“Kalaripayattu”的意思、由来-开放百科全书

Kalaripayattu has three schools, which are distinguished by their attacking and defensive patterns. They are Arappa Kayy, Pilla Thangi, and Vatten Thiripp.

History

Early written evidence of martial arts is found in Dhanurveda a part of Atharvaveda and Rig Veda and in Sangam literature about Kalarippayattu in the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam in the Sangam era. The word kalari appears in the Puram (verses 225, 237, 245, 356) and Akam (verses 34, 231, 293) to describe both a battlefield and combat arena. The word kalari tatt denoted a martial feat, while kalari kozhai meant a coward in war. Each warrior in the Sangam era received regular military training^[4] in target practice, horse and elephant riding. In that period and during later periods even upto now the word used for military and military service was chevam. The warriors or soldiers consisting it was called chekavars. They specialized in one or more of the important weapons of the period including the spear (vel), sword (val), shield (kedaham), and bow and arrow (vil ambu). The combat techniques of the Sangam period were the earliest precursors to kalaripayat.^[5]{{page needed|date=April 2017}} References to "Silappadikkaram" in Sangam literature date back to the 2nd century. This referred to the silambam staff which was in great demand with foreign visitors.^[6]^[7]

Elements from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, as well as finger movements in the nata dances, were incorporated into the fighting arts.^[8] A number of South Asian fighting styles remain closely connected to yoga, dance and performing arts. Some of the choreographed sparring in kalaripayat can be applied to dance^[9]{{page needed|date=April 2017}} and kathakali dancers who knew kalaripayat were believed to be markedly better than other performers. Velakali an art form of the Nayar soldiers from the southern part of kerala combines elements of Kalaripayat to depict ancient battle scenes from the epic Mahabharata. Until recent decades, the chhau dance was performed only by martial artists. Some traditional Indian classical dance schools still incorporate martial arts as part of their exercise regimen.^[10]{{page needed|date=April 2017}}

New studies in history has shown that the parasurama story is a mere myth and has no historic evidence. Kalarippayattu has different forms and set of techniques and exercises. The way of training now practiced is also different. In olden times each one specialises is one or two weapons only. The training also gave much importance to strength development unlike today where too much importance to flexibility and unhealthy endurance. Majority of the population was avarnas or people who doesnot included in the varna system. Ezhavars were a prominent group and is the majority group spreading in the entire state. Studies has confirmed that earlier almost all the Army chieftains of majority of Kings were from among these people. The Dronampalli form was orginated in the dronampalli kalari of army commander of ampalapuzha kingdom which was a ezhava family. This also explains why majority of kalaris are owned and run by persons from this group. In the local language the word used for military was chevam. So the soildiers were termed chevakar, chevakan etc. Chevakar, chovanm, chevan etc are words commonly associated with Ezhavars. It was also found that almost all the castes have some traditions of kalari in kerala.

Kalaripayattu had developed into its present form by the 6th century, during an extended period of warfare between the Chera and Chola dynasties.^[8]^[9] Kalaripayattu includes strikes, kicks, grappling, preset forms, weaponry and healing methods.^[9] Regional variants are classified according to geographical position in Kerala; these are the Northern style from Malabar region in north Kerala practiced by the Central style from inner Kerala and the southern style from Thiruvitankoor. Northern kalaripayattu is based on elegant and flexible movements, evasions, jumps and weapons training, while the southern "Adi Murai" style primarily follows the hard impact based techniques with priority on empty hand fighting and pressure point strikes. Both systems make use of internal and external concepts.The fighters who used to fight with this technique never used body armors as it became more complicated to flex after using armor.Some of the flexibility training methods in northern Kalaripayattu are applied in Keralan dance forms^[9] and Kathakali dancers who knew martial arts were believed to be markedly better than the other performers. Some traditional Indian dance schools still incorporate kalaripayattu as part of their exercise regimen. {{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Siddhar Agastya is regarded as the founder and patron saint of southern kalaripayat, silambam and varmam -an ancient science of healing using varmam points for varied diseases.^[9]{{page needed|date=April 2017}}

Techniques and Teaching

There are different traditions in Kalaripayattu and various methods were practiced in different parts of Kerala. Generally two systems are acknowledged. Namely Northern Style and Southern Style. Generally these two systems have very different apprach of teaching even though many techniques can be identified as common.

Northern Style

This system generally gives much importance for physical flexibility exercises. These exercises are done individually and as combinations. After that meypayattu is taught.These are combination of flexibility exercises with attacking/defence techniques but the actual techniques are taught very much later. Traditionally the number of meypayattu may differ with different Gurus. Immediately along with this stick fighting is taught. Generally majority of the kalaris start each weapons with in 3- 6 months. But some kalaris allows to take each weapons once in a year only. After long stick and small stick fighting iron weapons are introduced. The sequence followed is from dagger, sword , spear. Nowadays specialized weapons are not used. Bow and Arrows were commonly used in Kerala and these techniques were widely trained in Kalaris. But nowadays bow and arrows are not heard in kalaris.

Southern Style

Southern style have different exercies and no combinations are taught. It starts with the training in Chuvadus a system of different combination of fighting techniques like shadow boxing. Immediately fighting with two persons starts. These are predetermined techniques and is trained repeatedly. Then weapons are trained starting with small stick. Small stick training is done with two persons and generally only one use the stick or dagger. These are rather defense training systems. Fighting techniques with two persons having same weapons include fights with long stick, sword etc. Immediately along with this refining of non weapon fighting also progresses and along with that little bit of marma points are also taught.

Kalaripayattu techniques are a combination of steps (Chuvadu) and postures (Vadivu). Chuvadu literally means ‘steps’, the basic steps of the martial arts. Vadivu literally means ‘postures’ or stances are the basic characteristics of Kalaripayattu training. Named after animals, they are usually eight in number. Styles differ considerably from one tradition to another. Not only do the names of poses differ, the masters also differ about application and interpretation. Each stance has its own style, power combination, function and effectiveness. These techniques vary from one style to another.^[9]{{page needed|date=April 2017}}

Marmashastram and massage

It is claimed that learned warriors can disable or kill their opponents by merely touching the correct marmam (vital point). This is taught only to the most promising and level-headed persons, to discourage misuse of the technique. Marmashastram stresses on the knowledge of marmam and is also used for marma treatment (marmachikitsa). This system of marma treatment comes under siddha vaidhyam, attributed to the sage Agastya and his disciples. Critics of kalaripayattu have pointed out that the application of marmam techniques against neutral outsiders has not always produced verifiable results.

The earliest mention of marmam is found in the Rig Veda, where Indra is said to have defeated Vritra by attacking his marmam with a vajra.^[11] References to marmam are also found in the Atharva Veda.^[12] With numerous other scattered references to vital points in Vedic and epic sources, it is certain that India's early martial artists knew about and practiced attacking or defending vital points.^[5]{{page needed|date=April 2017}} Sushruta (c. 6th century BC) identified and defined 107 vital points of the human body in his Sushruta Samhita.^[13] Of these 107 points, 64 were classified as being lethal if properly struck with a fist or stick.^[8] Sushruta's work formed the basis of the medical discipline ayurveda, which was taught alongside various Indian martial arts that had an emphasis on vital points, such as varma kalai and marma adi.^[8]

As a result of learning about the human body, Indian martial artists became knowledgeable in the field of traditional medicine and massage. Kalaripayattu teachers often provide massages (uzhichil) with medicinal oils to their students in order to increase their physical flexibility or to treat muscle injuries encountered during practice. Such massages are generally termed thirumal and the unique massage given to increase flexibility is known as katcha thirumal. It is said to be as sophisticated as the uzhichil treatment of ayurveda. Kalaripayattu has borrowed extensively from Ayurveda and equally lends to it.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}

Popular culture

The resurgence of public interest in kalaripayattu began in the 1920s in Thalassery, as part of a wave of rediscovery of the traditional arts throughout south India^[9]{{page needed|date=April 2017}} and continued through the 1970s surge of general worldwide interest in martial arts.^[14]{{page needed|date=April 2017}} It has featured in international and Indian films such as

Styles

History

Techniques and Teaching

Northern Style

Southern Style

Marmashastram and massage

Popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links