Simhalan Madhava Panicker
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| Simhalan Madhava panicker | |
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| Born | Kunhuvarkkypulla Simhalan 1930 Cochin, Kerala, India (കൊച്ചി,േകരളം, भारत गणराज्य) |
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| Died | 5th March 2004 |
| Residence | Pynkulam, Chennai, India |
| Occupation | dancer, martial artist, actor |
| Title | Kalari Gurukkal, Marma Adi Gurukkal |
| Religious belief | Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam |
| Website | Simhala Kalari |
Simhalan Madhava Panicker is well known South Asian Martial artist, Film actor Born in to a family of plantation farmers in Keralain 1930. He left home at tender age of 8 and found his way in his life through travel around corners of India and constant passion for martial art and acting. He was an expert and authority in 'varma kalai', a division of the ancient martial art, Kalaripayattu.
[edit] Varma kalai
The word 'varma kalai', which originated from the word marmam (meaning 'secret' in Tamil) involves attacking the opponent at specific vital points of the body to cause maximum injury as well as revival of the same. These vital points are to be junction points or nerve nodes, which when struck from a specific angle and with a particular speed can result in temporary paralysis, extreme pain, and loss of consciousness or even immediate or delayed death. This can be executed efficiently only by an expert after decades of training.
Simbhalan Panickar has learnt Northern and Sothern style of Kalaripayattu for 18 years from many teachers and specialised in Varma Kalai, which he trained for many years from Balan Gurukkal. From then on, he has been practicing, improvising and developing his own vocabulary of the form. As he was a trained dancer, boxer and street fight, he assimilated the artform into highest level of perfection.
He set up Simhala Kalari in 1975 had association with his contemporay martial artists like Chandrashekharan Gurukkal and Vallabhatta Vishwanathan Gurukkal. Among is disciples where Sensai Moses Thilak, Master Manoharan and Karate Mani.
Like all martial art masters, Panickar Gurukkal, (as he is popularly known), is secretive about his skills in 'varma kalai' and has taught very few students, all of them renowned martial art masters in Southern India. In 1983, he was featured as the 'most dangerous man' in a book and documentary released by BBC called 'Way Of The Warrior' which chronicles the various martial art forms of the world.
Panickar Gurukkal has many more dimensions than martial arts alone. He was an actor with many films (more than 175 movies credited) and theatre credential, and taught at Film and TV Institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India.
He moved to kerala with Simhala Kalari in 1998. He passed away on March 2004 March survived by his daughter Jasmine Simhalan noted Kalaripayatt, Silambam martial artist in UK, and Jaison Simhalan Martial Artist and Actor and his wife Chinnamma . They are continuing his vision of greater participation of community in Kalari.
[edit] References
[edit] External Links
- simhala kalari
- chennaibest article
- [1]
- To Heal and/or To Harm: The Vital Spots (Marmmam/Varmam) in Two South Indian Martial Traditions. Phillip Zarrilli, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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| Part of a series on Indian martial arts |
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| Various Indian martial arts |
| Pehlwani - Kalarippayattu - Malla-yuddha - Vajra Mushti / Vajra Mukti - Chakram - Kabaddi - Silambam Nillaikalakki - Gatka and other arts |
| Notable Practitioners |
| The Great Gama - Phillip Zarrilli - Jasmine Simhalan - Jyesthimallas - Gobar Goho - Imam Baksh Pahalwan - Paul Whitrod - Gulam - Guru Har Gobind - John Will |
| Related articles |
| Kshatriya - Yoga - Indian mêlée weapons - Dravidian martial arts - Ayurveda - Sri Lankan martial arts - Indian martial arts in popular culture - Foreign influence on Chinese martial arts |
