An eighth-generation practitioner of Kalaripayattu was at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan recently, conducting a workshop for martial artists, dancers and anyone curious about the ancient form of Kerala.
The event was organised by the Sriradha Dance Foundation in association with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. “Our institute has a strong cultural wing where we aim to promote the arts,” said G.V. Subramaniam, director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Calcutta and Agartala. “I hail from Kerala myself. Though I was never trained in Kalaripayattu, I deeply appreciate and admire the form.”
The workshop was conducted by Gurukkal Krishnadas from Kerala, whose father, Sankaranarayana Menon, is a Padma Shri recipient for his contribution in this field. “I began training when I was six. Today I am a senior citizen, but continue teaching, and my daughters will become the ninth generation in this lineage,” he said.
Krishnadas introduced students to the fundamentals of the art form and explained how classical dance traditions such as Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam share strong links with Kalaripayattu too. “This form is the spine of an actor, the beauty of a dancer and the technique of a fighter,” he said. “The idea is to keep the body fit and youthful, and to train it for combat. We draw from eight animal postures as a way of absorbing their energy — elephant, lion, horse, fish, cat, wild boar, cock and snake.”
The guru explained the four progressive stages of kalaripayattu training. The primary stage focuses on body control — exercises, flexibility, balance, relaxation and breath control. To a layperson, these movements resemble advanced yoga postures. “The next stage involves wooden weapons, followed by metal weapons, and finally combat and sparring,” said the expert, who has also trained Malayalam superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty for action in their films.
Participants came from diverse backgrounds, drawn by the opportunity to learn a form rarely taught in the city.
“I am a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, but to choreograph, you need inspiration from different forms,” said Saptadeep Roy. Odissi dancer Saptamita Das added that a complete dancer should be familiar with multiple forms, even if she specialises in a particular style. Another dancer, Subham Chakraborty, felt that dancers must maintain strength and flexibility, and that kalaripayattu offers both. There was also a 60-year-old Bharatnatyam teacher, Tatini De, who joined the session.
Among the youngest participants was nine-year-old Amarissa Hartmann, who learns ballet and gymnastics and wanted to broaden her horizons. Thirteen-year-old Agnimitra Paul, a black belt karateka, said: “My karate teacher credits kalaripayattu for its influence on other martial arts, so I knew I had to attend.”
Working professionals participated as well. “I was the first to register,” beamed Sonali Pal, who works in the state GST department. “I have wanted to learn kalaripayattu ever since I visited Kerala in 2012, but no one teaches it here. This workshop is my dream come true.”
Her colleague Srijita Sil was equally enthusiastic, returning to performing arts after decades. “I learnt dance as a child, then life took over — work, family, responsibilities — but dance stayed within me. From the morning, I’m getting calls from home — the cook asking what to prepare, the newspaper not delivered, my daughter still asleep — but I’ve shut the world out today to do something I love,” she said.
The workshop was conceived by Sriradha Paul, an Odissi dancer currently pursuing a PhD in critical dance studies in the US. “I trained with Gurukkal Krishnadas and found this form lyrical. It complements Odissi’s characteristic ‘S’ curve of the body and brings strength, power and vigour to a performance,” said the dancer, who conducted the workshop during a visit to India. “I also wanted to promote this art as it is an indigenous form. We may consider online classes for this and follow it up with offline sessions later.”