Narendra Modi.

Many people may be familiar with one of the oldest martial arts in the world called Kalaripayattu, which has been practised for over 3,000 years. It is considered the pride of Kerala.

The training begins with an oil massage of the entire body until it is agile and supple. Feats like chattom (jumping), ottam (running) and marichil (somersault) are also integral parts of the art form. There are also lessons in using weapons like swords, daggers, spears, maces, and bows and arrows. 

Now a club in Dubai bagged a place in the prestigious Guinness Book of World Records for getting 270 people to perform the martial art at one venue. They were aged between 4 and 60, according to WAM.

The Kalari Club in Dubai’s spectacular feat has drawn the attention of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised it for "carrying forward ancient traditions” of humanity in his monthly radio speech to the nation.

He said he was proud that the new generation was preserving ancient heritage, particularly an Indian tradition. The India connect is what the club in Dubai was earnestly promoting, he added.

Modi lauded wholeheartedly the full-on zeal of different generations to be the torchbearers of an ancient Indian custom, not just in the country but also abroad.

A similar tradition was being carried out in the picturesque Lakshadweep Islands. "There the youth are being trained in the local arts of Kolkali, Parichakli, Kilipaat and other traditional singing.”

Dubai has figured in Modi’s monthly radio address for the second time. Exactly two years ago, in the last week of December 2020, he praised food traders in the emirate for advancing the cause of the Geographical Indication (GI) Tagged Kashmiri Saffron in the UAE. Soon afterwards Kashmiri saffron was launched at a supermarket in Dubai. This will give a fillip to exports, he said.