Aditya Birla Group and Brut spotlight ten everyday changemakers who turned intent into action. From remote villages to overlooked communities, Force For Good Heroes returns with Season 2. Because change begins with intent.
Breathing Life Into a Dying Art
Kalaripayattu, also known as Kalari, is widely considered to be one of the oldest surviving martial arts in the world with a history spanning over 3000 years. Through armed and unarmed combat, students are trained to hone their physical strength, discipline, and agility, and many attribute the practice to a heightened self-confidence.
The martial art is an irreplaceable part of Kerala’s cultural fabric. However, a ban by British colonial authorities in the 1800s had pushed Kalari to the brink of becoming a dying art till a revival in the 20th century.
Now 82, Padma Shri-recipient Meenakshi Raghavan, fondly known as Meenakshi Amma, has dedicated a lifetime to mastering and teaching Kalaripayattu.
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When a Community Comes Together
Meenakshi Amma hopes to make the art more accessible to all, especially to young girls who she believes would greatly benefit from Kalari.
She says, “I always say that, nowadays, it is girls who need to learn Kalari. Nowadays, it is a time when girls are not able to walk freely outside. There are problems everywhere. I have said that learning some Kalari is good to face such problems. That is why, nowadays, more girls are coming for Kalari. Not just them, mothers, fathers and children are coming together to the Kalari.”
Her children and her disciples have joined her in the mission to help Kalaripayattu grow beyond the walls of her kalari (translated as ‘battleground’ or ‘training ground’), across India and beyond. She, and the foundation she is a patron of, have trained students from countries like the US, Belgium, and Italy.
Closer to home, students from several kalaris in Kerala– from Thiruvananthapuram to Wayanad– often participate in Kalari showcases together, coming together as a collective force propagating the teachings of Kalaripayattu.
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Facing Challenges Head-on
Following in the footsteps of her teacher, Meenakshi amma and her disciples continue to teach Kalaripayattu free of charge. She does, however, applaud the community’s contribution to the kalari–for instance, she recalls the community helped build the kalari she currently teaches in, from the ground up.
While Meenakshi Amma’s kalari sees an influx of close to 300 students every year, she and her son Sajeev, who is set to take over the training centre, are worried about a disconnect with the newer generation.
“These days, children are more interested in the phone. It is beneficial for them in all ways if they learn Kalari. The situation is such that they need the phone in their hand even to eat their food,” Meenakshi Amma laments.
Many children in her neighborhood have joined her training centre. One student opens up about the changes in his behaviour since he joined the kalari, “I also got the motivation to speak in front of some people. I got the courage to go anywhere. There were many such changes in my behaviour. There would always be a sense of self-confidence while learning Kalari.”
The Path Ahead for an Ancient Martial Art
On the personal front, Meenakshi Amma avows that she shall continue to practice Kalaripayattu for as long as she can, “left. For however long I am healthy, I will take it forward for that long. My prayer is that I should go without falling.”
She hopes that the establishment of more kalari training centres will help Kalari reach a wider audience and continue to flourish as a martial art.
In this episode of Force For Good Heroes, Brut follows Meenakshi Amma, whose work and the recognition she has received for it, has helped preserve an ancient martial art form over decades. Today, Aditya Birla Group recognizes her as a Force For Good Hero.
