Our Kalari  

Dasagriva Marma Kalari was established in Trivandrum in 2009 by Dr Jijo MG. Before it was known as Veera Kerala Kalari Founded by the Great Legend Kalari Master Krishnankutty Asan in 1958. The founder-Gurukkal of the  Dasagriva Marma Kalari Dr.Jijo MG has acquired mastery over the  Southern Southern, Northern & Adimurai styles of Kalaripayattu. He was trained in the Southern style initially and his instructor was his grandfather Sri Krishnankutty Asan  at Trivandrum. Even while undergoing training, his interest in Kalaripayattu grew stronger. In a bid to learn the Adimurai & Silambam he went to Kanyakumari , in Tamilnadu, and gained expertise in it too. Subsequently, he learnt the Northern Style as well. It was a deep-rooted desire to disseminate information about this martial art to the maximum number of people and to generate interest for it in them that inspired him to set up his Kalari Class at his house in Malayinkeezhu. Now extended classes to different places in Trivandrum.

Dasagriva gives training in  Southern & Northern Adimurali style of Kalaripayattu. Children from the age of five are taken in for training programmes. No upper age limit has been fixed to induct interested pupils. According to a rough estimate, Dasagriva must have trained at least 1000+ students in Kalarippayattu by now. The group is a mixed one that includes school- and college-going students, employed people and even stay-at-home wives. They are trained in practically all aspects of Kalaripayattu – using the body and the arms, and employing long as well as short sticks, spears, sword and shield, urumi and so on. The centre encourages promising  trainees to participate in district- and national-level competitions by giving them special training. 

Training on bare hand attacks and defense concentrated mainly on MARMAS/vital points of human body. Because of its potency is high, the student has to be raised mentally to a stable position, for right decision at right time. Spiritual aspects of kalari play a unique role in molding the mental health and thoughts of a student, to give priority to protection rather than attack. Yoga and meditation is closely linked with this latter part of kalaripayattu training to upgrade a student to a master. Kalari-master/Gurukkal is not merely a teacher of martial art but also admissible and respected by the society for his healing power and positive energy.