Q. Tell us something about Kalaripayattu?
A. The art of Kalaripayattu dates back 3,000 years. It is also known as the mother of all martial arts as it is inspired by other indigenous arts such as Kathakali, Velakali, Teyyam, etc. With this heritage, comes its tradition of extreme discipline and gurukul-style training. A significant part of Kalaripayattu is weapon training, conducted with swords, shields, bamboo sticks and daggers. I have been practicing this art since I was 10 years old. It has been 31 years now; this is life for me.

Q. How does this benefit people?
A. This art form helps one increase stamina as well as flexibility. So, a lot of artistes as well as classical dancers come to learn this. There are people from different age groups who learn this; an increase in women participants has been witnessed in the last couple of years. The preferred age is 16 years to 30 years, but people above 30 years, who do regular exercise, can also join.