At first glance, 75-yr-old sari-clad Meenakshi Gurukkal from Puthuppanam looks like an ordinary lady. That is till she picks up a sword, and wields it better than anyone else in her vicinity. Meenakshi Gurukkal has been learning Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art form of Kerala, since the age of seven. And now it has become a way of life for her.
“I started learning at the age of seven when my father enrolled me at a training center. In those days, it wasn’t very common for girls to learn Kalaripayattu. Many used to stop learning after reaching puberty. However, my father encouraged me to continue and I have never looked back,” she told ScoopWhoop.
Every day at 5 am, Meenakshi starts her training classes which goes on till 10 pm. She doesn’t have a separate regime for herself and prefers to practice along with the students. Like most martial art forms, learning Kalaripayattu is no mean feat and requires years of training and constant practice. The technique is all about self-defence, discipline, as well as physical and mental fitness.
While talking about her diet restrictions, she said, “I have never followed any diet plan and I eat whatever I like even at this age. However, we make it a point to give pepper water to students after their class. Other than that, there is no specific diet plan for anyone who is practicing Kalaripayattu.”
