Varma kalai (Tamil: varmakkalai, Malayalam: marmakkala, Sinhala: maru kalā, Telugu: marmavidyakaḷa, Sanskrit: marmavidya) is a Indian term meaning "art of vital points". It is a component of traditional massage, medicine, and martial arts in which the body's pressure points (varma or marma) are manipulated to heal or cause harm. The healing application called vaidhiya murai is used in ayurveda and siddha medicine (siddha vaidyam) to treat patients suffering from paralysis, nervous disorder, spondylitis and other conditions. Its combat application is known as varma adi or marma adi meaning "pressure-point striking", and can be done either empty-handed or with a blunt weapon such as a stick or staff. Usually taught as an advanced stage of Indian fighting systems, strikes are targeted at the nerves, veins, tendons, organs and bone joints.