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Vallabhatta Kalari Sangam (India)
Vallabhatta Kalari Brussels (Belgium)

Kalaripayattu
Kalaripayatt is the ancient martial art of Kerala, which has been practiced for centuries. It has it's own style according to the culture, geographical and historical background of Kerala. The system and techniques are accomplished by the great Gurus of ancient India. 'Kalari' means the place where Kalaripayatt is being practiced. The word coming from Sanskrit "Khaloorika" a place were weapon training is practiced. The systems of physical and weapon training imparted within the Kalari came to be called "Kalaripayatt". Kalaripayatt is an institution of the traditional Gurukula system where students stay with their guru from their childhood and undergo training until they become experts. The Kalari is like a Temple and the space has to be respected. There are no restrictions to religion, cast or sex.
Kalaripayatt is directly linked to the ancient Indian Science of War (Dhanur Veda) and medicine (Ayurveda). More over, the Dhanur Veda section of Agnipurana clearly establishes a close relationship between martial practise and meditation. Kalaripayatt emerged as a distinct, regional, martial, meditational and healing art around the 12th centaury A.D, although many principles and techniques antedate this period as it is clearly linked to earlier classical texts, it's generally traced during the period of disintegration of the PERUMALS of Kodungallore, it was an integral part of the socio-political system of medieval Kerala. Principles and practices of Ayurveda, Dhanurveda and Yoga. The main elements of Kalaripayatt include training in physical culture, armed and unarmed combat, breathcontrol, higher forms of meditation and specific classes of treatments. Kalaripayatt is a concept of developing oneself to become a perfect individual. This knowledge should not be abused under any circumstances other than self-defense. Kalari helps to dispel all bad influences in children, stimulates them to be well disciplined individuals with quality character inculcating respect for their elders/environment, boosts up their power of concentration and sharpens their intellect. This training helps them to face everything in life with confidence. Classical and folk-arts like kathakali, koodiyattam, Theyyam, Thira and contemporary theatre have incorporated this martial system in movements and body compositions to highlight and create various expressions on stage.

Vallabhatta Kalari Sangam (Indie, Kérala)
Prominent Kalari School and Temple in India, Kerala (Chavakkad), home country of this ancient martial art. Vallabhatta Kalari Sangam is a holder of many Indian, European and Wolrd awards (including Wordl Championship winner in male and female category). Vallabhatta Kalari Chavakkad is conducting Kalaripayatt workshops, demonstrations and also working with dancers for choreography work. They perform in India and abroad.
www.vallabhattakalari.com

Vallabhatta Kalari Brussels (Belgium, Brussels)
Founded in 1997 by Indirah Osumba and Kris Kaerts Vallabhatta Brussels is the first kalaripayat-school in Europe where students after having participated in one or more initiative workshops can subscribe to train and advance on a regular base in the discipline.
For this purpose at least once a year they organize master classes with Indian Teachers of the Vallabhatta Kalari Sangham Institute of Kerala. (India). Though it is a small school compared with numbers in the more established martial arts world, they are proud to have a dedicated nucleus of about 30 students that have an average of two years commitment to the art form. About ten of them, mostly dancers or actors are trained for the performance is called ‘weaponconcerts’.

In the school is bound to the base of the kalaripayat-educational system, namely the study of body control exercises (meithari), rather then to hop fast to the more spectacular sides of the art, being the handling of various weapons or bare handed fight techniques. This option is probably the reason why our school is mainly attracting people from the arts field rather then the martial world. They are doing a lot of initiation work in schools, cultural centres or educational programs, but quite regularly they are solicited by settling individual artists or companies to provide training-sessions. They are going as often as possible to India to keep in first hand contact with the teaching and practice over there and try to stimulate our chore-students to make at least once the trip over to understand the cultural context of kalaripayat.
They refrain from hindu spiritual items like poojahs (offerings) in the kalari (workspace) but try to commemorate as much as possible that we are part of a long tradition of practice and teaching. All though they are adapting certain practices towards the occidental lifestyle/mentality and climate-conditions they are very conscious about what they modify and refrain far from the superficiality they often meet in the sport world: outfit, belts and competitions.

The school is recognized and supported by the Flemish Sports Council of the Brussels Region (V.G.C.) and gets good support of a local cultural centre named De Pianofabriek.

Projects:
- Theatrical performance of martial art with Indian or Belgian performers (Chavakkad or Brussels school)
- Seminars and workshops of kalari, studies abroad (recommended specially for contemporary and modern dancers!)

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