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'Kalari' means  place of training and 'Payattu' means training of Martial arts.  As the training of Martial arts are done from kalari, this is called 'kalaripayattu' 
 

CONSTRUCTION OF KALARI (Place of training): It is constructed by digging 3 feet below the ground level, an area of  length 42 feet (in the East-West direction) and breadth of 21 feet. There are many sacred and important spots in the kalari based on Vaasthu Shasthra. Out of which Poothara and Gurustanam are most important. 
 

ORIGIN OF KALARIPAYATTU :- Parashurama is beleived to have brought to this world the art of Kalaripayattu from  Paramashiva (the Eternal). Parasurama constructed many Kuzhikalaris in the state of  Kerala in South India and  taught martial arts to human beings. 

WHO IS GURU (teacher): 
Gurunathan (teacher) clears the ignorance in the minds of disciples and sheds light. Guru should be a person who without considering politics, religion, caste, wealth etc. should treat all his disciples as equals. Guru should be a person without any bad habits and should set an example to his disciples. 

WHO IS DISCIPLE:-  
The disciple dedicates his mind and body to learning the art from the Guru. 
The disciple should not deviate from the instructions given by the Guru and should follow him. As the training is in progress 7 good habits will  show up in disciple. 

KALARIPAYATTU has different styles which  is generaly classified into two. "Thekkan" and "Vadakken".  Thekkan kalaripayattu consists of self-defence art practiced by Maharishi(saint) Agasthyamuni. Vadakken kalaripayattu is 
kuzhi kalaripayattu practiced by Parashurama. Though Vadakken are  in different names like dronapalli, odimurisseri, valla batta, Madhya keralam, kadathanadan, Thulunadan, pillathangi, malanadan etc. Out of which Thulunadan kalaripayattu in vadakken style is better in all respects. It was written in the history and in vadakkan songs, the brave men like Thacholi Othenan, Chandu etc., who have obtained training in kalaripayattu, had gone to Thulunadan kalari and undergone further studies and rectified  the defects in the training already obtained.. 

THE BENEFITS OF THULUNADAN KALARIPAYATTU :-  Physical & mental development, physical flexibility, nueral strength, art of self defence, eye control, sharp reflexes, patience, regularisation of difficulties due to arthritis, bronchitic diseases, discipline, obedience, strengthen the protection from disease, skill to handle weapons, destroy fear of weapon, etc.