Gatta gusthi

Last updated
Gatta gusthi
Village Wrestlers.jpg
Freestyle gusthi in Madurai
Highest governing body Kerala State Wrestling Association
NicknamesIndian style wrestling
First played1900s
ClubsLess than 50
Characteristics
ContactYes
Team membersSingle competitors
Mixed-sex No
TypeOutdoor
Presence
Country or region Kerala, India
Olympic No

Gatta gusthi is a form of submission wrestling practiced in Kerala, India. It is competed inside an open ring on the ground, usually on a beach, known as godha. Wrestlers are called phayalvans . The sport consists of around 100 techniques. Gatta gusthi was popular in the state until the arrival of freestyle wrestling and karate in late 1960s. Its freestyle form is known simply as gusthi.

Contents

History

Students training on a gymnastic bar in Malabar in 1905. Students practicing gymnastics in Kerala (1905).jpg
Students training on a gymnastic bar in Malabar in 1905.

Gatta gusthi developed into a major sporting event during the period of erstwhile Cochin and Travancore kingdoms of present-day Kerala. Kochi was a major sports hub. Gatta gusthi events were organised regularly at various parts of the state. The sport reached its prime between 1945 and 1970. Some of the distinguished phayalvans (wrestlers) during that period were Manacaud Narayana Pillai, Polachira Ramachandran, Kattuchira Pappudas, Shankar Singh, Kayamkulam Dhayanandhan, Electric Moideen Kunj, Aslam Basheer, Kollam Rasheed, Nickel Jamal among others. [1]

Gatta gusthi was particularly in demand in Kochi, Kollam, and Manacaud. [2] Kollam used to have three permanent godhas (wrestling ring). [3] First match in Travancore was played in 1952. [4] Fort Kochi beach used to host regular championship bouts till early 1970. [5] Gatta gusthi remained a major sporting event in the state till late 1960s. [6] It began fading after the arrival of freestyle wrestling in the state. Freestyle wrestling, known simply as gusthi, was registered as a sport in Ernakulam district in 1969. [7] After that, gatta gusthi was limited to certain events organised by its aficionados. [6] However, according to Kerala State Wrestling Association, audience for gatta gusthi began declining after rumours about match fixing spread. [4]

In India, traditional Indian martial arts and combat sports as a whole began fading after the introduction of karate in the later half of the 20th century. During 1970s, with the influx of foreign martial arts films, Indians began travelling to East Asia in large numbers to learn karate and returned to open karate schools across the Indian subcontinent, in cities as well as in small towns and villages. In 1980s, karate-style action sequences became frequent in mainstream Indian cinema, articles and news on karate were frequently appearing on magazines and newspapers. Additionally, state police forces across India added karate in their training. [8]

As part of reviving the sport, former champion-turned-coach T. J. George started training youngsters since his retirement. [9] He set up a gym, Cochin Grapplers, at Fort Kochi in 1986. [7] He founded Kerala State Gatta Gusthy Association, although it is yet to receive recognition from Kerala State Sports Council. [1] In Kerala, governing body for all forms of wrestling is the Kerala State Wrestling Association, approved by Kerala State Sports Council and Wrestling Federation of India. Both gatta gusthi and gusthi saw a resurgence of interest among youngsters after wrestlers Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sakshi Malik won medals at the Summer Olympics (2008, 2012, 2016) [2] and with the success of the film Dangal (2016) and Phogat sisters. [5]

Characteristics

Gatta gusthi is similar to maati kushti (mud wrestling) of North India. Bouts are evaluated by a referee and there are no judges. [7] There are around 100 techniques in gatta gusthi. [5] It is contested inside a ring known as godha and wrestlers are called phayalvans . [2] Participants wear minimal clothing, normally just briefs and are barefoot. [10] Match takes place on a sand-laden ground. There are no weight classes in gatta gusthi, bouts can be matched between any weights. Bout is won when any one wrestler pins the other to the ground. In gatta gusthi, opponent's garment can be used as an advantage, which is illegal in freestyle wrestling. Gatta gusthi has more techniques than freestyle wrestling and many of them are illegal in the latter for the risk involved. [1] The main difference between gatta gusthi and freestyle wrestling is the duration and point system. Freestyle bouts are three rounds of two minutes each, while gatta gusthi can go as long as 30 minutes or until there is a winner. If points are tied, they may go for another round. [6]

Competitions

In present day, gatta gusthi is also promoted by the name "Indian style wrestling". Ring is eight meter in diameter. Kerala State Indian Style Wrestling Association organises regular state championships for the title "Kerala Kesari". [10] Kerala State Gatta Gusthi Association and Cochin Grapplers club together organises Indian Style Wrestling (Gatta Gusthi) Championship at Fort Kochi for the "Gatta Gusthi Kesari" title. [11] Gatta gusthi is an event at the 11-day long The Beach Carnival and Games held at Puthuvype Beach, organised by the Government of Kerala and Ernakulam District Sports Council to promote rural sports to enhance the lives of local fishermen and tourism in beaches. [12] Gatta gusthi is a regular sporting event at the annual Cochin Carnival held at Fort Kochi. [13] In 2020, Kerala Excise organised a competition at Fort Kochi as part of "Vimukthi", an anti-narcotics and de-addiction campaign by the government. [14]

Gatta gusthi and phayalvans are featured in the Malayalam films Oridathoru Phayalvaan (1981), Mutharamkunnu P.O. (1985), and Godha (2017). [2] Former champion and coach T. J. George has written a book titled Kerala Gatta Gusthi in Malayalam detailing various steps and styles of gatta gusthi, which was published in 2016. George also trained actor Tovino Thomas for the film Godha. Kerala Financial Corporation made a documentary film on the sport in 2016. [7] Gatta gusthi is also featured in the film Thuramukham (2023). [1] It is a plot element in the Tamil film Gatta Kusthi (2022). [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kochi</span> Metropolis in Kerala, India

Kochi, also known by its former name Cochin, is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernakulam. As of 2011, the Kochi Municipal Corporation had a population of 677,381 over an area of 94.88 km2, and the larger Kochi urban agglomeration had over 2.1 million inhabitants within an area of 440 km2, making it the largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin development region and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India. The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernakulam district</span> District in Kerala, India

Ernakulam is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala, and takes its name from the eponymous city division in Kochi. It is situated in the central part of the state, spans an area of about 2,924 square kilometres (1,129 sq mi), and is home to over 9% of Kerala's population. Its headquarters are located at Kakkanad. The district includes Kochi, also known as the commercial capital of Kerala, which is famous for its ancient churches, Hindu temples, synagogues and mosques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kollam</span> City in Kerala, India

Kollam, is an ancient seaport and the fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake and is 71 kilometers northwest of the state capital, Thiruvanathapuram (Trivandrum). Kollam is one of India's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with evidence of habitation stretching back to the megalithic; the city has also been a maritime entrepôt millennia, the earliest attestation of which dates back to the Phoenicians and Romans. It is the southern gateway to the Backwaters of Kerala, and is known for its cashew processing, coir manufacturing, and tourism industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pehlwani</span> Form of wrestling from the Indian subcontinent

Pehlwani, also known as Kushti, is a form of wrestling contested in the Indian subcontinent. It was developed in 14th century by combining Persian Koshti pahlevani with influences from native Indian Malla-yuddha. The words pehlwani and kushti derive from the Persian terms pahlavani (heroic) and koshti respectively, meaning Heroic wrestling. A practitioner of this sport is referred to as a pehlwan while teachers are known as ustad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Kochi</span> Neighbourhood of Kochi, Kerala, India

Fort Kochi, formerly known as Fort Cochin or British Cochin is a neighbourhood of Cochin (Kochi) city in Kerala, India. Fort Kochi takes its name from the Fort Manuel of Cochin, the first European fort on Indian soil, controlled by the Portuguese East Indies. This is part of a handful of water-bound islands and islets toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent to this is the locality of Mattancherry. In 1967, these three municipalities along with a few adjoining areas, were amalgamated to form the Kochi Municipal Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi)</span> Multi-purpose stadium in Ernakulam, Kochi, Kerala, India

The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, also known as Kaloor Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Kochi, Kerala, India. Since the 2017 renovation, the stadium has a seating capacity of 41,000. Previously, it was able to host 80,000 spectators, which was reduced for the Indian Super League (ISL) matches due to security reasons. It is the home ground of the ISL club Kerala Blasters FC. The stadium is touted to have hosted one of the loudest audiences for association football matches in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kochi Municipal Corporation</span> Local civic body in Kochi, Kerala, India

The Kochi Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation that manages the Indian city of Kochi in the state of Kerala. The Corporation manages 94.88 km2 of Kochi city and has a population of 677,381 within that area. It is the most densely populated city corporation in the state. Kochi Municipal Corporation has been formed with functions to improve the infrastructure of town.

Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is a city and port in the Indian state of Kerala.

Many sports are played by the people in Kerala including both traditional sports and sports from other countries. Association football is the most popular sport in Kerala, followed by cricket. Kerala Blasters are the most supported football club in the whole state and participates in the Indian super league the top tier of Indian football. Whereas Gokulam Kerala FC a club which plays in the I-league derives most of its support from the Malabar region. However, larger numbers of Keralites also follow sports such as volleyball, hockey, badminton, and kabaddi. There are many large stadiums in Kerala across different cities. Trivandrum city has various sports venues such as Trivandrum International Stadium, Jimmy George Indoor Stadium, University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and Central Stadium whereas Kochi city has stadiums such as Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium (Kochi) and Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. An international astro turf hockey stadium is located at Kollam city. Other major stadiums are EMS Stadium in Kozhikode, Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium in Manjeri, Kannur Indoor Stadium in Kannur, Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Kollam and many more. All these stadiums attest to the mass appeal of such sports among Keralites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satpal Singh</span> Indian wrestler and coach

Satpal Singh, also known as Guru Satpal, is a wrestling coach and former wrestler of India. He was a gold medalist in 1982 Asian Games and a bronze medalist in 1974 Asian Games. Today he is better known as the coach of Olympic medal winners Sushil Kumar and Ravi Kumar Dahiya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrestling in India</span> Overview of wrestling in India

Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in India. Several regional styles and variations in folk wrestling exists in the country. Indian wrestlers have won numerous medals at international competitions in freestyle wrestling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Kerala</span> Overview of and topical guide to Kerala

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Kerala:

Kerala Seaplane was a commercial seaplane service promoted by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited in the Indian state of Kerala. It was launched on 2 June 2013 at Kollam with the inaugural flight being operated by Kairali Aviation. However, commercial operations could not start due to opposition from the local fishing community. The Kerala Government was keen on restarting regular operations of the project in 2014. The service was to be the first such service in mainland India, and the second in India after Jal Hans, which operates seaplanes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Work on the Kerala seaplane project began at the end of July, 2012 and has been praised for being one of the fastest projects to be completed in Kerala.

The Kerala Premier League is a state-level football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Scoreline Kerala Premier League. Founded in 1998, the Kerala Football League was the first football league in Kerala, and was rebranded in 2013 as the KPL. Kerala United is the current champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vypin Lighthouse</span> Lighthouse in Kerala, India

The Vypin Lighthouse or Cochin Lighthouse is situated at Puthuvype in Kochi, Kerala. India. It started as an oil-fuelled lamp at Fort Kochi in 1839, and was updated over the years. It was replaced by a structure in Puthuvype in 1979. It is the tallest lighthouse in Kerala.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Kochi Beach</span> Beach in India

Fort Kochi beach is a beach along the Arabian Sea situated in Fort Kochi in the city of Kochi in South India, Kerala state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Kollam</span>

Kollam or Quilon is an old seaport and a city on the Laccadive Sea coast in Kerala, India, on Ashtamudi Lake. The city remains notable as the ancient commercial capital of Kerala and the southwestern Indian coast, in addition to its fame as the "Cashew Capital of the World". The Kollam Municipal Corporation has the second largest budget in Kerala in terms of revenue and expenditure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cochin Carnival</span> New year festival held at Kochi, Kerala

Cochin Carnival is an entertainment event held every year in the last week of December at Fort Kochi in the city of Kochi, Kerala. This event is held mostly during the last two weeks of December and finally ends on 1 January. It is officially inaugurated with hoisting the Indian national flag at the Vasco da Gama Square.

<i>Godha</i> (film) 2017 Indian film

Godha (transl. Arena) is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language sports comedy film directed by Basil Joseph and written by Rakesh Mantodi, and jointly produced by AVA Productions and E4 Entertainment. The film stars Tovino Thomas, Wamiqa Gabbi, Aju Varghese and Renji Panicker. The plot follows Aanjaneya Das, son of a gatta gusthi coach, who brings home Aditi Singh, a Punjabi wrestler. Godha was released on 19 May 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 P., Anand (8 August 2021). "Understanding Gatta Gusthi: Kerala's own style of wrestling". Mathrubhumi . Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sathyendran, Nita (11 May 2017). "All set for the ring". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Kerala Gama Ramachandran passes away". The New Indian Express . 10 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  4. 1 2 Kerala State Wrestling Association. "Kerala State Wrestling Association". Kerala State Wrestling Association. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 Sreemol, T. C. (13 January 2017). "Phogat effect: Kochi girls learning Gatta Gusti". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Times News Network (24 July 2016). "Gatta champs grapple to keep the sport alive". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 S., Priyadershini (27 July 2016). "On the Mat". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  8. ↑ Zarrilli, Phillip B. (1998). When the Body Becomes All Eyes: Paradigms, Discourses, and Practices of Power in Kalarippayattu, a South Indian Martial Art. Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 4. ISBN   0195639405 . Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  9. ↑ "Upholding 'Gatta Gusti' traditions". The New Indian Express . 16 June 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Gatta returns!". The New Indian Express . 6 February 2010. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "David Philip wins 'Gatta Gusthi Kesari' title". The New Indian Express . 16 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  12. ↑ Staff Reporter (22 December 2019). "Puthuvype beach carnival to get under way today". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Our Correspondent (7 December 2019). "Cochin Carnival 2019-20 begins tomorrow". Malayala Manorama . Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.{{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  14. ↑ "ഫോർട്ടുകൊച്ചി കടപ്പുറത്ത് ഗാട്ടാ ഗുസ്തി; റസ്‌ലിങ് അക്കാദമിക്ക് കിരീടം". Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). 24 February 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. ↑ Lakshmi, V. (14 April 2022). "Vishnu Vishal: There is always business for a good movie". The Times of India . Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.