Martial Law

Oldest woman practitioner of Kalaripayattu

- Chitra Ramaswamy

Meenakshi Raghavan, fondly called Meenakshi Gurukkal or Meenakshi Amma, is immaculately clad in a cotton sari, pallu tucked into the waist. Not a strand of jet-black hair is out of place as she prepares to take her class in the early hours of the morning.

Her warm smile gives way to a tough demeanour as she enters the Kalari arena and gets ready to pit her wits and skill against her opponents. Watching the nimble septuagenarian whirl around in the Kalari at lightning speed is nothing short of mesmerising. She has mastered the art of using swords, shields, spears, daggers, sticks and long, flexible blades called otta and uruni in this almost dancelike form of self-defence.

The ‘Iron Lady of Kerala’ has spent 68 years learning the art and teaching it and, at the age of 76, is India’s oldest woman practitioner of Kalaripayyattu, a martial art that dates back over 2,000 years. It is obvious that a lifetime of measured habits and moderation have given her energy and vitality that belie her age. Her zest for life and ready laugh are all too infectious off-field and she never misses an opportunity to joke with those around her.

Meenakshi Amma, the youngest of three siblings, had an obvious gift for dancing which her parents spotted in childhood. So they enrolled her in dance class at the age of five. Even at such a young age, her rhythm and footwork were impeccable. Her dance master, who noticed her flair, suggested that she learn Kalaripayattu to enhance her flexibility and movements. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, little Meenakshi accompanied her father to the Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam, a reputed martial arts class. She was awestruck with what she saw.