wagons of iron, escorted by guards wing of choices. The cavalry was deployed as a reserve, in case the attack wagon fails, while the infantry - the queen of battles - entered into action to help the defence or to complete the victory. "These men were chosen for the courage and strength which others will riparavano behind large shields and were armed with long spears, others carried swords and sabres or avanzavano with momentum. Many of these soldiers brought a different armament: spears, shields, slingshots, long giavellotti and a variety of instruments used as weapons. " Many weapons described in extract from the second volume of the book Records of Western Countries, written by Hsuan Tsang around 640 AD, are still in use today.
There are also many Indian texts, written on paper palm and partly lost because rosi by insects over hundreds of years. Students will dare in studies of what remained, dwelling especially on the literary, medical and religious, as well as on that of martial arts.
The texts of South India on martial arts were written in a language version Tamil around 200 BC, and are still available. Nowadays the masters of kalari payat use copies of these documents handed down by their predecessors. Another line to highlight indigenous martial art, we received from folklore and classical Indian dances, which have a clear relationship with the kalari payat. In the ballet, for example, many postures are similar to those of Indian martial. In kathakali, the dance-drama theatre - one of the four classical dances Hindu, 17 th century BC In use in the state of Kerala - are exactly those postures of martial. In addition there are other key points that confirm this evidence. In prehistoric times, India had a classical warrior faction. Members of class warfare, kshatriya, who defended the king, allenavano continues to be the best in all kinds of combat, both with the traditional techniques with the introduction of combinations or taken from enemies understand.
It then shows how the kalari payat is an indigenous Indian, handed up today. The kalari payat is practised in many villages and this is notoriously conservative and does not imply a playful speech, and even less open to foreigners. It in South India implies a social and religious discourse, as happened millions of years ago.
Stefano Pernatsch
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(This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person)