Meenakshi Raghavan, 76, Kozhikode

 
Oldest woman practitioner of Kalaripayattu

Meenakshi Raghavan, fondly called Meenakshi Gurukkal or Meenakshi Amma, is immaculately clad in a cotton sari, pallu tucked into the waist. Not a strand of jet-black hair is out of place as she prepares to take her class in the early hours of the morning.

Her warm smile gives way to a tough demeanour as she enters the Kalari arena and gets ready to pit her wits and skill against her opponents. Watching the nimble septuagenarian whirl around in the Kalari at lightning speed is nothing short of mesmerising. She has mastered the art of using swords, shields, spears, daggers, sticks and long, flexible blades called otta and uruni in this almost dancelike form of self-defence.

The ‘Iron Lady of Kerala’ has spent 68 years learning the art and teaching it and, at the age of 76, is India’s oldest woman practitioner of Kalaripayyattu, a martial art that dates back over 2,000 years. It is obvious that a lifetime of measured habits and moderation have given her energy and vitality that belie her age. Her zest for life and ready laugh are all too infectious off-field and she never misses an opportunity to joke with those around her.

Meenakshi Amma, the youngest of three siblings, had an obvious gift for dancing which her parents spotted in childhood. So they enrolled her in dance class at the age of five. Even at such a young age, her rhythm and footwork were impeccable. Her dance master, who noticed her flair, suggested that she learn Kalaripayattu to enhance her flexibility and movements. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, little Meenakshi accompanied her father to the Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam, a reputed martial arts class. She was awestruck with what she saw.

Meenakshi Amma discontinued her studies after Class X. While her sister went on to become a teacher and her brother an entrepreneur, she continued to learn Bharatanatayam and Kalaripayattu. “Those days, girls were not allowed to learn or participate in such art forms, which were male domains,” she says. “They were not allowed to continue to even dance after attaining puberty or after marriage. I was very fortunate to have the total support of my family.” When she turned 17, Meenakshi Amma’s guru Raghavan sought her hand in marriage and her father happily agreed.

“After marriage, I did not have time to pursue both dance and Kalari, and the martial art took precedence over dance,” she says. However, with the birth of four children in quick succession, Meenakshi Amma turned full-time mother and housewife. Although she took a break from active Kalaripayattu, she helped her husband with programmes and other related events.

Kalari has become a way of life for Meenakshi Amma and her family, although the other members pursue other professions “While it is an exercise for the mind, body and soul, it is also a very demanding exercise requiring immense concentration, devotion and commitment,” she explains. “Every girl should learn the art, even if only to defend herself in modern times.” Her family of two daughters, two sons and eight grandchildren are all trained in Kalari and her son Sajeev is also a gurukkal (master) at the institute.

Even now, Meenakshi Amma trains students from June to September. Her day typically begins at 5 am, with a batch of students coming in an hour later, for a two-hour class. Following this, it is back home and routine household chores. When time permits, she watches dance programmes on television. Then, starting at 5 pm, she teaches two more batches of students. “Working men and women come in the evenings,” she explains.

Meenakshi Amma also performs up to 60 shows a year, in Kerala, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa and Coimbatore. Many awards and other honours have come her way, including the Padma Shri this year, which made her “excited, happy and proud”. However, ‘Samurai Amma’ says she’s most proud when the Kalari fraternity itself recognises her work. Her student Jittin, 27, says, “I’ve been learning Kalari from Meenakshi Amma for 10 years now. She’s a perfectionist and very strict while teaching but such a soft-hearted person off the field.” And Jaimi, 22, adds, “I just love to attend her classes. She’s a very good trainer.”

• My success story: “Success is a journey rather than a destination. I am happy contributing to society in whatever measure I can and thereby passing on to future generations the opportunity I could get because of the support of family and friends. The secrets of my success are discipline, devotion and dedication.”
• Challenges: “I faced a huge challenge following my husband’s demise in 2009, when I was compelled to don the mantle of gurukkal. I wanted to keep his labour of love alive and flourishing. It was, perhaps, guru dakshina I paid him in my own way. The task was daunting at first. I had to run the institute while maintaining the high standards he had set.”
• The inspiration behind it: “My husband has been my idol and inspiration. He established this institute at the young age of 14 because he wanted to provide others an opportunity denied to him because of his caste. He made it free for anyone desirous of learning Kalari without any regard for caste, class, creed or gender. We continue to run this institute along the guidelines set by him.”
• Aspirations, goals and vision: “I had no aim, no goal when I began training in Kalari. I was simply fascinated by it. I wish to create awareness about this art and hope it spreads beyond the borders of Kerala.”
• The way forward: “It is heartening to see this martial art witnessing a revival, especially with an increasing number of girls learning it. It would be great for it to be part of the school curriculum so girls can learn the art of self-defence, particularly when crimes against them are on the rise.”
• Awards & achievements: An INK (Information & Knowledge) Fellow of INK International (October 2016); the Saarthak Naari Achievement Award in Bengaluru (November 2016); Padma Shri (2017)

—Chitra Ramaswamy

Photos: J Ramaswamy
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
March 2017

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