Talk about a sport in your country you like watching
You should say:
-What sport is it
-Is it well developed in your country
-How is it played
Sports are an integral part of our lives. I am going to talk about a sport which I love watching. It is kushti.
Kushti has been a popular sport since ancient times in India, but the modern Kushti of India is synthesis of Indian traditional wrestling called Malla Yudha and Persian Varzesh-e Bastani. The word Kushti is derived from the Persian word Koshti.
Kushti has simple rules and is fought between two protagonists in a large arena covered only with sand and loose mud. Even though there is a “ring” made of chalk on the ground, there are no actual boundaries during a kushti match.
Traditional wrestling arena is known as Akharas, where wrestlers live under strict rules. The head of the Akhara is referred to as ‘Guru’ who is invariably Kushti champions himself.
A wrestler starts practicing kushti at an early age of 10-12 years and Wrestlers diets consist of milk, almonds, ghee, chapattis and mostly Vegetarian food.
Unlike most forms of wrestling, there are no points awarded during a Kushti match. Rather, there is only one way in which a winner is declared by pin.
There is no rest period or ‘rounds’ and the match once started goes on till one of the players is defeated or signals his acceptance of defeat.
Earlier bouts never had a referee and normally this part was played by the Chief Guest who could be a maharajah. But modern Kushti matches have incorporated a referee.
One of the Akhara has been successful in keeping the tradition alive is Guru Hanuman Akhara. Guru Hanuman Akhara is one of the oldest existing akhara in India and it was established in 1925 by legendary Indian wrestler Guru Hanuman.
This Akhara has produced several talented and champion wrestlers who marked their name in wrestling world. Wrestlers from different states of India come to this Akhara as its one of the reputed Akhara.
Wrestlers of Guru Hanuman Akhara have given many awards to the nations such as 16 Arjuna Awards, 3 Padma Shri and 5 Dronacharya Awards.
India has won titles in Commonwealth Games held at jamaica. The famous Indian wrestler, Sushil Kumar has won medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
He is the winner of the gold medal in the 66 kg freestyle competition at the FILA 2010.
Female wrestler Sakshi Malik earned India the country’s first medal of the 2016 Rio Olympics with a third-place finish. Malik was also the first Indian woman to win a wrestling medal and the fourth to win at any Olympic Games.