Indian granny's swift martial arts moves will leave you spellbound

Meet 76-year-old Meenakshi, who's found her spot of Internet fame thanks to a viral video of her deftly fighting a man half her age.

In the video, the sari-clad Meenakshi performs a series of quick maneuvers against her opponent using just a stick, demonstrating both her skills and agility. Meenakshi, who just goes by her first name, is a master of the ancient Indian martial art form of Kalaripayattu. which originated and still continues to be practised in the southern Indian state of Kerala. 

Kalaripayattu uses sticks, swords, daggers and shields. She began learning at the age of six, and has now been practicing it for nearly 68 years.

The septuagenarian also teaches Kalaripayattu to around 150 students in her school in Vatakara in Kerala, and occasionally participates in performances like the one shown in the video. Her unique school takes no fees. Instead, students can choose to present their teacher with whatever donation or gift that they want. Around a third of the students are girls, come to emulate the Kalaripayattu skills of Meenakshi, who is probably the oldest woman trainer of the legendary martial art.

“Kalari demands dedication and discipline. The aspirants must try to achieve mastery over their body movements and balance in their training period," Meenakshi says. "At this age I could easily perform Kalari because of the physical fitness I gained through practice.” 

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