An old Indian Pahlavan exercising near Varanasi. |
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| Also known as | Kushti, Kürd |
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| Focus | Grappling |
| Country of origin | Greater Iran |
| Famous practitioners | The Great Gama |
| Parenthood |
Malla-yuddha |
| Olympic sport | No |
| Part of a series on Indian martial arts |
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| styles |
| Wrestling: Malla-yuddha · Pehlwani · Musti yuddha · Mukna · Inbuan wrestling Kalarippayattu: Silambam · Marma ati · Kuttu Varisai Gatka Thang-Ta |
| Notable Practitioners |
| Phillip Zarrilli · Jasmine Simhalan · Gobar Guha · Gulam · Guru Hargobind · John Will |
Pehlwani or Pahlavani (Persian: پهلوانی, Urdu: پہلوانی, Hindi: पहलवानी) or Kushti (Persian: کشتی, Urdu: کشتی, Hindi: कुश्ती) 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.
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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.
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:
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.
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]
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