Kalari / Training Hall
കളരി
The traditional training space of the South Indian martial art Kalaripayattu, comparable to the Japanese dojo.
Quick Facts
Definition
Kalari is the name of the traditional training space of the South Indian martial art Kalaripayattu, usually built partly below ground level, which is believed to help maintain the stable temperature and humidity needed for training and healing procedures. The space has a precisely defined orientation and structure according to the traditional rules of vastu (the South Indian equivalent of feng shui), and in its southeastern corner contains a small shrine called poothara, dedicated to the guardian deities and ancestors of the school. Entering a kalari is accompanied by a strict ritual of respect – students touch the ground and then their own forehead as a sign of reverence for the space and the tradition it represents. Besides combat training, a kalari is traditionally also used for oil massages (uzhichil) and other healing practices closely tied to Ayurvedic medicine. The word kalari has become so synonymous with this art that the very name Kalaripayattu literally means practice in the kalari.