Kalarippayattu

Kalarippayattu is an ancient martial art that has its origins in the Kerala area of Southern India, and can be traced back to the Vedic period. Although the art itself is not well known outside of India, legend has it that around 525 AD an Indian Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma traveled to China to the Shaolin Temple. Upon finding the monks weak and listless, Bodhidharama taught them the eighteen hands of Buddha, which later became known as the 18 Lohan Hands. This was a specialized set of exercises that had a profound effect on the martial arts of China, Shaolin Kung Fu in particular. These eighteen hands of Buddha were derived from the eighteen adavukal (adavu = technique) that form the basis of the Vadakkan or northern style of Kalarippayattu.