Malla-Yuddha
.jpg) 5th-century terracotta sculpture of wrestlers from Uttar Pradesh, India. | |
| Focus | Wrestling |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | India |
| Famous practitioners | Krishna Bhima Jarasandha Siddhartha Gautama Narasimhavarman Krishna Deva Raya Deva Raya II |
| Descendant arts | Pehlwani Naban |
| Olympic sport | No |
| Meaning | Grappling-combat |
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Malla-Yuddha (Sanskrit: मल्लयुद्ध, IAST: mallayuddha) is the traditional form of combat-wrestling originating in the Indian subcontinent.[1] It is closely related to Southeast Asian wrestling styles such as naban and is one of the two ancestors of kushti. Indian wrestling is described in the 13th century Malla Purana.
Origins
Wrestling in the Indian subcontinent is ancient,[2] making it the oldest known codified form of fighting in the region. Competitions held for entertainment were popular among all social classes, with even kings and other royalty taking part. Wrestlers represented their kings in matches between rival kingdoms; death matches before the royal court served as a way to settle disputes and avoid large-scale wars. As such, professional wrestlers were held in high regard. In pastoral communities, people would even wrestle against steers.
The first written attestation of the term mallayuddha is found in the epic Ramayana, in the context of a wrestling match between the vanara-king Vali and Ravana, the king of Lanka. Hanuman, a Ramayana character, is worshipped as the patron of wrestlers and general feats of strength. The Mahabharata epic also describes a wrestling match between Bhima and Jarasandha.[1] Other early literary descriptions of wrestling matches include the story of Balarama and Krishna.
Stories describing Krishna report that he sometimes engaged in wrestling matches where he used knee strikes to the chest, punches to the head, hair pulling, and strangleholds.[3] He defeated Kamsa, king of Mathura, in a wrestling match and became king in his place. Siddhartha Gautama himself was said to be an expert wrestler, archer and sword-fighter before becoming the Buddha. Based on such accounts, Svinth traces press ups and squats used by Indian wrestlers to the pre-classical era.[3] Later, the Pallava king Narasimhavarman acquired the nickname Mahamalla meaning "great wrestler" for his passion and prowess in the art.
Competitions in medieval times were announced by a kanjira-player a week beforehand. Matches took place at the palace entrance, in an enclosure set aside for games and shows. The wrestlers typically came on their own during public festivals, along with magicians, actors and acrobats. Other times they would be hired by nobles to compete. Winners were awarded a substantial cash prize from the king and presented with a victory standard. Possession of this standard brought national distinction.[4]
The scene of action was gay with flags flapping, and the citizenry quickly packed the rows of benches. When the wrestlers climbed into the arena, they strutted around, flexing their muscles, leaping in the air, crying out and clapping their hands. Then they grappled, holding each other tightly around the waist, their necks resting on each other's shoulder, their legs entwined, while each attempted to win a fall or break the hold.
Spread
As the influence of Indian culture spread to Southeast Asia, malla-yuddha was adopted in what are now Cambodia, Malaysia, Java, and other neighbouring countries. It became popular not only among commoners but also patronized by royalty. The legendary hero Badang was said to have engaged in such a wrestling match against a visiting champion in Singapore.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alter, Joseph S. (May 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 error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDraeger - ↑ 3.0 3.1 J. R. Svinth (2002). A Chronological History of the Martial Arts and Combative Sports. Archived 2010-12-28 at the Wayback Machine Electronic Journals of Martial Arts and Sciences.
- ↑ Jeannine Auboyer (1965). Daily Life in Ancient India. Phoenix Press. p. 252. ISBN 1-84212-591-5. Search this book on
