Ankam is a Malayalam word meaning combat or battle, typically fought with swords called 'Churika'.
[1] In medieval Kerala, Ankam was practiced either as a fight between two warriors or as a means to settle disputes between districts and nobles.
The duelists, known as Chekavar or Ankachekavar, were trained in the Kalari to serve as militiamen under a lord, helping to avoid large-scale wars that could result in thousands of deaths.
[2] A fight between two Kalari warriors could occur due to an ego clash or as a way to resolve a dispute, creating a war-like situation between the two.
The ankam were usually fought to the death, and the ruler represented by the surviving Ankachekavar was considered the winner.