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Pehlwani

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Add different exerscies of gadas and mudgals


Pahlavani
An old Indian Pahlavan exercising near Varanasi.
Also known asKoshti, Kürd
FocusGrappling
Country of originIran
Famous practitionersThe Great Gama
ParenthoodMalla-yuddha

Shastar Vidiya
Varzesh-e Pahlavani

Mongolian wrestling
Olympic sportNo

Template:Indian martial arts sidebar Pahlavani (Template:Lang-fa, Template:Lang-ur,Template:Lang-pa, Template:Lang-hi , Template:Lang-bn) or Kushti (Template:Lang-fa, Template:Lang-ur,Template:Lang-pa, Template:Lang-hi ,Template:Lang-bn) is a Persian style of wrestling popular in Iran, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It was developed in the Mughal era through a synthesis of Indian malla-yuddha and Persian Varzesh-e Bastani.[1][2]

A practitioner of this sport is referred to as a Pehlwan, or a Pahalwan, while teachers are known as Ustad (or guru, for Hindu teachers).[2] The undefeated champions of India hold the title Rustam-i-Hind, meaning "the Rostam of India", denoting Rostam the hero of the Persian national epic, the Shahnameh.

Through time Western training methods and nomenclature from Iran and Europe were introduced into Pahlavani. Wrestling competitions, known as dangals, held in villages can have their own rules variations. Usually a win is awarded by decision from the panel of judges, knockout, stoppage or submission.

History

Pehlwani come first in the Iranian sources. In Avesta and in part of nameye minovi, that Zarathustra is preparing for war with Ahriman:

We admire the manly pahlawani, that gives freedom to men, gives freedom with his wisdom, faster from the fast, braver than brave, that by the grace of God comes to men and the men bring in the plight of emancipation.

researchers believe a word derived from pahlavi is said to be derived from the Parthian language word parthav or parthau, meaning Parthia, a region just southeast of the Caspian Sea, with the -i suffix denoting the language and people of that region. In Iranian history, Rostam is a mythical Pahlawan, a man who is unitary and faithful and intelligent and with great power. After Islamic period in Iran, the Pahlawani cultural spread from Iran to other areas, such as India, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan.

The ancient South Asian form of wrestling is called malla-yuddha[2]. Practiced at least since the 5th century BC[3] and described in the 13th century treatise Malla Purana, it was the precursor of modern pehlwani.[1] In the 16th century India was conquered by the Central Asian Mughals, who were of Mongol descent and officially promoted Persian culture. They brought the influence of Persian and Mongolian wrestling to the local malla-yuddha, thereby creating modern pahlavani.

In the recent past India had great wrestlers of the class of the Great Gama (of British India and after partion Pakistan) and Gobar Goho. India reached its peak of glory in the IV Asian 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 in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. A repetition of this performance was witnessed again when all the 8 wrestlers sent to the Commonwealth Games held at Kingston, Jamaica had the distinction of getting medals for the country. During the 60’s, 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.

Pahlavans who compete in wrestling nowadays are also known to cross train in the grappling aspects of judo and jujutsu. Legendary wrestlers from the bygone era like Karl Gotch have made tours to India to learn the art of pehlwani and further hone their skills. Karl Gotch was even gifted a pair of "mudgals" (exercise equipment used by the Indian wrestlers). The conditioning exercises of pahlavani have been incorporated into many of the conditioning aspects of both catch wrestling and shoot wrestling, along with their derivative systems. These systems also borrow several throws, submissions and takedowns from pehlwani.

Regimen

Training

In Indian wrestling, vyayam or physical training is meant to build strength and develop muscle bulk and flexibility. Exercises that employ the wrestler's own bodyweight include the Surya Namaskara, shirshasan, and the dand, which are also found in hatha yoga, as well as the bethak. Sawari (from Persian savâri, meaning "the passenger") is the practice of using another person's bodyweight to add resistance to such exercises.[2]

Exercise regimens may also employ the following weight training devices:

  • The nal is a hollow stone cylinder with a handle inside.
  • The gar nal (neck weight) is a circular stone ring worn around the neck to add resistance to dands and bethaks.
  • The gada is a club or mace associated with Hanuman. An exercise gada is a heavy round stone attached to the end of a meter-long bamboo stick. Pahalwani trophies take the form of gadas made of silver and gold.

Exercise regimens may also include dhakulis which involve twisting rotations, rope climbing, log pulling and running. Massage is regarded an integral part of an Indian wrestler's exercise regimen.

Diet

According to the Samkhya school of philosophy, everything in the universe—including people, activities, and foods—can be sorted into three gunas: sattva (calm/good), rajas (passionate/active), and tamas (dull/lethargic).

As a vigorous activity, wrestling has an inherently rajasic nature, which pahalwan counteract through the consumption of sattvic foods. Milk and ghee are regarded as the most sattvic of foods and, along with almonds, constitute the holy trinity of the pahalwani khurak (from Persian خوراک پهلوانی, khorâk-e Pahlavâni), or diet. A common snack for pahalwan are chickpeas 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 monthly Bharatiya Kushti have recommended the consumption of the following fruits: apples, wood-apples, bananas, figs, pomegranates, gooseberries, lemons, and watermelons. Orange juice and green vegetables are also recommended for their sattvic nature. Some pahalwan eat meat in spite of its rajasic nature.[2]

Ideally, wrestlers are supposed to avoid sour and excessively spiced foods such as chatni and achar as well as chaat. Mild seasoning with garlic, cumin, coriander, and turmeric is acceptable. The consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and paan is strongly discouraged.[2]

Indian wrestling titles

  • Rustam-i-Hind: (also spelled Rustam-e-Hind) Wrestling Champion of India in Hindustani. Imam Baksh Pahalwan, Hamida Pahalwan, Dadu Chaugle and Harishchandra Birajdar from Maharashtra krishan kumar from haryana and Pehalwan Shamsher Singh (Punjab Police) held the Rustam-I-Hind title in the past.
  • Rustam-e-Punjab : (also spelled Rustam-I-Punjab) Wrestling Champion of Punjab in Hindustani. Pehalwan Shamsher Singh (Punjab Police) Pehalwan Salwinder Singh Shinda was a six time Rustam-e-Punjab.
  • Rustam-i-Zamana: World Wrestling Champion in Hindustani. The Great Gama became known as Rustam-I-Zamana when he defeated Stanislaus Zbyszko in 1910.
  • Bharat-Kesri: Best heavyweight wrestler in Hindi. Recent winners include Rajeev Tomar (Railways), Pehalwan Shamsher Singh (Punjab Police) and Palwinder Singh Cheema (Punjab police).,krishan kumar(1986)
  • Hind Kesari

References

  1. ^ a b Alter, Joseph S. (1992a). "The "sannyasi" and the Indian Wrestler: The Anatomy of a Relationship". American Ethnologist. 19 (2): 317–336. doi:10.1525/ae.1992.19.2.02a00070. ISSN 00940496. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Alter, Joseph S. (1992b). The Wrestler's Body: Identity and Ideology in North India. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-07697-4. Cite error: The named reference "Alter1992b" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ Alter, Joseph S. (1992). "the sannyasi and the Indian wrestler: the anatomy of a relationship". American Ethnologist. 19 (2): 317–336. doi:10.1525/ae.1992.19.2.02a00070. ISSN 0094-0496. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

See also

Template:Manav by country

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