In a first-of-its-kind event, Mumbai played host to the 'Mallakhamb' (Yoga on pole) World Championship on Saturday and Sunday.
Mallakhamb is a traditional training exercise for wrestlers in India, and its name comes from the words ‘malla’, meaning wrestler, and ‘khamb’ which means 'pole'. Now after centuries of being practiced in isolation in the subcontinent, mallakhamb is set to have its first international championship this weekend in the capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, where it first originated.
Participants from 15 countries, including the US and Germany, competed in the championship. Shivaji Park in Mumbai came alive with mallakhamb players swirling around poles and on ropes, falling, only to get up and make another attempt.
Our goal is to inspire a new generation of sports fans who can experience the discipline, endurance and concentration required by this sport," Uday Deshpande, Director and Secretary General of the Vishwa Mallakhamb Federation.
Deshpande says the sport has gained an international audience partially because of reality television shows such as India's Got Talent where mallakhamb performers have won popularity. Cirque du Soleil's show Bazzar also features a mallakhamb performance.
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