Roads in Kerala have impromptu sword fights - so it would appear

Kalaripaiytu or Kalari in short is allegedly the oldest form of martial art in the world. It is from here in Kerala that it was exported and developed into the modern day martial art forms of judo, kung fu and what ever other variant you can think of. We are harking back to centuries ago here, a millenia and more in time frame.

Back in Kerala this form of combat has remained as it was practiced earlier.

A days drive though the narrow highway NH 17 that runs on the west coast of India from Kanyakumari to Mumbai brought me to Tirunavaya from Cochin on one hot day in May 2008 just before I left Kerala for good. Thirunavaya is a small non descript habitation on the banks of river Bharathapuzzah in North Kerala. They had a Kalari conventino going there.

Young fighters from various schools of Kalari gathered here and here they are on the road going through their routines with actual weapons.

Sometimes you miss the action of a fast lens or a fast setting. The take should have been at a much higher shutter speed but I guess I was so interested in bringing the environment into play here that the tack sharp combatants did not happen. Instead you have slightly blurred image of the fighters which I can claim is done on purpose to show dynamic motion.... ;-)) Anyway blame it on a long hard drive followed by immediate shooting -- on a hot afternoon in May . Sometimes the brain does not work as well as it ought to.;-)

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Dates
Taken on May 19, 2008 at 5.47pm IST
Posted to Flickr April 11, 2011 at 7.56PM IST
Exif data
Camera Nikon D70
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 18 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash No Flash
DSC_4385 2exp sel cu sat le tfn sh 250 sel

Taken in: India / Kerala / Thirunavaya (show map)

Taken on: May 19, 2008

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Sets appears in: • For Getty • Kerala more » • Kalari « less

Groups appears in: • MOST EXCELLENT • Customs and Cultures (Moderated) more » • (A) MOUNTAIN VISTA « less

Camera: Nikon D70, f/5.0, 1/250 sec, 18mm (=27mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D70
Lens:	18.0-70.0 mm f/3.5-4.5
Aperture:	f/5.0
Exposure Time:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length:	18mm (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	High
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
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