Kalaripayit is an ancient Indian martial art that uses pressure-point strikes, yoga stretching and various strangely shaped weapons. Its name literally means battlefield training. Many researchers theorize that it was the basis upon which the Chinese martial arts developed because they contend that Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk who taught at Shaolin Temple, would have learned kalaripayit in India and transplanted it, along with his religion, to China.

Few kalaripayit practitioners teach anywhere in the world—even in India. Much of the art is said to have degenerated into a martial dance.


Hide description