{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Grandma is Indian martial arts guru' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c3fbd8eafeecae1655df' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c3fbd8eafeecae1655df' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nGrandma is Indian martial arts guru\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eVadakara, Kozhikode District, Kerala, India - June 27, 20111. Wide of Meenakshi Raghavan practising swordfight with her student2. Wide of weapons kept at the place of worship3. Close of shields and swords4. Close of oil lamp5. Wide of...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eVadakara, Kozhikode District, Kerala, India - June 27, 2011\u003cbr/\u003e1. Wide of Meenakshi Raghavan practising swordfight with her student\u003cbr/\u003e2. Wide of weapons kept at the place of worship\u003cbr/\u003e3. Close of shields and swords\u003cbr/\u003e4. Close of oil lamp\u003cbr/\u003e5. Wide of sign reading: 'Kadathanad Kalari Sangham'\u003cbr/\u003e6. SOUNDBITE (Malayalam) Meenakshi Raghavan, Kalaripayattu martial arts expert:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I started training at the age of seven years. Nearly four years after this school was opened by Raghavan master, I joined along with a lot of young children from the village. I proved myself as a versatile performer and continued without a break. Master would take me along for his exhibition performances. Because of our enthusiasm and hard work, he had me and his younger sister well trained.\"  \u003cbr/\u003e7. Wide of temple\u003cbr/\u003e8. Various of Meenakshi going round temple\u003cbr/\u003e9. Mid of Meenakshi praying with folded hands\u003cbr/\u003e10. Mid of framed photograph of Meenakshi's husband, Raghavan\u003cbr/\u003e11. Close of Meenakshi in prayer\u003cbr/\u003e12. Various of family members watching Meenakshi practice\u003cbr/\u003e13. Various of Meenakshi practising\u003cbr/\u003e14. SOUNDBITE (Malayalam) R Sajeev Kumar, son of Meenakshi Raghavan:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I feel really proud. My mother has been active as a trained fighter even before my birth. In those days, my father's younger sister used to partner her in fights. She has fought in many arenas and places. I have seen them fight in my younger days.\"   \u003cbr/\u003e15. Various of Meenakshi practising swordfight on the beach\u003cbr/\u003e16. SOUNDBITE (Malayalam) Meenakshi Raghavan, Kalaripayattu martial arts expert:\u003cbr/\u003e\"How long I will continue I do not know. But I will go on as long as my health permits. I have completed 67 years and am running on 68.\"\u003cbr/\u003e17. Various of weapons used in the martial art\u003cbr/\u003e18. Wide of students seeking Meenakshi's blessings\u003cbr/\u003e19. Various of students practising with daggers\u003cbr/\u003e20. Mid of onlookers\u003cbr/\u003e21. Wide of girls practising Kalari moves in the temple courtyard\u003cbr/\u003e22. Low angle shot of girls practising \u003cbr/\u003e23. Various of students practising with weapon\u003cbr/\u003e24. SOUNDBITE (Malayalam) K V Sajil Kumar, martial arts student:\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is her age that makes her stand apart. No woman her age is practising Kalaripayattu. In fact, it would not be possible. She is able to do this because she started training at a young age.\" \u003cbr/\u003e25. Wide of Meenakshi training young boys\u003cbr/\u003e26. Mid of Meenakshi giving instructions\u003cbr/\u003e27. Various of students practising\u003cbr/\u003e28. Wide of training \u003cbr/\u003e29. Various of students practising swordfight on beach\u003cbr/\u003e30. Wide of Meenakshi moving toward the students \u003cbr/\u003e31. Wide of onlookers\u003cbr/\u003e32. Wide of Meenakshi collecting weapons from the students and walking back\u003cbr/\u003e33. Wide of Kalari students standing on the beach\u003cbr/\u003e34. Wide of Meenakshi looking at the sea\u003cbr/\u003e35. Mid of Meenakshi\u003cbr/\u003e36. Various of Meenakshi walking on the beach\u003cbr/\u003eThe oldest surviving martial arts form in the world is alive and well in the south of India.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd the leading light in this energetic fighting form is a 68-year-old woman.\u003cbr/\u003eIt's fast and furious, stylish and scary - and it could also be lethal.\u003cbr/\u003eThis ancient Indian martial arts form demands speed, agility and lots of stamina. \u003cbr/\u003eThe surprise is that the teacher here is a 68-year-old woman, Meenakshi Raghavan.\u003cbr/\u003eShe is an expert in Kalaripayattu, the traditional martial arts of Kerala, in the far south west of India.\u003cbr/\u003eShe can match steps with students half her age. \u003cbr/\u003eKalaripayattu is derived from the words 'Kalari' which means 'place', or 'battlefield', and 'payattu' which means to 'exercise in arms' or 'practice'. \u003cbr/\u003eHistorians believe it is the oldest existing martial arts in the world.\u003cbr/\u003eBoys and girls begin practising as early as seven years of age. That's the age she began says Meenakshi:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I started training at the age of seven years. Nearly four years after this school was opened by Raghavan master, I joined along with a lot of young children from the village. I proved myself as a versatile performer and continued without a break. Master would take me along for his exhibition performances. Because of our enthusiasm and hard work, he had me and his younger sister well trained.\"  \u003cbr/\u003eIt is practised in an enclosure called 'Kalari', measuring 21 feet by 42 feet. \u003cbr/\u003eIn the south-west corner is a seven-tiered platform called the \"poothara\", which houses the guardian deity of the Kalari. \u003cbr/\u003eHaving become an expert herself, years later Meenakshi and her teacher Raghavan got married. \u003cbr/\u003eIn 2010 the school celebrated its 60th anniversary, but her husband passed away before then. She continues to honour his memory today.\u003cbr/\u003eNearly 100 youngsters train at the Kadathanad Kalari Sangham of which ten per cent are girls.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Kalaris in Northern Kerala have given birth to several women fighters, whose heroic deeds are celebrated in the ballads of north Malabar.\u003cbr/\u003eMeenakshi Raghavan is an example of that tradition and her son, Sajeev Kumar is proud of her achievements:\u003cbr/\u003e\"I feel really proud. My mother has been active as a trained fighter even before my birth. In those days, my father's younger sister used to partner her in fights. She has fought in many arenas and places. I have seen them fight in my younger days.\"\u003cbr/\u003eHer four children are all well-trained in Kalaripayattu, and elder son Sajeev Kumar now helps her at the training centre. \u003cbr/\u003eEven her granddaughter is following suit.\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to Meenakshi, Kalaripayattu aids physical stamina and gives confidence to defend oneself in case of an attack. \u003cbr/\u003eKalari exercises come in handy for other performing arts too.  \u003cbr/\u003eKathakali dance practitioners are required to train under Kalari masters to develop fitness, stamina, and the ability to use martial movements in their performances.\u003cbr/\u003eMeenakshi does not know how long she can go on but plans to continue her Kalari practice as long as her health permits.\u003cbr/\u003eStudents like K V Sajil Kumar are in awe of her prowess:\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is her age that makes her stand apart. No woman her age is practising Kalaripayattu. In fact, it would not be possible. She is able to do this because she started training at a young age.\"     \u003cbr/\u003eAs the sun sets on the shores of Kerala, this ancient tradition, handed down through the generations, is still in good hands.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator 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