Exploring The Traditional Indian Wrestling Styles: Kushti & More

Intro

In this article we’re going to give you an overview of the major traditional Indian wrestling styles. 

Historically, wrestling has been one of India’s most successful sports at the Olympics, with Indian wrestlers medalling at every Summer games since Beijing 2008. So we decided to investigate if any long lasting traditions have secretly been the foundation for these recent successes.

Considering that nearly a fifth of the world’s population resides in India, the cultural diversity on the Indian subcontinent is huge, so this is by no means going to be a comprehensive study (hence the expression “major styles” at the beginning).

1. Kushti (Pehlwani)

First we’ll introduce you to Kushti, also known as Pehlwani (পালোয়ানী, पहलवानी or பெலவானி in native scripts). This is the traditional Indian wrestling style with the most practitioners, and can be considered as the style of the Hindhu majority. Despite that however, it’s also practiced by many muslims (like the Great Gama – one of the most famed Kushti wrestlers). In fact, it seems the wrestling schools are a sanctuary from the divisions imposed by the complicated caste system, where students are treated based on ability and seniority, and not social status and religion.

1.1 Origin of Kushti

The word “Kushti” is derived from the Persian term Koshti, which has the meanings of “wrestling”/”killing”. Kushti wrestlers are called pehlwan and the coaches are called ustad. Both these are Persian words, and the former is derived from the word for hero, while the latter signifying guru or master. So you can probably already guess where this is going… However, the origin of Kushti is more complicated than that – there is more to it than just the Persian influence.

Kushti was formed in the 16th century. At that time northern India was conquered by the Mughals. Mughal literally means Mongolian, however this name is deceiving. The majority of them were actually Turkic clans who were part of the armies of Mongolian khanates that invaded Persia. Once there, with time they adopted Persian culture and converted to Islam. This also means that the turko-mongolian wrestling styles that were traditional to them got mixed with the Persian style Koshti.

When the Mughals arrived, wrestling in various forms was already being practiced in the Indian subcontinent. Most notably the Malla-yuddha style, which is estimated to be dating back from at least since the 5th millennium BC. The infusion of these styles resulted in the formation of Kushti. So Kushti definitely has some prominent ancestry.

1.2 Kushti in modern times – the most practiced traditional Indian wrestling style

Today Kushti is mostly practiced in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra and the National Capital Territory, but there are wrestling schools and competitions in other states as well. It’s also popular in some parts of Pakistan.

With focus shifting to Olympic sports, lately Kusti has been in decline. However for some people it’s proving to be a hope for salvation from poverty. In the rural areas some families send their sons to the wrestling academies with hopes that they might become local or national champions. Sometimes they even take loans to pay for the preparation, much like it is with student loans. However, in the case of Pehlwani neither tuition, nor accommodation are the main expenses – it’s the Kushti diet. The returns that the families expect are in the form of tournament prizes which, for heavyweights, can exceed the yearly earnings of an average Indian farm household. Moreover, the Government still has certain jobs that are offered to top athletes, though getting chosen for these is far from guaranteed.

1.3 What constitutes a victory in Kushti?

Now, after exploring the past and present of Kushti, it’s time to take a look at the rules.

The objective of a Kushti match is to make your opponent’s both shoulders and hips touch the ground simultaneously. This can be achieved either via a clean throw or, if you’re both on the ground, by rolling him over – you don’t need to hold the pin longer than a second.

Other ways to win are if your opponent gets knocked out by a throw, gets disqualified, or simply concedes defeat.

Submission holds (whether chokes or joint locks) are not allowed.

1.4 Uniforms & Gripping

The Kushti uniform consists of a simple loincloth known as a langot (लंगोट). It’s made out of cotton, and is said to help prevent hernias so it’s traditionally worn during a range of physically strainful activities. Pehlwans wear langots both during practice and in competitions.

The loincloth may be gripped. Such grips are most often used for turnovers, leading to pins or when defending takedowns. Other than that, wrestlers are allowed to make grips on any part of the body, including the legs.

Unlike other traditional wrestling styles, in Kushti there are no fixed grips in the beginning of the match and grip fighting is allowed.

1.5 Other general competition rules

Kushti competitions are called dangals. Translated from Punjabi language, dangal (ਦੰਗਲ) means sparring/wrestling/scuffling.

The competition area

Matches take place in a special, circular or square, dirt arena. It takes some preparation before it’s ready to host matches. First, it has to be thoroughly cleared of stones and other objects that may harm the wrestlers. Next, depending on the region where the tournament is held, the bare soil arena gets treated with water, buttermilk, oil, and red ochre. This is done until it reaches a certain consistency. Tradition holds that at the beginning of the match pehlwans bestrew themselves and their opponent with a handful of the arena’s dirt as a form of blessing.

Scoring system & Prohibited moves

Our research seems to show that there is no point scoring system in place – a match is either won by one of the competitors according to the criteria outlined earlier, or it’s declared a draw. As follows, there are no penalties for passivity or for leaving the bounds of the arena. In such cases the wrestlers are simply restarted.

Like we’ve already mentioned, no submission holds are allowed. The same goes for striking techniques.

Match duration & Weight classes

The usual match duration is 25 to 30 minutes – far more than a match in the Olympic wrestling styles. For this reason, and because of the consistency of the arena floor, matches tend to have a slower pace. Thus, while the Olympic wrestling styles demand more explosiveness and speed (due to the use of a mat), Kushti requires far more endurance, and relatively more strength. As opponents pace themselves, they tend to feel eachother out and grip fight for longer before initiating attacks.

As far as weight classes – there don’t seem to be any. Opponents are roughly matched by size.

Female participation

The dirt arena is considered sacred ground, and in the past women were not allowed to set foot inside it. This is no longer the case, and as you’re about to see in one of the videos we’ve embedded below, there are even cases where female wrestlers are matched up against men.

1.6 Techniques

As we saw above Kushti has some very diverse precursors, so naturally it has a rich arsenal of techniques.

Leg grabs seem to be the most used category of techniques. Pehlwans are trained in the whole range of them – from low single leg takedowns, ankle picks, knee picks to single and double leg takedowns, to duck unders and te-guruma style throws.

Leg techniques are also widely used, with the majority of them being leg hooks, rather than leg sweeps. This is because leg sweeps are usually more difficult to pull off the softer the surface on which you wrestle.

Below is a demonstration video of Kushti takedowns. In it you can recognise equivalents of popular throws:

• A snap down front headlock to a nearside cradle finish;
• An osoto gari (major outer reap) equivalent;
• Kani-basami (crab scissors takedown) as a counter to a single leg takedown;
• A takedown similar to a te-guruma;

Kushti has a ground game as well as stand-up. Here is a video of some of it’s turnovers and pinning techniques:

1.7 The akhara and the traditional Indian exercise methods

In India wrestling has its own patron god – Lord Hanuman.

And in many ways the traditional preparation of pehlwans requires a lifestyle similar to that of a monk. Wrestlers live together in academies called akharas. Usually, they start off in a smaller akhara in their native village. When they show they’re serious about wrestling, they move to one of the larger akharas, which can house anywhere from 20 to 70 wrestlers.

There are many restrictions to comply with while living there. Tradition holds that serious pehlawns must abstain from alcohol and practice celibacy. Vegetarianism is also very common. 

And then there’s the daily regimen. Kushti’s sophisticated conditioning methods are something that sets it apart from other traditional wrestling styles. In fact, the training methods of Kushti are usually the reason why most people outside of India discover this wrestling style. The only other type of wrestling with such a well developed training system that we’ve found out about during our research was Kushti’s Persian co-ancestor – Koshti.

Exercises to strengthen every muscle

Some typical exercises that are integral to every pehlwan’s routine are:

• Exercises with a gar nal – a stone ring that is worn around the neck. It can be used while doing calisthenics, for additional resistance, or if it’s heavy enough, you can simply walk around with it to develop a strong neck.
• Swings with a gada (training mace) to develop the arms, shoulders and back, as well as grip strength. The training mace consists of a long handle and a weight at the end of it.
  • The same muscles are also worked with Indian club swings. These were made popular in the west by SAMBO coach Scott Sonnon.

• Dand, known in the West as Hindu push-ups are used to work the chest, and also the core.
• Rope climbs are done to work the muscles of the back and the grip.
• Bethak/baithak, also known as Hindu squats are performed to develop powerful legs.

The list above is not exhaustive, but of all exercises the true staples of a pehlwan’s training are the dand and the bethak. They are performed every day and in large volume – usually above 300 total reps each. Many of the legendary Kushti wrestlers are known to have performed over 1000 of each, daily.

The pehlwan‘s routine

If you’re wondering how all this combines with the wrestling practice itself, here is a Kushti wrestler’s generalized schedule:

• Get up between 3AM and 5AM, depending on the academy.
• Run a few miles.
• Do a few hundred (or thousand…) reps of calisthenics – push ups, squats and others.
• Optionally, lift weights and do rope climbs.
• Do wrestling practice (known as jor) for the next 2 to 3 hours.
• At noon, have a meal, go to rest.
• Have another meal, do chores.
• In the late afternoon, do another 2 hour practice session (both drilling and sparring).
• Go to bed early.

As you can now tell, being a pehlwan takes a lot of devotion, and it’s easy to see why this way of preparation is becoming less popular nowadays. In the video below you can see what life at an akhara is like. Also be sure to keep an eye out for the exercises we described above.

Kushti may be the most popular traditional wrestling style in India but it’s definitely not the only one. Keep reading… 

2. Malakhra wrestling in Rajasthan

Malakhra or Malakhro (ملاکڙو‎ ; ملاكهرا‎) is actually one of the most practiced traditional wrestling styles in Pakistan. 

It’s the style of the Sindhi people. After the 1947 partition, a Sindhi minority was left to reside in India. It now amounts to 3.8 million people, so naturally this Sindhi tradition exists in India as well.

There are conflicting theories about the origin of Malakhra, but most sources say this grappling style is about 5000 years old. If these estimates are correct, then surely Malakhra has been among the favourite pastimes of the Sindhis in order to survive that long. Now however, it’s mostly ageing malho (ملحو) or mulh (ملہ), as wrestlers are known, that are struggling to keep it alive, as it’s losing popularity to Western sports brought by the colonists, such as cricket.

Objective

The diet and physical preparation of the mulh are somewhat similar to those of the Kushti wrestlers, however all similarities end there.

Malakhra is basically a belt wrestling style. To win a match, you simply need to throw your opponent to the ground.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Q74KnyjEw

Uniforms & Gripping

The Malakhra uniform consists of a long loincloth and a belt. The belt, known as the sandhra, is the important part. It’s made out of twisted cloth and resembles a rope.

At the beginning of each match the wrestlers tie each other’s belt and take a grip. This initial grip is maintained throughout the bout and grip fighting is not allowed.

Competition

Malakhra tournaments usually span three days. They start on Fridays and on certain holidays.

The matches traditionally take place on a dirt arena.

Techniques

In order to take their opponents down, mulh wrestlers use mainly leg techniques – mostly leg hooking, but also leg sweeps. It’s common for wrestlers to simply try and pick their opponent off of the ground and slam them. Hip throws can be used as well.

The soil on which matches take place is specifically prepared, however injuries after throws are still very common.

Since it’s mandatory to always keep the grip on the opponent’s belt, no leg grabs are used. And because throwing the other wrestler to the ground means instant victory, Malakhra has no ground game. 

3. Gando Makal Pala of Meghalaya

So far, we’ve looked at the wrestling traditions in the north and north-west of India.  Now we’re going to acquaint you with the grappling styles on the other side of the country. 

The 7 “Sister States”, as they are known, that make up India’s north-east bring a lot of diversity, since they have so little in common with the mainland in ethnical, linguistic and cultural terms. So it’s definitely interesting to see if the wrestling traditions differ as well.

Our exploration of this region begins in Meghalaya with Gando Makal Pala – the traditional wrestling style practiced by the Garo people.

The Garo don’t match the typical picture of what people expect Indians to look like. They are of Tibeto-Burman origin, and actually refer to themselves as A’chik Mande, meaning “hill people” or “people of the hills”. Since they don’t have a long written tradition, finding out about Gando Makal Pala has been a real challenge.

Objective

Gando Makal Pala is a form of standup-only clinch wrestling. The goal of a match is to take your opponent down, however making him touch the ground with any part of the body besides the legs, seems to be enough to get the win as well.

Uniforms & Gripping

The traditional outfits of the Garo are very ornate and include a lot of accessories. In contrast to that however, there is no required uniform in Gando Makal Pala competitions. The participants go at it in their everyday clothes.

There are several Garo populations that have been existing independently from each other for a long time. Consequently, some of their traditions vary. 

Gando Makal Pala matches start with a fixed grip that is maintained at all times. There are two variations of the grip. 

One that is basically an over-under clinch, with each contestant having an undertook and an overhook:

In the other version the clinch consists of each wrestler holding double collar ties (a Muay Thai clinch of sorts):

Techniques

Considering how scarce the information is, it’s hard to assess the technical arsenal of Gando Makal Pala. For now, all we can go by is to analyse the videos that are available.

After both wrestlers have taken grips, the referee blows his whistle to signal the beginning of the match. At this point usually both wrestlers start trying to off-balance each other before attempting a takedown.

It seems that leg trips or leg hooks are not utilised, so the takedown options are limited to hip throws, or getting your opponent so badly out of balance that he falls on his back.

Some times more spectacular throws, like Uchi Mata equivalents for example, can be seen:

4. Naga wrestling (Kene) of Nagaland

If you’re a combat sports aficionado, probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Naga wrestling are those tournaments that the North American Grappling Association (abbreviated as NAGA) organises. Here however, we’ll be talking about something entirely different.

The Indian state of Nagaland is further east of Meghalaya and is home to a multitude of Tibeto-Burman tribes, that are collectively known as the Naga.

The terrain of Nagaland consists of hills and jungle, and the settlements are somewhat isolated from each other. This isolation means that there is a lot of variance between the traditions of different tribes. Another factor contributing to their diversity is the language – Nagas are estimated to speak over 80 different languages, few of which are mutually intelligible.

All of this creates a suitable setting for inter-tribal or even inter-village feuds when different groups have claims on the same land. Conflicts usually took the form of armed skirmishes. Which brings us to the thing that Nagas are most famous for – headhunting. And not in the modern sense of the term. 

The Konyak Naga tribes had this belief that the vital energy of their opponents resides in the head. Therefore, if they slay an enemy clan member, they used to take his head with them, believing that this will bring their whole village prosperity, fertility and a good harvest. This custom was so ingrained into their culture that in order for a marriage to be allowed, the tribe first had to go headhunting. Apparently, if a young man wanted to marry a woman of a high social status, he had to have recovered at least one head.

Wrestling as an alternative means of conflict resolution

Among the Tenyimia (Tenyi–mi) group of Naga tribes however, wrestling has had the role of an alternative, less violent way of conflict resolution. So each clan prepared their own wrestlers, giving them a break from agricultural work so they may rest, and providing them with extra nutrition. The clan whose representative lost the match had to accept that their rivals now had the rights over what was being contested.

As said, the Naga have a wealth of different languages, so their wrestling style is also referred to in various ways – Kene/Künü or Afaii mai. Since English is now their common and official language, their sport is best known as Naga wrestling. It is rather young as an organised sport. Although it has been practiced for centuries, the first official tournament was held in 1971. Curiously, this almost coincides with the period since when headhunting stopped.

Except for their internal conflicts, Nagas have also historically been at odds with the British and later with the new Indian administration after the Partition. There have been multiple insurgent factions fighting for an independent Naga state.

Naga wrestling can be classified as a form of belt wrestling, and since in recent years the relations with the Indian central government have improved, Naga wrestlers have been participating in the national belt wrestling championships as well.

Unlike many other traditional wrestling styles, Naga wrestling is not in decline, and in fact is estimated to be the most profitable sport in Nagaland.

Objective

In Naga wrestling you score a point each time you make your opponent touch the ground with any part of the body above the knee. Scoring a point wins you a round. Up to three rounds are played. The wrestler who wins the most rounds wins.

Uniforms & Gripping

Each wrestler wears a cloth tied around their waist like a belt. In contemporary tournaments one wrestler wears a blue waistband, and the other – a red one.

Both wrestlers grip each other’s waistband before the referee signals the start of the match, however there is no penalty if they happen to reset their grips during the bout.

Competition

The matches now take place on a wrestling mat.

Weight classes are a new addition to Naga wrestling, traditionally there weren’t any so there used to be a big advantage in being the heavier man.

Historically, women weren’t allowed to participate in Naga wrestling and even to set foot in the competition arena.

Techniques

Leg techniques are widely utilised in Naga wrestling. Outer and inner leg hooks and reaps, like Judo’s Kosoto gari and Ouchi gari are some of the most popular takedowns.

Leg grabs, submission holds and striking are forbidden, and pins are not trained due to the rule set.

5. Mukna of Manipur

The hasty Partition of India left parts of many ethnic groups cut off and separated from their main populations. The Nagas are a good example of that as except in Nagaland state, they live also in Myanmar, and in the Indian states of Assam and Manipur.

Manipur is located south of Nagaland and is home to the Tangkhul Nagas. However, the ethnic majority of the state are the Meiteis. Although in recent years Nagas and Meiteis have had a strained relationship, there are some similarities in their traditional wrestling styles.

The folk wrestling style of the Meitei is called Mukna. Most sources date it back to the 15th century. Nowadays the most prestigious Mukna competition is held on the last day of the Lai Haraoba religious festival. The champion of this tournament earns the title Yatra. In the past it used to be given for a whole year and it’s bearer was exempt from agricultural work for that period.

Objective

If you can make your opponent touch the ground with any part of the body besides the legs, you’ve done enough to win a Mukna match.

Uniforms & Gripping

Unlike the waistband in Naga wrestling, the cloth used in Mukna loops under the groin as well as around the waist. It’s called a ningri.

Another difference is that in Mukna wrestlers must hold the Ningri belt at all times, and are forbidden to hold any part of the opponent’s body, while in Naga wrestling using an undertook grip might be an acceptable way to finish a throw.

Techniques

The techniques of Mukna are called Lou. As in Naga wrestling, the most common moves are leg hooks and hip throws, however Mukna demands different setups. This is so because unlike in Naga wrestling, the stance in Mukna is much lower, hunched over, with the hips far from the opponent.

6. Inbuan of Mizoram

The state of Mizoram is the final stop on our tour of north-east India’s wrestling traditions. It’s just south of Manipur, and as the name suggests, it’s main inhabitants are the Mizo people. Like the Nagas of Nagaland, they too are a collection of tribes with related languages and traditions, rather than a completely homogeneous nation.

The folk wrestling style of the Mizo is called Inbuan, and is estimated to have originated in the 18th century. Just like Naga wrestling and Mukna, Inbuan is also a variety of belt wrestling. Of the three listed, it definitely has the most restrictive rule set.

Objective

An Inbuan match consists of 3 rounds, each of which is 30 or 60 seconds in duration. To win a round, you must lift the opponent off his feet, without bending (too much) at the knees, and without stepping out of the arena circle. Do any of the former, and you lose the round. Whoever does best out of the three rounds wins. Simple – right?

Lifting the opponent and holding him there, as a way to victory is rare, but it’s not unique to Inbuan. For example, it’s one of the ways to instantly win a Yagli Guresh match.

Uniforms & Gripping

The Inbuan belt is a striped cloth tied as a waistband. The wrestlers grab each other’s belt at the beginning of the bout, and hold the same grip throughout. They are prohibited to grab anything but the belt.

Competition

While the rounds may be short, Inbuan is still a very physically demanding sport. Considering that the grip on the opponent’s belt must be kept at all times, and that no leg techniques are allowed, strength is a major factor.

The matches traditionally take place on grass or sand. 

Women aren’t allowed to participate.

7. Gatta gusthi of Kerala

Now, returning to India’s mainland, we’ll introduce you to Gatta gusthi – Kerala’s traditional wrestling style.

The state of Kerala is located in the extreme south-west of the subcontinent, and is one of those places that seem to have it all. From sandy beaches to mountains, and from woodlands to lakes, you name it, it’s all there. And maybe that’s the reason why it was dubbed “God’s Own Country” by the marketing team responsible for popularizing it as a tourist destination in 1989.

Kerala is just as rich in history, as it is in natural beauty. Since biblical times it has been a trading hub for spices and other goods.

This has meant constant exposure to foreign cultures over the ages, among which – Arab, Jewish, Persian, Portuguese, Dutch, and British, just to name a few.

Little is known about the origins of Gatta gusthi. The mother tongue for the majority of Kerala natives is Malayalam, however the word “gusthi” is most probably borrowed from the Persian word “koshti”, just like the name for Kushti is. What’s more, Gatta gusthi wrestlers are called phayalvans, which is again of Persian origin, similarly to the word pehlwan adopted for Kushti wrestlers.

Obscure origins

Sources point out that Gatta gusthi first gained popularity during the time of the Cochin and Travancore kingdoms. So, considering the time period, it’s possible that Gatta gusthi, like Kushti, evolved when the foreign Mughal wrestling traditions mixed with some pre-existing native style. And with the constant cultural exchange associated with the spice trade, the arsenal of techniques just kept growing.

Not less obscure future

Between the 1940s and 60s, Gatta gusthi was among the most popular sports in Kerala. However with the introduction of modern freestyle wrestling, Gatta started to fade. Whether this was in a bid to turn local successes into international ones by adopting a more widespread rule set, or it happened naturally, the fact is that it came at the expense of a local tradition.

Objective

Gatta gusthi actually shares a lot of similarities with freestyle wrestling. To win the match immediately, you need to pin the opponent’s back to the ground. Otherwise you have to rely on winning by points.

There are however differences – in Gatta gusthi you can also win by submission.

Uniforms & Gripping

Another difference compared to freestyle wrestling is that in Gatta gusthi you may use the opponent’s uniform to your advantage. It consists only of shorts, and wrestlers compete barefoot.

Competition

Gatta gusthi tournaments traditionally take place on the beach. The sandy competition arena is called godha.

In contrast to freestyle wrestling, the match duration is 30 minutes and can even be extended further if the score is tie, and both participants agree to it.

Also, there are no weight classes in Gatta, so wrestlers should be prepared to take on opponents of all sizes.

Female divisions are organised as well, when there are enough participants. In fact Gatta gusthi has been gaining popularity among Kerala women in the last 10 years. This can mainly be attributed to wrestling being featured in some local blockbuster movies, and to the successes of the Phogat sisters.

Techniques

In terms of techniques, Gatta gusthi covers all the takedowns and ground work that we’re familiar with from freestyle wrestling, and builds on top of that with allowing some of the banned moves as well.

Regarding submission holds – Gatta gusthi does have them, in the form of joint locks.

However, they are becoming less and less emphasized. This is because Gatta gusthi in Kerala is now trained together with freestyle wrestling. This is much like Judo and SAMBO are trained together in eastern-european and central-asian dojos. The point of this cross training is to give students more chances to compete. Consequently, it makes no sense to base your game on techniques that are allowed in Gatta but will get you DQ’d in freestyle wrestling.

In our opinion, ground game is where Gatta gusthi really shines. Watching the tournaments you can stumble upon some very nice turnovers and pinning sequences.

8. Kirip of Nicobar

For the last stop on this review of traditional Indian wrestling styles, we head over to the Nicobar archipelago.

Located south of the bay of Bengal, the Nicobar Islands are a recent addition to India. Together with the neighboring Andaman archipelago, they became part of the newly formed republic after Indian independence was finally achieved. Before that, the islands belonged to different kingdoms until the European colonists arrived. Due to it’s strategic location, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory is now an important military outpost.

Although both archipelagos are a tropical paradise, one of the islands has an eerie reputation. North Sentinel island is home to a tribe of people who violently reject all contact with the outside world, and have been doing so for centuries. Consequently, very little is known about them. In an admirable conversation effort, the Indian government has declared the island, and a 10 mile radius around it, a restricted zone. Nevertheless, this perimeter has been breached in the past, leading to fatalities.

Luckily, the natives of the Nicobar Islands are more sociable, so their customs are better studied. The grappling style they practice is called Kirip and is well preserved, judging by the fact that competitions continue to be organized.

Objective

Kirip is a type of clinched wrestling. A match consists of either 3 or 5 rounds. To win a round, you have to throw your opponent on his back.

Uniforms & Gripping

In Kirip, before each round starts, both wrestlers lock-in an over-under clinch and clasp their hands together behind the opponent’s back. This grip is to be held throughout the whole round, and no grip fighting is allowed. For this reason, and because competitors wrestle shirtless, no grips on the opponent’s garments are utilized.

Techniques

To get your opponent on his back in a Kirip match, you’re allowed to use all kinds of hooking and reaping leg techniques, as well as chest to chest throws and hip throws.

Unfortunately, all our search for footage from Kirip competitions has been to no avail, so we can only go by written descriptions on this one…

Conclusion

What was supposed to be a short review has turned into one monster of an article. You’ve had the chance to take a look at Kushti, Malakhra, Gando Makal Pala, Naga wrestling, Mukna, Inbuan, Gatta gusthi and Kirip. And we’ve barely scratched the surface on some of these styles!

As you can see wrestling has had a glorious and diverse history on the Indian subcontinent. Hopefully, this rich past makes for a bright future for the sport, in all its variations.

While some of these styles have had more exposure and a bigger impact than others, we believe that all of them are part of India’s cultural heritage, and as such, efforts must be put so that they may live on.

And if you enjoyed this article, you can find our other works here.

Sources