kalarippayattu is a culture, a tradion that enables human beings to flourish in any field through a harmonious life with mother nature.
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The Venad region (southern tip of Kerala) went through tough and tempestuous times in early 18th century when the tussle for power between Marthanda Varma, the sovereign, and the Ettu Veettil Pillamar, the eight aristocrats of the region, reached a flashpoint. The young king succeeded in vanquishing the men who sought to usurp his position and either killed or exiled them. A descendant of one of those exiled aristocrats, Bhargavan Pillai.
The Bhargava Kalari group was established in the name of Bhargavan Pillai, the eldest heir of the Ettuveettil Pillamar. Later, Marthanda Varma defeated and destroyed the Ettuveettil Pillamar.
In the 19th century, Bhargavan Pillai’s chief disciple, Padmanabha Ashan, was exiled to Malabar. Later, Padmanabha Ashan established his Kalari training practices based in Kozhikode.
In the 1950s, he received honors and recognitions from various platforms, including Mahakavi Vallathol, Sardar M. K. Panikkar, the Chief Minister of Thiru-Kochi, Godaraja Varma (Collector), the Indian History Congress, the Madras Literary Association, the Calicut Exhibition Committee, and the Madras Film Chamber.
He established several Kalaris in Kozhikode and trained numerous disciples. He received many recognitions at the government level. In addition, he made great efforts to transform Kalaripayattu into a performing art. Through films and dramas based on the Northern ballads and Northern heroic legends, he introduced Kalaripayattu to the next generation. The Kalari choreography for nearly 200 films such as Ponnyampada, Unniyarcha, Thacholi Othenan, and Pazhassi Raja was done by Gopalan Gurukkal and S. K. Vasu Gurukkal, the chief disciples of the Bhargava Kalari group.
In later times, the Bhargava Kalari was managed by the disciples of S. K. Vasu Gurukkal. S. K. Vasu Gurukkal trained numerous disciples, and six of his children became experts in Kalaripayattu. His chief disciples—Raveendran Gurukkal, Prakashan Gurukkal, Shibulal Gurukkal, and Satheeshan Gurukkal—are currently overseeing the Bhargava Kalari. Among them, the most skilled in Kalaripayattu was S. K. Rajesh Gurukkal, son and chief disciple of Vasu Gurukkal, who today stands as the leading Gurukkal of Bhargava Kalari.
S. K. Rajesh Gurukkal viewed Kalaripayattu not merely as a martial art, but as a way of human life, reflecting on how it influences various aspects of a person’s life. Through his own achievements, he demonstrated that a true Kalari practitioner can channel the discipline and skills of Kalaripayattu into any form of art or sport, guiding their life toward success.
