Great-grandmother keeps Indian martial art alive

The great-grandmother in Kerala, southern India, has been a driving force in the revival of kalaripayattu, as the ancient practice is also known, and in encouraging girls to take it up."When you open the newspapers, you only see news of violence against women," she said.Kalari, which contains elements of dance and yoga, can involve weapons such as swords, shields and staffs. Reputedly 3,000 years old, and mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures, it remains infused with religion in the present day.In recent decades it has come on in leaps and bounds, thanks in no small measure to Meenakshi, who won a national award in 2017. Inside Meenakshi's kalari hall, her bare-chested son Sanjeev Kumar, a lungi tied around his waist, puts barefoot pupils -- boys and girls alike -- through their paces on the ochre-red earth floor."It's an art that purifies mind, body and soul, improves concentration, speed and patience, regenerates physical and mental energy."It's a form of poetry," said civil engineer Alaka S. Kumar, 29, daughter of Kumar and the mother to some of Meenakshi's many great-grandchildren.lth/stu/leg/rbu... Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au