Do any Yogi present have any experience with Kalari Payat? If so would you care to elaborate on the connection (or lack thereof) to Yoga? Thanks in advance.
Kalari Payat is form of marshal art designed and developed in one of southern state of India called Kerala. It is an art of self defense and attack. However, for a deeper practitioner, it is also a way of life.
Historically, in India, the marshal art or art of defending self, people, state and country has been taught by Yogis to the prince, the masters training the soldiers and person seeking training in specific art and science of archery
A person named by Bodhi Dharma, who used to practice Yoga, Budha Dharma (Budhism) and has knowledge of traditional marshal of Kelral. He went to Shaolin, central China in 700 to 800 A.D. and taught traditional marshal art of Kerala, to the monks, which later become Kung Fu.
To follow the principles and practices of art of fighting and attack, Yoga and Ayurveda has been part of Kelari Payat for long.
In reference to connecting Kelari Payat and Yoga, one examples is-both the traditions shares asanas learned from observing animals (e.g. Marjari asana or Cat Pose), the difference between them is, in Kelari Payat, a practitioner not only performs asanas (e.g. Cat Pose) as practiced in Yoga but also concentrated and aggressive form of the same asanas.
hisyoga: Thank you very much for your response.
Kalari payattu was practised mainly by the nair clan(a warrior clan from the state of Kerala). It is said that karatte and kung fu etc had its origin in kalari payattu(needs to be verified).
An expert in kalari can subdue an opponent by hitting ‘marmas’ known as vital points in the body. I am of the belief that kalari payattu borrowed ideas from yoga and ayur veda.