Kuttu Varisai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Indian martial arts

Various Indian martial arts
Adithada - Angampora - Bothati - But Marma Atti - Chakram - Dravidian martial arts - Gatka - Inbuan Wrestling - Kabaddi - Kalarippayattu - Kuttu Varisai - Lathi - Malla-yuddha - Mallakrida - Malyutham - Marma Adi - Mizo Inchai - Mukna - Niyuddha-kride - Pata - Pehlwani - Sarit Sarak - Shastar Vidiya - Silambam Nillaikalakki - Savasu - Thang Ta - Varma Kalai - Vajra Mushti / Vajra Mukti
Notable Practitioners
Gobar Goho - Gulam - Imam Baksh Pahalwan - The Great Gama - Phillip Zarrilli - Paul Whitrod
Related articles
Foreign influence on Chinese martial arts - Kshatriya - Yoga - Indian mêlée weapons - Dravidian martial arts - Ayurveda - Sri Lankan martial arts - Indian martial arts in popular culture

Kuttu Varisai (Empty Hand Combat) (Tamil: குத்துவரிசை) is an Indian martial art practiced in Tamil Nadu, South India and in Northeastern Sri Lanka. It is a form of hand to hand combat similar to Kung Fu and Karate. This Tamil martial art was first documented in the Tamil Sangam literature (c. 2nd-1st centuries BC).

Both Kuttu Varisai and Varma Kalai combined make up a deadly fighting art. In Kuttu Varisai, gymnastic, stretching (yoga), and breathing exercises are conducted before training. In combat, almost every part of the body is used such as the fists, elbow, feet, knees, etc. Various different animal styles such as the tiger, elephant, snake, eagle and monkey are used. All these styles include posture, grappling, throws, hits, and locks.

There are a huge variety of weapons used in this fighting system which can easily be seen in many Chola bronze statues of various deities. Weapons include the trident, sticks (kali or kaji) (short, long, or double sticks), swords (val) and shield, double swords, daggers (kuttuval) (simple or double), knuckle duster (kuttu katai), and whips with several flexible and metallic blades (surul pattai).