The Dravidian varman model #2
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Translation of Varman-adi Shastra
Interviews with varman practitioners in districts of Kerala, South India, revealed other sources of information for varman-adi (action of varman) that presented different locations for the twelve Padu varman on the human body.

According to Balachandran Nair, a Kalaripayattu practitioner in Trivendrum, much of the deeper knowledge of varman has gone “underground”. Issues to do with correct point location and techniques for opening and closing the varman were not openly taught for many reasons. “Modern ideas concerning varman lack the keys for the understanding of their use and their connection to the primal force that maintains life” (Nair, private communication 17/10/98).

In what is believed to be the first English translation of a part of an ancient, privately held text, belonging to a practitioner in Kerala, a different padu varman model has emerged.

The part translation of the unpublished Dravidian (Siddha) text, originally recorded on bamboo, was provided by a Dravidian practitioner. This text, and other bamboo records, were claimed to be over 300 years old (see Figure 1) and provided the location of secret padu (see Figure 2), which differ from the standard locations represented in previous tables (see previous article Dravidian Varman Model #1). This is strong evidence in support of the theory that there are secret varman records in southern India which are not openly taught or revealed.