Kannur (Kerala): This 4-year-old boy hailing from Kannur district in Kerala creates wonders in the martial art form of Kalaripayattu and enthrals the audience.
Yadhav Gopinath, who is the son of Kalari Gurukkal Gopinath of AKG Kalari Sangham in Iritty taluk of Kannur district, is the little Kalari performer who leaves the audience in awe.
He learnt the adavukal (techniques in Kalari combat) by just watching his father training students, thereby becoming a prodigy in Kalari martial art with no formal training received yet, even from his father.
Certain techniques and combat postures, which might go wrong even for adult performers with years of practice, are perfectly secure in Yadhav’s little hands.
The techniques in Kettukaari, Vadi Karakkal, fire show, Chuvadukal (steps/moves) and Kalari Vandanam are all performed by the 4-year-old with ease and flexibility an adult performer achieves through many years of rigorous training.
Gopinath is the disciple of the senior Kalari exponent Sooryayi Narayana Gurukkal. However, Gopinath has not yet let Yadhav into the Kalari (the enclosure where the martial art is taught). Little Yadhav only watched his father teaching the students and learnt it all by himself to perform all the techniques gracefully leaving the audience enthralled.
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Even as Yadhav’s elder brother Abhinand is just beginning to learn step by step, Yadhav astonishes people through his flexible moves and techniques.
Gopinathan who has been active in the field of Kalaripayattu now focuses on Kalari treatment methods, like uzhichil and thirummal, besides training students.
Many people have recovered from their illnesses through Gopinath’s Kalari treatments.
Through rigorous and systematic training under Gopinath, his Kalari students have won the National championship in the martial art form.
Presently, a Kalari institute named AKG Kalari Sangham is being run by Gopinath. Owing to the lockdown, training and practice sessions have been restricted to their home. That is when the Gopinath and his family noticed the talent and flexibility of his younger son Yadhav.
Gopinath agrees that Yadhav quickly grasps the nuances of each different Kalari move at this very young age.
Gopinath had trained under Pavithran and Janardhanan from Koothuparambu and Babu Gurukkal from Vayathur. Gopinathan has been exploring the different stages of Kalari and has mesmerized audience by combining dance with Kalari.
Gopinath and his wife Sheena are all the more delighted now, with both their sons practising Kalari and all set to be his successors.
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