Celebrating all those trailblazing female characters who are simultaneously beautiful, strong, practical, complex, and most importantly, are armed with two or more feet of steel. HELL YEAH!
Defying age with a sword: Meenakshi Gurrukkal, Kerala’s grand old Kalaripayattu dame
“Meenakshi Gurukkal crouched low, sword poised; her eyes unblinking as she faced her opponent in the mud-paved ‘kalari’ or arena. From the tree tops, a mynah’s call resonated in the silence. In a flash she moved to attack, twirling her sword; metal clashing loudly as it made contact with a shield.
At 74, she is possibly the oldest woman exponent of Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial arts from Kerala. She has been practising Kalaripayattu for no less than sixty-eight years - training and teaching.
Around 150 students learn Kalaripayattu in her school Kadathanadan Kalari Sangam, in a tiny hamlet in Vadakara, near Calicut, Kerala. From June to September every year, classes are held thrice a day teaching the Northern style of Kalaripayattu, including “uzhichil” or massages for aches and pains. Techniques have been passed down through generations, written in a palm ‘booklet’, grey and delicate with age. When school term is over, Meenakshi takes part in performances. “Nowadays, apart from teaching, I practise only when I have a show,” she says nonchalantly. This, from someone who on an average performs in 60 shows a year…”
Hopefully it gets in. They’re taking entries now, so if you like writing about/drawing buff lady characters consider submitting something by October 26! :)
my favorite paintings of Joan of Arc are the ones where she’s got that cute bobcut thing going on, but also this one because she’s getting a sword from a ghost which are arguably the most powerful type of swords to receive. what are your favorite paintings of Joan of Arc
