Urumi- the lethal weapon in Kalaripayattu

Urumi is a weapon used in Kalaripayattu, the martial art of Kerala.
Urumi or chuttuvaal is a kind of sword with thin long blade that has spring like action. It can be worn round the waist and used when ever necessary.

Urumi fight can be conducted either independently or with a paricha (shield).

There are many types of fights using urumi and the prominent one is that which makes use of a shield. Urumi is a lethal weapon. The flexible nature of the weapon makes it difficult to control and hence only a highly trained person can handle it.

If handled well, Urumi alone is required for a warrior to fight with a dozen opponents. On the other side if not used properly it can harm the user