KANNUR: Barely three weeks into her training, Ishani Das already moves like a consummate kalari artist, leaving her younger fellow trainees awestruck by her speed and skill. A New York-based theatre and film artist, and dancer, she has taken to her stint at Dineshan Gurukkal’s MGS Kalari Sangham, in Kannur, with passion and exuberance.
A Bengali hailing from Kolkata, Ishani travels to India occasionally to meet relatives and in search of some downtime. This time, however, she had a deeply personal task to undertake: spreading the ashes of her father, Gopal Das, in Rishikesh.
“I had brief outings at some locations in Himachal Pradesh and arrived in Kerala a few weeks back,” she says. The cheerful, energetic young woman has already garnered the respect of Dineshan’s disciples, as she spends a lot of time at the kalari and practices like a woman on a mission.
“She never lets me rest,” says Dineshan, with a broad smile of satisfaction. “She keeps coming to me for more lessons. It seems that she is in a hurry to learn all the techniques before leaving Kannur,” he adds. Ishani, who has enroled for a six-month-long programme, has rented a homestay at Puzhathi housing colony. “Every day, she is the first to arrive and the last to leave the kalari,” says her guru.
“I sing Bengali songs out loud when waiting for buses, and while travelling on them. The drivers and conductors know me for my shorts and half-sleeve shirts,” says Ishani.
Being a fast learner, she has even started teaching basic moves to young trainees at the kalari. “Both the kids and Ishani enjoy the activity,” says Dineshan.
Besides excelling in the physical element of the marital art, she has become fluent in its oral commands -- ‘vaaythari’. “The way she pronounces Malayalam words leaves others, especially the kids, in splits,” he added.
Apart from kalari, Ishani has taken a keen interest in theyyam, the ritualistic art form of North Malabar. “To my surprise, theyyam and kalari share many similarities. The way theyyams focus and their movements, at times, remind me of kalari,” she said.
Ishani is expected to conclude her kalari training by the end of December. “Who knows, perhaps I may even decide to extend my stay in Kannur. I enjoy the land and the people here,” she says. “Before I leave, I want to go fishing with the fisherman. Seriously!” Ishani adds, beaming.