Kalari, traditionally known as Kalarippayattu is one of India's
traditional martial and medical arts dating back at least to the
12th century AD. This ancient art form is a cultural practice which
interweaves the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects
of life. At the root of Kalari is a psychophysiological system that
demands that the practitioner goes through years of preparation
and practice in order to achieve balance and strength in the body
as a whole - inside and out. At the next level this is a highly
and effective form of armed and unarmed combat that is based on
attacking and defending the body's vital spots. This knowledge is
then used for fighting and healing. In more general terms, Kalari
is considered as a streetwise form of self defence comparible to
the better known styles of martial arts, such as Kung Fu.
The role of Chavutti Thirumal within this practice was twofold:
to maintain the inner fluidity of the body by balancing the three
humours - wind/vata, phlegm/kapha and fire/pitta in accordance with
Ayurvedic principles. Secondly, to add flexibility and strength
to the muscles, joints and ligaments.
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Picture courtesy of Rosie Walford |
Kathakali dance-drama is a distinctive style of South Asian performance
which developed during the 16th and 17th centuries in the malayalam
speaking coastal region of south west India known as Kerala State.
Like Japanese Noh and China's Jingju, Kathakali has become internationally
known as troupes tour the world.
Like most traditional styles of story telling and performances
in India, Kathakali plays enact one or more episodes from regional
versions of Indian religious epics. Traditionally an all-male company
of actor-dancers drawn from the ranks of martial (kalari) practitioners,
the performers use a highly physical form of performance embodied
through years of training to play its many and varied roles. The
Kalari exercise practice and the Chavutti Thirumal massage provided
the preliminary body preparation during the monsoon season in each
of the four years of the actors' training.
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Picture courtesy of Rosie Walford |
EMMA FIELD/ PROFILE
In 2000 Emma Field created the Soma Institute offering the
first post-graduate diploma course in Chavutti Thirumal. Emma's
time in India and the East emphasised the importance of establishing
a solid relationship between those receiving information and those
imparting it. This further supports the concept of a mutual exchange
between student and teacher, whereby one learns from the other. The
foundation for the Institute was grounded in 10 years of experience
as an established and successful practitioner in Eastern/Oriental
therapies, as well as a psychotherapist. Through her practice of
Chavutti Thirumal, Emma has attracted a wide press coverage focusing
on the unique aspects of this ancient Indian massage system developed
and refined through an internship at the Indian School of Martial
Arts, Kerala and her ongoing study of the yoga and taiji disciplines.
Her work has inevitably been moulded by life experiences and other
training.
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