A sword, a saree, and swift moves is what leave everyone’s jaws dropping when one witnesses Amma practicing her art. Meenakshi amma Gurukkal is one of the notable names in the books of martial arts who teaches the ancient art from Kerala – Kalaripayattu. Clad in six yards of elegance, the 80-year-old believes that every woman must know the art form and perform every stance and every move in a saree with unwavering courage and ease.

Agile and light on her feet, the 80-year-old is always dressed in a pastel-shade saree with her hair, i.e., din bun. Till date, she has taken in disciples and entered the Kalari – the arena with red earth—with the same zeal.

Who is Meenakshi Gurukkal?

Hailing from the quaint yet panoramic town of Vadakara, Gurukkal is a recipient of Padma Shri award as well. Reminiscing her early days, she explains that Kalaripayattu has been her life since the age of 7 when her father first introduced her to it by taking her to watch an exhibition performance by a Kalari group. “That was long before Independence and my father was determined that both my sister and I learn this art,” she recalls speaking with Better India.

Eventually, she developed an interest in the martial art form and enrolled with Raghavan Master. Years later, she married her guru and both of them run the classes together.

Meenakshi Amma teaches this Indian martial art to 150 students at her school, Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam in her locality of Vatakara, Kozhikode, Kerala. June to September is the main season for training and shows, and Meenakshi Amma’s classes are full. She performs up to 60 shows a year, many in cities like Bangalore and Chennai.