Martial Arts
14-Day Kalaripayattu Introductory Immersion
The experience
You'll move into Ashan Vipin Das Gurukulam for two weeks, training at dawn and dusk the way his long-term students do — starting with the uzhichil oil massage and meithari conditioning that open every kalari session, then building through stances, footwork, and animal-inspired combat postures into your first stick-fighting drills. No prior experience is expected; beginners train alongside Vipin Das's more advanced students, who help guide the newer arrivals through each sequence.
Why this matters
Two weeks is long enough to feel Kalaripayattu change how your body moves, without asking for the months most serious training takes — and it keeps a working kalari able to keep teaching in a district where very few gurukulams like Vipin Das's still operate.
Cultural background
Kalaripayattu developed in Kerala over more than a thousand years, combining combat, medicine and ritual in a single discipline. Training traditionally begins with an oil massage and a salutation to the kalari floor, and has historically been taught inside a gurukulam — a teacher's own household — rather than a studio.
Schedule
Week 1
Oil massage (uzhichil), meithari conditioning, and foundational stances (vadivu) in twice-daily sessions
Week 2
Footwork combinations, animal-inspired combat postures, and an introduction to stick-fighting
Difficulty
Moderate — two weeks of twice-daily training, paced for complete beginners
Age suitability
7 and up — no prior fitness level or experience is a barrier
Gallery
Morning uzhichil and meithari
Evening stance and footwork drills
Gurukulam groundsPhotographs from this experience will replace these panels once available.
Included
- Twice-daily training with Ashan Vipin Das (morning and evening sessions)
- Shared dorm-style gurukulam accommodation
- Three vegetarian meals a day
- Completion certificate at the end of the 14 days
Not included
- Travel to Chemmalasseri
- Personal insurance
- Traditional practice attire
Before you arrive
- · Bring practice clothing for two sessions a day and a light blanket for the evenings
- · No special preparation needed beyond a willingness to start as a complete beginner
- · Trim nails and avoid oil-based products before your first session
Frequently asked
Do I need any martial arts background?
No — this program is built for complete beginners, and weight or fitness level isn't a barrier.
Will I be training alongside advanced students?
Yes — Vipin Das's gurukulam mixes levels, and advanced students help mentor beginners through each session.
Is there a certificate at the end?
Yes, a completion certificate is given for the full 14 days.
What people say
“Two weeks in and my body already moves differently — this was never just a workshop.”
Farhan I. · 5/5
“I arrived with zero experience and the advanced students made every session feel possible.”
Meera S. · 5/5
Not a sight to see — a practice to enter.