Meenakshi is busy during these months where all age groups throng her institute to learn the martial art.Īt 76, she conducts as much as 60 shows in one season. I’m self-sufficient, I don’t need any security.”įrom the month of June to September, the season of Kalari training starts. She explains: “I say a single thing to every girl, learn Kalaripayattu. Her students are as young as 5 and she mostly has girls as her pupils in her school. She has till date not charged any fee from any student.
#MEENAKSHI AMMA FREE#
The exclusivity of Meenakshi’s school is that she has been teaching this ancient martial art absolutely free of cost. Today at the age of 76, she is can challenge anyone half her age in Kalari. I had to run the institute while maintaining the high standards he had set,” she says. It was, perhaps, guru dakshina I paid him in my own way.
I wanted to keep his labour of love alive and flourishing. “After my husband’s demise, I was compelled to don the mantle of gurukkal. The challenge was to take up the daunting task of running the institute all by herself. But soon, her husband passed away and Meenakshi Raghavan was determined not to shut down the school. Those days, girls were restricted from being a part of such sports, especially after marriage.” Says Meenakshi Amma.Īfter learning the traditional Kalaripayattu, Meenakshi was married to her guru VP Raghavan who runs Kalari School. Indulging in traditional martial arts or sports wasn’t easy for girls. “In those days, girls were allowed to learn dance and stitching. Later on, my guru, V P Raghavan Gurukkal started training me in Kalari,” says the sari-clad Meenakshi gurukkal. I used to practise dance in those days and that was one of the reasons for me joining the Kalari as it increases flexibility in movements. So my father took me to my guru V P Raghavan Gurukkal, who started training me in Kalari. As I was learning dance, I thought learning kalarippayattu will increase my flexibility. “It was my father who first showed Kalaripayattu to me. But Meenakshi Raghavan has defied her age and is usually seen wielding swords like a warrior.īorn in Vadakara, a town famous for its ancient Hindu temple Lokanarkavu and Kottakkal Bhagavathi Temple, at the tender age of seven, Meenakshi Raghavan was introduced to the ancient martial art, Kalaripayattu, which is the most popular traditional form of martial art in Kerala. Anyone at the age of 76 years would settle for a peaceful life amid grandchildren, telling them stories.