Month: February 2016
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Defying age with a sword: Meenakshi Gurrukkal, Kerala’s grand old Kalaripayattu Dame
Meenakshi Gurukkal crouched low, sword poised; her eyes unblinking as she faced her opponent in the mud-paved ‘kalari’ or arena. From the tree tops, a mynah’s call resonated in the silence. In a flash she moved to attack, twirling her sword; metal clashing loudly as it made contact with a shield. At 74, she is…