History of Kalaripayattu

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History of Kalaripayattu

The institution of Kalari is generally traced to the period immediately after the disintegration of the Perumals of Kodungallur in the first quarter of the 12th century AD. It was an integral part of the socio-political system of medieval Kerala.
Politically, the land of Kerala was divided into a number of principalities and minor chieftaincies. The alignment and enmities of these power centers resulted in constant warfare. Small-scale skirmishes and large-scale fighting were not uncommon among these local and regional authorities.
In such a setup, each power center was forced to maintain a body of fighters at its beck and call. Systematic training and strict rules of discipline for fighters were indispensable for the effective working of the system. It was in such circumstances that the Kalaris, which provided the institutional base for bodybuilding and training in combat, became not only necessary but also essential.
Medieval principalities and chieftain families maintained a military group of their own. This practice of maintaining trained local militia can be traced back to the period of Nadu formation in Kerala during the Perumal rule. Nadu chieftains had hundreds of organizations – Munnuruvar (the 300), Anjuttuvar (the 500), Arunuttuvar (the 600), and Elunuttuvar (the 700). These bands of soldiers must have developed into landed aristocracy supporting the established order with military power.
It is specially noted that the Kalarippayattu training was undergone by every youth of the Nair caste, the Kerala warrior caste that is akin to the Samurai of Japan. However, Kalarippayattu was not the sole prerogative of Nairs, for there were many Muslims, Christians, Ezhavas, and even Brahmins who practiced and mastered the techniques of Kalarippayattu.