Kalarippayattu Weapons

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Contents 1 Kettukari 2 Kurunthadi 3 Kottukampu 4 Urumi 5 Otta 6 Gadha 7 Kattari 8 Vettukathi 9 Churika 10 Val 11 Kuntham

Kettukari

See main article Kettukari

Pirambu, Neduvati, Kettukari or Shareeravadi are the terms used to denote the Kalarippayattu Long Pole. This usually is as long as the distance from the ground to the ear of the practitioner while standing. Needless to say that the length of the staff varies according to the height of the user. Most kalari practitioners use rattan sticks about .05 inches to 1 inch thick and of the prescribed length

Kurunthadi

See main article Kurunthadi

Kuruthandi, Muchan or Kuruvadi is a short stick made of the trunk of the palm tree or coconut palm and measures about 2 feet in length and about an inch and an inch and a half thick. Striking and blocking techniques along with some grappling and submission holds are practiced with this weapon.

Kottukampu

See main article Kottukampu

Kottukampu, Lathi or Thavikkana is a small stick about the thickness of one’s thumb and measuring in length about the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the smallest finger when the fingers and the thumb are held in an outstretched position. This weapon can be extremely lethal in the hands of a trained kalari master.

Urumi

See main article Urumi

Urumi or Chuttuval (flexible sword) is a flexible band of steel measuring in length from the fingertip of one hand to the finger tip of the other hand when the hands are held outstretched to the sides and1 to 2 inches wide. Here agility and mental sharpness counts more than strength or aggression. Twirling and controlling urumi is an art by itself possible only for those who spend long hours in the kalari.

Otta

Otta is a curved stick used as a weapon in the Indian martial art of Kalarippayattu. It is used for striking the marmas (vital points) in the opponent's body. Otta is considered as the most important among wooden weapons

Gadha

Gadha is the Kalarippayattu's mace.

Kattari

See main article Kattari

Kattari is the dagger training that begins after a pooja (performing of religious rite) on an auspicious occasion and is the stepping stone to the world of weapons made of metals. The practice and training revolves around prearranged sparring and is designed to simulate the use of knife in attack or defense in every conceivable way.

Vettukathi

See main article Vettukathi

Vettukathi is the machete training which is almost same as the knife training but with additional techniques for the cutting movements of the machete. Many sparring techniques using a combination of the knife and Vettukathi are used.

Churika

See main article Churika

Churika or the "short sword" is a weapon mostly used by the northern stylists, where it is called Katara.

Val

See main article Val Val or Valum Parichayum which means sword and shield is the most famous of all kalari weapons. The training demands unwavering concentration, utmost agility, fast foot work and quick reflexes form the students.

Kuntham

Kuntham is the spear as well as the spear training of Kalarippayattu.