Salutation

I salute the deity before beginning,
I salute mother earth, for the strength I derive from her,
I salute my guru for all the knowledge I inherit.

I help protect the innocent from savages,
And heal the victims of ravages.

Over the ages, I have travelled across the seas,
And been nurtured by different cultures.

I gave birth to Shaolin Kung fu.
But my roots remain hidden,
And only a select few
Can uncover the deeply guarded secrets that define me.

I am Kalaripayattu,
An ancient Indian martial art,
The mother of all martial arts.

I had written this little piece for a voice over for a video almost two and a half years ago. Inspired by the salutation sequence of kalaripayattu students and gurus, I had hoped to spread awareness about the art form. I couldn’t quite do justice to the theme at that time. And I do not think I will ever be able to, not in the near future at least. When I discovered this in my post drafts, I figured it was better ‘out there’ in the wild than gathering virtual dust.