courtesy: http://www.london2012.com/athlete/dutt-yogeshwar-1084693/events/What a spectacle! As a kid, I have wrestled a little bit in akhara of Bhanu Talim, Miraj and red-clay pit of Miraj High School.
I seldom won any bout but I enjoyed immense thrill of participation.
Wrestling is a great sport and middle-class kids should take it up. Although it's a martial sport, unlike boxing, it's politically correct and environment friendly.
Today I am recycling my old post dated 16 November 2007.
Chandrahar Patil (चंद्रहार पाटील) of Sangli became Maharashtra Kesari महाराष्ट्र केसरी last night November 15, 2007. He promptly thanked my childhood heroes Ganpat Andalkar (गणपत आंदळकर) and Maruti Mane (मारुती माने)among others. (By the way, on the same day, in another boring, predictable ODI cricket match, India beat Pakistan.)
TV program showcased halgi (हलगी, a small drum) player Raju Awale who played at the tournament including the final. It brought back memories of ever-smiling, friendly, wiry wrestler Suresh Awale (सुरेश आवळे) of Miraj who died very young in a train accident.
For the first time in my life, I watched wrestling for the title of Maharashtra Kesari live on television. What fun! Although it lasted for just over 3 minutes and took place on mat, wearing non-traditional clothing.
For few years, occasionally, I have participated in red clay wrestling. Smell of the clay still fills my nostrils. I used to get beaten quite easily. If your face is in the clay longer than your opponent's, you get more time to smell it! This all happened at the red clay wrestling ring of Bhanu Talim भानू तालीम,Miraj.
Wrestlers were as popular as cricketers. Every time Hindkesari Maruti Mane was spotted on his motorcycle at Miraj, we stopped in our tracks and looked in awe. When we went visiting our aunt Tai-mavashi ताई-मावशी at Kolhapur, we saw gentle giants of Motibag Talim मोतीबाग तालीम. They walked past aunt's house the way elephants go to a watering hole, with grace and humility, without an audible sound.
When at 1972 Munich Olympics Premnath (4th place Bantamweight) and Sudesh Kumar (4th place Flyweight) did well; they were as big heroes for me as Sunil Gavaskar and G R Viswanath who had helped us beat West Indies and England previous year.
On the other hand, North Indian wrestler Satpal was as unpopular as Ahmad Shah Abdali because he used to beat Marathi speaking wrestlers.
Kabaddi is another sport that has given me endless pleasure. I was better at it than wrestling! Even if we got 15 minutes of free time at school, we played Kabaddi.
Asian Age November 15, 2007 reports:”British in India to play kabaddi”.
I ask: When are Indians in India going to wrestle and play kabaddi?
Artist: Otto Soglow, The New Yorker, 25 February 1928 This is how Mr. Dutt emerged at the end of his bronze medal match with RI Jong Myong. Bigger and stronger.