History
Kalaripayattu, from Kerala in southern India, is one of the oldest martial arts still practised. Its name joins "kalari", the training ground, and "payattu", practice. It has northern and southern styles and includes kicks, strikes, holds, acrobatic leaps and many weapons.
Practice declined under colonial rule and was revived in the 1920s and 1930s by teachers such as C. V. Narayanan Nair. Traditional masters (gurukkal) also teach knowledge of vital points (marma) and massage healing linked to Ayurveda.