Kuttu Varisai (Empty Hand Combat) (Tamil: குத்துவரிசை) is a Tamil Indian martial art practiced in Tamil Nadu, South India and in Northeastern Sri Lanka, formerly known as Thamizhakkam. It is a form of hand to hand combat similar to Kung Fu and Karate. This Tamil martial art was first documented in the Tamil Sangam literature (c. 2nd-1st centuries BC). Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... Tamil may refer to: Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in the South ASIA Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language Tamil people The phrase Tamil country is used sometimes to refer to the regions with a significant population of Tamil-speaking people. ... Indian martial arts are as old as the culture and civilization of the country. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... South India is a region of India that includes the entire Indian Peninsula, south of the Vindhya ranges. ... The ancient Tamil country of the classical era extended from River Krishna to the Cape Comorin(Kanyakumari). ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Karate or karate-dō is a martial art of Okinawan origin. ... The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... Tamil literature is literature in the Tamil language which most prominently includes the contributions of the Tamil country (or Tamizhagam) history, a large part of which constitutes the modern state of Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well as some parts of Karnataka and Andra pradesh. ... The Sangam is a collection of Tamil literature composed between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. ...

Both Kuttu Varisai and Varma Kalai combined make up a deadly fighting art. In Kuttu Varisai, gymnastic, stretching (yoga), and breathing exercises are conducted before training. In combat, almost every part of the body is used such as the fists, elbow, feet, knees, etc. Various different animal styles such as the tiger, elephant, snake, eagle and monkey are used. All these styles include posture, grappling, throws, hits, and locks. Varma Kalai Varma Kalai (also spelled Varmakalai or Varmakkalai) is an ancient martial art which has its origins in the southern part of India, more specifically, around Tamil Nadu state. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

There are a huge variety of weapons used in this fighting system which can easily be seen in many Chola bronze statues of various deities. Weapons include the trident, sticks (kali or kaji) (short, long, or double sticks), swords (val) and shield, double swords, daggers (kuttuval) (simple or double), knuckle duster (kuttu katai), and whips with several flexible and metallic blades (surul pattai). The Chola dynasty (Tamil: சோழர் குலம்; IPA pronunciation: ) was a Tamil dynasty that ruled primarily in southern India until the 13th century CE. The dynasty originated in the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. ... Trident, Burmese, 18th century A massive sculpture of Lord Shiva holding a trident (Trishula). ... ...

Notes and references

See also

• Indian martial arts
• Varma Kalai