http://www.wesaidgotravel.com/ Cochin Kalarippaya Martial arts exhibition and Sitar Concert, India, December 2012 We went to the 4pm show of KALARIPPAYAT a highlight of Cochin. I think everyone should go. It was an incredible show with a stunning display of talent and martial arts. Details: Kerala Kathakali Centre, Near Santa Cruz Basilica, K.B. Jacob Road, Fort Kochi, vijayan@kathakalicentre.com since 1994, http://www.kathakalicentre.com/ Kalarippayat is "an ancient tradition of martial arts training and discipline. Still taught throughtout Kerala, some believe it is the forerunner of all Martial Arts. Its roots can be traced back to the 12th century CE, when skirmishes among the many feudal principalities in the region were common. Masters of Kalarippayat, called Gurruckal, teacher their craft inside a special arena called a Kalari. The Kalari is part gymnasium, part school and part temple. Its construction follows traditional principals; it's rectangular design is always aligned east west and Hindi deities are represented in each corner. Training begins at a very young age for both girls and boys. The regime involves ritual stretching and flexing to achieve concentration and balance. Body massage increases the suppleness of limbs. As the trainee develops, various weapons are introduced including the sword and shield of the medieval warrior." I loved the sword and knife fighting the best. The diving seemed like gymnastics, the warm up seemed like yoga there were so many parts that have been incorporated into other athletic activities. The men were in highly toned shape and the fighting was very spectacular. I was a bit shocked when one of the knives flew to the floor near the front row but no one was hurt. The one hour show sped by and I cannot wait to see more and learn more about this ancient tradition. I highly recommend this show as the top thing to do in Fort Cochin. We also enjoyed a concert of live sitar after the martial arts show. Enjoy all the arts of Kerala, India. Enjoy many movies of our travels in India. We journeyed mainly by public bus from November 23, 2012 in Kolkata to February 8, 2013 when we crossed into Nepal. See all of our India movies on our YouTube playlist at: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv_jKkCiDQcReB_UNmWTHqm3Hk8uW-765 Enjoy over 200 videos with over 170,000 views at http://www.youtube.com/user/WeSaidGoTravel Safe Travels! Lisa and George We Said Go Travel January 2014 http://www.wesaidgotravel.com/

• published: 02 Feb 2014
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