This is the first in-depth study of kalarippayattu, one of India's traditional martial arts, dating from at least the twelfth century ad. Based on twenty years of research and practice in Kerala, this profusely-illustrated interdisciplinary performance ethnography traces how kalarippayattu is a mode of cultural practice through which bodies, knowledge, power, agency, selves, and identities are constantly repositioned. The book will be a rewarding one for all those interested in the martial arts, general readers, anthropologists and culture theory scholars. From review We are indeed grateful to... the author for provid(ing)... a historical outline of the martial art, its ritual setting and the various dimensions of the physical disciplining besides the centrality about its notion of the attainment of psycho-physical perfection... filling the whole body with eyes. ...a delightfully informative volume.'