Looking after your training staff

Once students move on from meythari to stick work, they are encouraged to buy their own staff. A good kettukari or silambam staff costs ₹600 to ₹1,200 and can last for many years, but only if it is looked after. Most of the cracked and warped staffs we see were simply stored in the wrong place.

Our kettukari are cut from a hard local wood, and silambam staffs from seasoned bamboo. Both are natural materials that respond to Kozhikode’s humidity. Once a month, wipe the staff with a cloth dipped lightly in coconut oil or gingelly oil, rubbing along the length, and leave it to soak in for a day before training. Oil keeps the wood from drying and cracking in summer, and stops it absorbing too much damp in the monsoon.

Store it lying flat or hanging vertically from a loop, never leaning at an angle against a wall. A staff left leaning for weeks will slowly bend, and a bent staff spins unevenly. Keep it away from direct sun on a window ledge and out of the bathroom.

Before every class, run your hand slowly along the whole length. Feel for splinters, hairline cracks and any loosening of the brass ferrules at the ends, if your staff has them. A small crack in bamboo can open suddenly when it strikes another staff. If you find one, show it to Murugan asan or the gurukkal before you train. Staffs that are no longer fit for practice can be kept at home; many students hang their first staff on the wall.