| Also known as | Vajra Mukti, Indra-mukti |
|---|---|
| Focus | Grappling |
| Hardness | Full contact |
| Country of origin | India |
| Parenthood | Historic |
| Olympic sport | No |
| Vajra-Musti | |
| Also transliterated: | Vajra Musti Vajra Mushti Vajramusti Vajramushti Vajra-Mushti |
| Vajramusti | |
|---|---|
| Type | Knuckleduster |
| Place of origin | India |
| Part of a series on Indian martial arts |
|---|
| 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 |
Vajra-musti (Sanskrit:वज्रमुश्टि, "thunder fist" or "diamond fist") refers to a knuckleduster-like weapon and also the name of ancient Indian martial art practiced by a class of wrestlers known as Jyeṣṭīmalla. The weapon is sometimes called bhukhandi or Indra-mukti which means Indra's fist. Wrestlers would compete with a vajramusti on one hand, from where the system gets its name. Later examples of the weapon occasionally had blades protruding from the sides, but these were not used in vajra-musti matches. Fights were typically held during Dusara festivals.
The combatants fought either nude or wearing the same type of loincloth as modern Indian wrestlers. In the basic stance, the left arm is held out to the front with the hand open. The right arm, holding the vajramusti, is held to the side next to the waist. The left foot is placed forward while the right foot is turned to the side.
During the Mughal era, wrestlers would often use bagh nakh instead of the vajramusti. Although fundamentally similar to vajra-musti, this style of fighting was known as nakh ka kusti meaning "claw wrestling" in Hindi. M. Rousselete, who visited Baroda in 1864, described naki-ka-kausti (nakh ka kusti) as one of the raja's favourite forms of entertainment.
The weapons, fitted into a kind of handle, were fastened by thongs to the closed right hand. The men, drunk with bhang or Indian hemp, rushed upon each other and tore like tigers at face and body; forehead-skins would hang like shreds; necks and ribs were laid open, and not infrequently one or both would bleed to death. The ruler's excitement on these occasions often grew to such a pitch that he could scarcely restrain himself from imitating the movements of the duellists.
Grappling Based Martial Arts General Techniques Grappling positions Submission types Organisations See also
References
- Donn F. Draeger and Robert W. Smith (1969). Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts. Kodansha.
- Dr Tobias Capwell (2009). The World Encyclopedia Of Knives, Daggers And Bayonets. Anness Publishing.