International Karlakattai Day DEC 12

International Karlakattai Day

December 12

Indian Traditional Health Training 

Originated from Tamilnadu 

About Karlakattai and Karlakattai Practice

What is a Karlakattai?

Karlakattai is a training tool or equipment used for body conditioning. It was mainly used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is a wooden club, that is specific in dimension, shape and wood used compared to the more commonly known Indian Clubs. There are different types of Karlakattai’s that have a specific purpose and used by both men and women of different trades and profession to keep fit, become stronger, proficient and healthier. 

The name Karlakattai has an interesting origin story. It is said that the head of Bootha ganangal who are Shiva’s Ganas was Karalan. He is believed to uproot large trees and use the base of these trees as weapons and to exercise. Kattai in Tamil is wood or log. So, the Kattai that Karalan used is called Karlakattai. Over the years, it was transformed into a weapon and got a name Gadhayutham or Gada. 

What is Karlakattai Training? 

It is said that Karlakattai Practice and Training goes back to the times of Gods and Warriors, the evidence of which is seen in some of the oldest temples in India. 

Karlakattai training was given to the Kings and Warriors by Gurus and Siddars. Over time, Karlakattai was not just used by the warriors but many everyday people including women to keep fit and functional according to their profession.

Karlakattai Training is a wholistic approach to training your entire body, making it fit, healthy and functional from the inside. Karlakattai Training comprises of:

🔘Mei Paadam: which means understanding the body, its capability and capacity and building on it. It is a series of free hand exercises and a form of warm up before we start the exercises with the Karlakattai. There are over 1500 movements in Mei Paadam and is a complete body workout on its own

🔘Udal Kattu Paadam: Building on ourselves body after we have understood what our body is capable of and knowing the limitations, capability and capacity of our body and mind. These are also done free hand using our own body weight. 

🔘Karlakattai Exercises: These are rotations done with the Karlakattai. 

🔘Kshaktiriya Pranayama: All the different practices done in Karlakattai training is carried out with a breathing technique called Kshktiriya Pranayama. Kshakti means Energy, Riya means to gather, and pranayama is breathing. So, gathering energy through breathing. This is vital in Karlakattai training. 

Benefits of Karlakattai Training: 

Karlakattai practice increases joint mobility, strengthens posterior chain, develops and enhances neural coordination and it works on all 12 of the body systems. Skin, skeletal system, blood, respiratory system…. Etc to even your digestive and excretory system. Karlakattai’s are made from special medicinal wood and treated with herbal oils. When you grip and practice with a Karlakattai, the medicinal values of the wood and oils are absorbed into your skin and body giving numerous health benefits to the practitioner. 

There are 6 different types of Karlakattai and one exclusively for women. With these you can perform 64 different types of main suttrus or rotations that works the entire body. Each Suttru is like a chapter and every chapter has subdivisions or variations. The different suttrus work on different parts of your body from the inside and help build your immune system as well. Finally, Karlakattai practice helps keep a clear, sharp and calm mind through meditative movement. 

(Please introduce this health training to our children in schools)