Customer Reviews

When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art

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This book, by a western academic who spent extensive periods of time studying Kalarippayattu in India, provides an interesting, detailed ethnographic survey of this little known martial art. Kalari is a complete art in the sense that it includes conditioning exercises, empty hand forms, a variety of weapons (staff, spear, daggers, and swords, including an amazing long flexible sword), holistic health practices such as massage, and spiritual practices. The art is based on Ayurvedic principles, and includes (like Chinese martial arts) a system of vital points (called marma) which can be used for either healing or causing harm. The author gives extensive information about the history, rituals, and social aspects of this South Indian art. The book is not a how-to, instructional manual, but a scholarly study with extensive footnotes. However, it is packed with lots of cool pictures. Highly recommended!

This is as of this moment the one critical book written on the Keralan Martial Art Kalarippayattu. As such it is THE resource any scholar or interested layman needs to understand the topic.

Last Fall I participated in a Study Abroad program in South India, and for my month long Independent Study I went to Kerala to study Kalarippayattu. I studied under a master by day and researched the topic by night for my eventual presentation on the subject. And while I was able to find a few other resources on the subject, almost all of my references and footnotes in my paper and presentation were from this book, the others I found just couldn't compare.

Zarrilli succeeds brilliantly in giving a multifaceted exposé on the subject. The chapters concern a variety of angles of the Martial Art, each insightful and interesting. Discussed within is Keralan history, discussions of Hindu deities and their encoded ritual in practice, descriptions of healing and killing techniques, Meditation, as well as a discussion of the Martial Art's similarities to Kundalini yoga. It is all here.

Further praise is given for Zarrilli's writing style. There are a few scholars out there who succeed in being poetic in describing the metaphysical and phenomenological, while at the same time being critically academic. And I can say that Zarrilli can count himself as one of them. I quoted frequently from this book in my presentation; his comments concerning how practitioners channel the energy of the goddess through practice still haunt me to this day, they are that powerful.

One small gripe would be that the pictures in the book aren't that great. They are black and white, and while they are good enough illustrate Zarrilli's many points, they could be better.

All in all, this is the best book to read on the subject. I highly recommend it

The book deals with the little known martial art of south India called Kalari which is believed to be the oldest of all martial arts.The author has done an excellent job.