 Pehlwani-style wrestling match inDavangere,Karnataka, India (2005). | |
| Also known as | Kushti |
|---|---|
| Focus | Wrestling |
| Country of origin | Indian subcontinent |
| Famous practitioners | banda singh bahadur Dara Singh The Great Gama Bholu Pahalwan Bajrang Punia Vinesh Phogat Nathmal Pahalwan Deepak Punia Ravi Kumar Dahiya Harishchandra Birajdar Kodi Rammurthy Naidu Jatindra Charan Goho Sushil Kumar Narsingh Yadav Khashaba Jadhav |
| Parenthood | Koshti pahlevani Malla-yuddha |
| Descendant arts | Catch wrestling |
| Olympic sport | No |
Pehlwani,[1] also known asKushti[2], is a form ofwrestling contested in theIndian subcontinent. It was developed in theMughal Empire by combining PersianKoshti pahlevani with influences from native IndianMalla-yuddha.[3][4][2] The wordspehlwani andkushti derive from thePersian termspahlavani (heroic) andkoshti (wrestling, lit. killing) respectively, meaning Heroic wrestling. A practitioner of this sport is referred to as apehlwan (Persian word forhero) while teachers are known asustad (Persian word forteacher ormaster) orguru.[4][2]
One of the most famous practitioners of Pehlwani wasThe Great Gama (Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt), who is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.Kodi Rammurthy Naidu was another example.[5] Brahmdev Mishra is another example of an Indian wrestler who was known for his technique and physique not only in India but all over the world.[6] Pehlwani is one of the sports that influencedcatch wrestling,[7][8] which in turn partially inspiredfolkstyle wrestling,freestyle wrestling, andmixed martial arts (MMA).[9]
The wordpahelwan is derived from the Persian wordpahlavan, meaning "champion" or "warrior", originally used to refer to skilled warriors on the battlefield.[2] In India, the term "Pahelwan" is a title to refer to a wrestler.[10]
Theancient Indian form of wrestling is calledmalla-yuddha.[4] Practiced at least since the 5th millennium BC,[11][12] described in the 13th century treatiseMalla Purana, it was the precursor of modern Kushti.[3] There are references to wrestling in the two principalancient Indian epics, theMahabharata andRamayana. In thePersian literary tradition, theShahnama contains references to wrestling, with the greatest wrestler in the Persian tradition being regarded asRustam.[2]
In the 16th century, northernIndia was conquered by the Central AsianMughals, who were ofTurko-Mongol descent. Through the influence ofIranian andMongolian wrestling, given time, the localmalla-yuddha was supplanted by Persian Koshti. Interestingly, the aspects of Malla-yuddha survived in the culture of the Akhad (wrestling academy): Students are expected to be vegetarian, cook, take care of the facility, and be celibate.
Babur, the first Mughal emperor, was a wrestler himself and could reportedly run very fast for a long distance while holding a man under each arm. Mughal-era wrestlers sometimes even worebagh naka on one hand, in a variation callednaki ka kushti or "claw wrestling".
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During the late 17th century, Ramadasa travelled the country encouraging Hindus to be physically active in homage to the great godHanuman.Maratha rulers supported Kushti by offering large sums of prize money for tournament champions. It was said that everyMaratha boy at the time could wrestle and even women took up the sport. During the colonial period, local princes sustained the popularity of kushti by hosting matches and competitions. Wrestling was the favourite spectator sport of theRajputs, and were said to look forward to tournaments "with great anxiety". EveryRajput prince or chief had a number of wrestling champions to compete for his entertainment. The greatest wrestling centres were said to beUttar Pradesh andPanjab region.[2]
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In 1909, a Bengali merchant named Abdul Jabbar Saudagar intended to unite the local youth and inspire them in the anti-British struggle against the colonists through a display of strength by holding a wrestling tournament. Known as Jabbar-er Boli Khela, this competition has continued through independence and the subsequentpartition. It is still held inBangladesh every Boishakhi Mela (Bengali new year), accompanied by playing of the traditionalsanai (flute) anddabor (drum), and is one ofChittagong's oldest traditions.
In the more recent past, India had famous wrestlers of the class of theGreat Gama (of British India and later Pakistan, afterpartition) andGobar Goho. India reached its peak of glory in the IVAsian Games (later on called Jakarta Games) in 1962 when all the seven wrestlers were placed on the medal list and in between them they won 12 medals infreestyle wrestling andGreco-Roman wrestling. A repetition of this performance was witnessed again when all the 8 wrestlers sent to theCommonwealth Games held atKingston, Jamaica had the distinction of getting medals for the country. During the 60s, India was ranked among the first eight or nine wrestling nations of the world and hosted the world wrestling championships in New Delhi in 1967.
Pehlwans who compete in wrestling nowadays are also known tocross train in the grappling aspects ofjudo andjujutsu. Legendary wrestlers from the bygone era likeKarl Gotch have made tours toIndia to learn kushti and further hone their skills. Karl Gotch was even gifted a pair ofmugdar (heavy wooden clubs used for building the arm and shoulder muscles by South Asian wrestlers). The conditioning exercises of pehlwani have been incorporated into many of the conditioning aspects of bothcatch wrestling andshoot wrestling, along with their derivative systems.
According to former wrestler Ranjit Singh (pseudonymBhu Pinder), thepahelwani scene in Punjab during the 1930's had around five-hundred skilled wrestlers, with the majority being Sikhs or Muslims. In the late 1880's and early 1890's, Kala Partapa and Gora Partapa were two renowned heavy-weight wrestler in the Malwa region of Punjab. In 1898, the Great Gama became theRustam-e-Hind, with notable victories in London against Ben Roller and Stanley Zbyzsko following in 1910. Another prominent wrestler was Goonga Pahelwan, who had defeated the Great Gama's nephew, Gama Kalloo, in 1918, causing a stir in the wrestling-scene.[10] Balbir Singh Kanwal has authored multiple books on the history of Punjabi wrestling.[13]
Physical training in the art is referred to asvirayam.[2] Although wrestling in the Indian subcontinent saw changes in the Mughal era and the colonial period, the training regimen has remained the same for over 150 years. Many of the most-renowned historical pahelwans were born into wrestling families, where their relatives had practiced the art, with the son learning wrestling from his father from an early age.[2] Fledgling wrestlers may start as early as 6, but most begin formal training in their teens. They are sent to anakhara (wrestling-pit[2]) or traditional wrestling school where they are put under the apprenticeship of the local guru. Their only training attire is thekowpeenam or loincloth. A pahelwan aims to achieve a state of self-realization (jivanmukti), which imbued spiritual concepts into the art.[2]
Vyayam or physical training is meant to build strength and develop muscle bulk and flexibility. Exercises that employ the wrestler's own bodyweight include theSurya Namaskara,shirshasana, and thedanda, which are also found in hathayoga, as well as thebethak. Sawari (fromPersiansavâri, meaning "the passenger") is the practice of using another person's body weight to add resistance to such exercises.[4] An example of a training technique to strengthen the pahelwan's body was by turning the shaft of aSaqiyah (traditional device used to draw water from wells) for a prolonged period of time, with this kind of work normally being done by bullocks or camels.[2]
Exercise regimens may employ the following weight training devices:
Exercise regimens may also includedhakuli which involve twisting rotations, rope climbing, log pulling and running. Massage is regarded an integral part of a wrestler's exercise regimen.
A typical training day will go as follows:
Some exercises are as follows:[10]
According to theSamkhya school of Hindu philosophy, everything in the universe—including people, activities, and foods—can be sorted into threegunas:sattva (calm/good),rajas (passionate/active), andtamas (dull/lethargic).[relevant?]
As a vigorous activity, wrestling has an inherentlyrajasic nature, which pehlwan counteract through the consumption of sattvic foods. Milk andghee are regarded as the most sattvic of foods and, along with almonds, constitute the holy trinity of thepehlwani khurak (fromPersian خوراک پهلوانیkhorâk-e pahlavâni), or diet. A common snack for pehlwan arechickpeas that have been sprouted overnight in water and seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon; the water in which the chickpeas were sprouted is also regarded as nutritious. Various articles in the Indian wrestling monthlyBharatiya Kushti have recommended the consumption of the following fruits: apples,wood-apples, bananas,figs, pomegranates,gooseberries, lemons, and watermelons. Orange juice[citation needed] and green vegetables are also recommended for their sattvic nature. Many pehlwan eat meat due to its high protein content. Famed pehlwanDara Singh used to eat more than a pound of meat every day.[14]
Ideally, wrestlers are supposed to avoid sour and excessively spiced foods such aschatni andachar as well aschaat. Mild seasoning with garlic, cumin, coriander, and turmeric is acceptable. The consumption of alcohol, tobacco, andpaan is strongly discouraged.[4]
It has been said that most of the moves found in the wrestling forms of other countries are present in kushti, and some are unique to the Indian subcontinent. These are primarily locks, throws, pins, and submission holds. Unlike its ancient ancestormalla-yuddha, kushti does not permit strikes or kicks during a match. Among the most favoured manoeuvres are thedhobi paat (shoulder throw) and thekasauta (strangle pin). Other moves include thebaharli,dhak,machli gota and themultani. Two fundamental components of pahelwani are stance (paintra), and moves/counter-moves (daw-pech).[2] Daw-pech comprises many different kinds of feints and parries.[2] Paintra is the footing of the wrestler on the ground, which is important for attacks or retreats.[2] It is also important for the wrestler to be able to read his opponent to anticipate their next action.[2]
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Wrestling competitions known asdangal (wrestling bout[2]) orkushti, are held in villages and as such are variable and flexible. The area is either a circular or square shape, measuring at least fourteen feet across. Rather than using modern mats, South Asian wrestlers train and compete on dirt floors. Before training, the floor is raked of any pebbles or stones. Buttermilk, oil, and red ochre are sprinkled to the ground, giving the dirt its red hue. Water is added every few days to keep it at the right consistency; soft enough to avoid injury but hard enough so as not to impede the wrestlers' movements. Every match is preceded by the wrestlers throwing a few handfuls of dirt from the floor on themselves and their opponent as a form of blessing. Despite the marked boundaries of the arena, competitors may go outside the ring during a match with no penalty. There are no rounds but the length of every bout is specified beforehand, usually about 25–30 minutes. If both competitors agree, the length of the match may be extended. Match extensions are typically around 10–15 minutes.[15] Unlike mat-based wrestling, there is no point scoring system; a win is achieved by pinning the opponent's shoulders and hips to the ground simultaneously, although victory byknockout, stoppage orsubmission is also possible. In some variations of the rules, pinning only the shoulders is sufficient. Bouts are overseen by a referee inside the ring and a panel of two judges watching from the outside.[citation needed]
Official titles awarded to kushti champions are as follows. Note that the titleRustam is actually the name of an Iranian hero from theShahnameh epic.
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| National level tournaments | |
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| Martial arts and combat sports | |
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| Related terms | |
