Goga Pahalwan
| Goga Pahalwan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 Amritsar, Punjab[1] |
| Died | 6 February 1981 (at age 44-45)[2] (Last match in Gujranwala City) |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Billed height | 5’11" |
| Billed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Trained by | The Great Gama |
| Debut | 20 February 1960 vs Haji Afzal of Lahore. |
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Moazzam Pahalwan, nicknamed and better known as Goga Pahalwan, was a Pakistani professional wrestler.[3]
Early life[edit]
Born in the city of Amritsar in India. He remained under the tutelage of Great Gama of Pakistan for 15 years. He displayed a blazing fighting style, with speedy reflexes seldom giving his opponents a chance to return. Favorite maneuvers were back flying kick, body slam and leg breaker etc. Goga was the youngest among his Bholu brothers who remained a professional wrestler during the 1970s. He mostly traveled around with Akram Pahalwan. Goga is better remembered because he continued wrestling during the late 1970s while his other brothers had retired from professional wrestling.[4][not in citation given]
Career[edit]
Goga was a part of the Bholu Brothers group of professional wrestling composed of Bholu Pahalwan (1922 – 1985), Hassu (Hussain Baksh), Azam Pahalwan, Aslam Pahalwan (nicknamed as Achha), Akram (nicknamed as Akki), and Goga himself.[5][1]
Goga actually started his career in 1960 starting with a tour of India and traveled with other Bholu Brothers to wrestle in some major Indian cities. Before that, he only indulged in amateur conflicts in Pakistan. After arrival in Kolhapur, the Bholu Brothers issued a challenge to the Indian Wrestlers. Gunpat Andarakar aka "Hind Kesri’’, the reigning Indian Champion accepted their challenge and demanded a match with Aslam Pahalwan who was comparatively bigger and stronger than the other Bholu Brothers. However, Goga, who was looking for an opportunity to fight, stepped forward and insisted on fighting the champ in place of his elder brother Aslam Pahalwan. The members of the Bholu’s management tried to stop him from fighting Gunpat Andarakar because he had already beaten some of the big names in wrestling. Bholu favored his younger brother’s decision, keeping in view his ambition. The Goga Pahalwan versus Gunpat Andarakar feud in 1961 began in Kolhapur, India. This was a no time limit, no draw, must win type of contest that was to continue until one wrestler loses or submits to the other. This was one of the most difficult feuds of Goga’s wrestling career because the opponent was much bigger and stronger than him. This highly-publicized physical match commenced between these headstrong wrestlers and lasted for 55 minutes. Ganpat Andarakar tried his best to overpower Goga by his size and strength but Goga managed to survive and won the match. He received a prize of Rupees 10,000 and a heavy traditional Indian wrestling trophy known as Gurz as a reward for his victory against Andarakar. The members of the Bholu’s management team performed the traditional ritual of Dastar Bandi to celebrate the victory. During this wrestling tour, Goga fell in love with an Indian lady and got married to her.[6][not in citation given]
Goga also competed in different Freestyle Wrestling events in Pakistan and abroad. He competed against some prominent wrestlers such as Kid Zimbo, Wanik Buckley, Boonta Singh, Siddique Nukehwala, Harbans Singh, Sohni, Jogindar Singh, Garnam Singh, Tarlok Singh etc. He also tackled the local champions such as Haji Afzal of Lahore, Siddique son of Goonga Pahalwan and Rashid Manila Champion.
Goga fought his early childhood match in 1948 during a major wrestling tournament held in Multan where the former Indian Champion Hamida Pahalwan Rehmaniwala a.k.a. Abdul Hamid Rehmani was scheduled to fight Qadir Baksh in the main event of the day. While usually the Grand Wrestlers, Imam Baksh Pahalwan and The Great Gama watched the tournament proceed. Customarily in India and Pakistan every main wrestling event is preceded by minor wrestling feuds between the less experienced junior wrestlers. A 17-year-old wrestler boy of another wrestling club entered the mud wrestling arena and waited for an opponent from the other side to step forward. Imam Baksh directed his ten-year-old son Goga to go into the arena and fight this 17-year-old wrestler who looked like a Giant compared to Goga. Goga was too small to tackle this big wrestler and consequently lost the match and became upset. On public questioning about why did Imam Baksh make his little son Goga fight a bigger wrestler much older than he was, Imam Baksh replied that one must know the difference between victory and defeat and should know how to tackle them before he could actually become a winner in life. Consequently, Goga was very disappointed on losing a wrestling match in a family where defeat was uncommon. Therefore, Goga always wanted to beat wrestlers bigger in size. Bholu Pahalwan only acted as a backup wrestler for his younger brothers. Goga is remembered for defeating Haruka Eigen of Japan on 12 December 1976. During his later years, he competed in a bout with some Freestyle Wrestler Klondike Bill. He was the only member of the Bholu Brothers wrestling team who never gave up active wrestling in his lifetime.
Death[edit]
Goga was accidentally killed in Gujranwala City on 6 February 1981 by a flying drop kick delivered by Nasir Bholu during an exhibition bout.[2][not in citation given]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Information on Bholu Brothers wrestlers". geocities.com website. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Profile of Goga Pahalwan on WRESTLINGDATA.COM website Retrieved 23 July 2018
- ↑ Qaswar Abbas (15 April 2013). "Shock for Sharif as sister-in-law prepares to stand for rival APML in former PM's seat". Daily Mail (UK newspaper). Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ↑ Suhail Yusuf (25 March 2014). "Revival of Bholu Brothers' legacy". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ↑ Traditional wrestling loses its grip on Pakistan The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 23 January 2013, Retrieved 22 July 2018
- ↑ Muhammad Shafique (20 November 2011). "India-Pakistan dangal (wrestling): Gujranwala glory to Pakistan". Pakistan Today (newspaper). Retrieved 22 July 2018.
External links[edit]
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