Traditional Kalaripayattu (IPA: [kɐɭɐɾipːɐjɐtːɨ̆]; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India, around 2,000 years ago, dating back to the 3rd century BCE.

Practitioners from Kalaris across Kerala gather at the historic Ankathattu, an amphitheater reminiscent of a Colosseum, located in Ezharakkandam, Thalassery, where the last recorded Ankam (duel) took place in the 17th century.

The event serves as a platform for Kalaripayattu practitioners to engage in traditional combat, preserving the martial art’s heritage and competitive spirit.

[8][9][10][11] The Kamika Agama, a 5th century CE South Indian ancient text on Shaiva Siddhanta, discusses the construction of the 'Khaloorika', as place for military exercise.

[15] According to Philip Zarrilli, the Dravidian combat techniques of the Sangam period (600 BCE–300 CE) and Sanskritic Dhanur Vedic traditions were the earliest precursors to Kalaripayattu.

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).

[16] According to historian A. Sreedharan Menon, Kalaripayattu was among the most important aspects of feudal Keralite society, as it helped impart military training and Spartan-like discipline amongst the youth of Kerala, irrespective of caste, community or sex.

[18][19][20] The local legendary poems of Kerala, popularly known as Vadakkan Pattu, have been passed down through oral tradition and describe the deeds of warriors, indicating the practice of Kalarippayattu.

These ballads, dating back as early as the 12th century, depict a social system in which every youth was required to undergo martial training.

[24] In 1498, a Portuguese fleet under Vasco da Gama discovered a new sea route from Europe to India, which paved the way for direct Indo-European commerce.

Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese explorer who visited Kerala in the 16th century, noted that the physical exercise complexes of the Nairs and Thiyyars created a network of martial culture in Malabar,[19][20] and wrote about Nair military training in Kalaripayattu:[18][27] The more part of Nayars (Nairs), when they are seven years of age, are sent to schools, where they are taught many tricks of nimbleness and dexterity; there they teach them to dance and turn about and to twist on the ground, to take royal leaps and other leaps and this they learn twice a day as long as they are children and they become so loose jointed and supple and they make them turn their bodies contrary to nature; and when they are fully accomplished in this, they teach them to play with the weapon they are most inclined, some play with bows and arrows, some with poles to become spearmen, but most with swords and are ever practising.

[28]Jacob Canter Visscher (1692–1735), in his Letters from Malabar, wrote about the Chekavars: They may be justly entitled soldiers, as by virtue of their descent they must always bear arms.

In spite of the fact that Chekavar were also practitioners of payatt (Kalaripayattu) and had a unavoidable presence in the militia of the ruler, they were allowed in the military services.

This also coincided with the European invasions into Kerala, after which, firearms began to surpass the usage of traditional weaponry such as swords and spears.

[31] In the Vadakkan Pattukal, it is stated that the cardinal principle of Kalaripayattu was that knowledge of the art be used to further worthy causes, and not for the advancement of one's own selfish interests.

The ban came into effect shortly after Pazhassi Raja's death on November 30, 1805, resulting in the closure of most of the major kalari training grounds in Kerala.

This book was written in Malayalam, and listed the vaithari or oral commands, of all the exercises relating to meypayattu, or conditioning techniques.

[2] He is also credited with writing the first authoritative text and primer on Kalaripayattu, called Kalarippayattu – A Complete Guide to Kerala’s Ancient Martial Art.

The text, alongside a compilation of Sreedharan Nair's teaching notes, were translated into English by his sons S. R. A. Das and S. R. D. Prasad and then published by Westland Books.

[2] In the modern era, Kalaripayattu is also used by practitioners of Keralite dance styles, such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattam, as part of their training regimens.

The location and construction of each kalari is built in accordance to Hindu architectural treatises such as the Vastu Shastras[48] along with various religious traditions and customs native to Kerala.

The floor of each kalari consists of red sand which is mixed with specific herbs that are said to aid in the treatment of small wounds suffered during training.

The art uses concepts similar to the ancient Indian medical text, the Ayurveda,[16] and the seven steps represent the seven dhatu and the kosha of the human body as per Ayurvedic traditions.

Kalaripayattu teachers often provide massages (uzhichil) with medicinal oils to their students in order to increase their physical flexibility or to treat muscular injuries.

[56] The northern style of Kalaripayattu, or Vadakkan Kalari, is primarily practiced in the Malabar region of Kerala, and is based on elegant and flexible movements, evasions, jumps and weapons training.

This system places more emphasis on physical flexibility exercises[66] rooted on the slogan Meyy kanavanam, meaning, "make the body an eye."

[75] 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.

[2] He also authored first authoritative text and primer on Kalaripayattu, called Kalarippayattu – A Complete Guide to Kerala’s Ancient Martial Art.

Kalaripayattu is used as a fighting style for the character Connie Maheswaran in the American animated television series Steven Universe.

The style is also used by Cyril Rahman, Ethan Stanley and Shō Kanō in the Japanese manga TV series Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple.