Little Othenan Gurukkal still going strong at 81

KOZHIKODE: Smallest among them all, but he is their master. Othenan Gurukal, a Kalari maestro hailing from Kanayangot near Kuttiadi is changing all odds. At the age  of 81 and with his stature of 4ft and 35 kilograms of weight, he still performs the art with the same intensity and vigour just like the tiny tots of his Kalari.A region where Kalari assumed more of a sports stature, Gurukkal nowadays is running a kalari in the village for the younger generation. Proving nothing is impossible with will power and the mind to do extra ordinary things, he apart from giving instructions also performs all the manoeuvers of Kalaripayattu even at this age.Describing him being ventured into the field of Kalaripayattu, Gurukkal said, “It was my father’s decision and he took me to the kalari run by the Kunjumbhu Gurukkal at Vattoly in order to better my health during childhood. Later I relished the art and decided to take it as the profession.” He soon became the one of the best students of the kalari and undergone training for more than 15 years, coming out mastering all forms of the Kalaripayattu. He said that his stunted growth has never beleaguered him from performing Kalaripayattu at the highest level. Gurukkal, after coming out of the Kunjumbhu Gurukkal’s kalari, has travelled the length and breadth of the state and also started kalaris including one at the tribal area of Wayanad. “Everyone is very curious to see my performance wherever I go. In Wayanad even the tribals had joined our kalari,” he said. Othenan Gurukkkal’s greatness has even reached overseas, with people from Russia and France had visited him on several occasions and even a news report was published in a Russian newspaper. Apart from Kalari, Othenan Gurukkal is also practicing traditional medicine including ‘marma therapy’ at his house. “These kind of medicinal practice is part of the art form. Today there are growing demands for the traditional medicine and people from far-flung areas are reaching here for the treatment,” Gurukkal said.With all his five children being masters of Kalaripayattu, he is looking forward to them to carry the legacy. A staunch Communist all through his life and even spent several days in underground for participating in the farmers’ struggle, he said that he has never used Kalaripayattu in the real life.