There was a time when being a Pehalwan was a way of life, an art and a passion.
Thousands of people used to watch Rustum-i-Pakistan which was a very popular event in Lahore (just like a one day cricket game these days). You could easily find many Ukhara’s or Akhara’s (kinda small stadiums where traditional wrestlers exercise) in the city with Pehalwans doing their routine exercises but not anymore.
I have some wonderful childhood memories of having Khalis Lassi (sorry folks, I don’t know what Lassi is called in English but Khalis means Pure) near Pehalwani neighborhoods just behind Lahore Fort.
Going there once in a month with family for traditional Lahori Nashta+Lassi was just great. Not to mention some serious exercise was a must and we used to skip lunch after having that Nashta+Lassi. I don’t know if the quality and taste is still the same, I haven’t been there in ages which is sad.
Even today, if you ask any of your grandparents they would definitely tell you wonderful stories about the legendary Gama Pehalwan or Imam Bux (Bukhsh) Pehalwan or other world famous ambassadors of this beautiful sport (most recently the Bholu brothers: Aslam, Akram, Goga and Azam). People in their mid-twenties may still remember the grand event that took place many many years ago when a number of wrestlers (including Hulk Hogan, The Mask Man, The Under-Taker etc.) from all around the world came to Pakistan and we were entertained with traditional Pehalwani vs Hollywood wrestlers. I still remember Jhara Pehalwan vs Hollywood Hogan :o) which Jhara won of course.
[ATP adds: For a generation before that it was the great Japanese wrestler Anoki who came to Lahore to wrestle, I think, Akram Pehalwan... I believe Anoki won, big time!]
Sadly, the art of pehalwani has slowly been diminishing in Lahore. Though I have had a chance to see some healthy signs in Gujranwala (Gujranwala is called the ‘City of Pehalwans’). A serious effort is needed from people and the local government to revive this beautiful art/game in Lahore otherwise it’s not that far when we will only be finding Pehalwani in history books.
Darwaish blogs on his own blog la vie en rose and also contributes to Metroblog Lahore, where this post first appeared.
Thanks Darwaish for your article! I can’t gree more that we must make an effort to revive this beautiful sport. Every country in the world has their own unique sports and and cultural events. Rustam’s Pakistan could be our cultural event that we are proud of. Not to mention that copying other sports that do not truely define who we are sort of kills what we are. You can always be great in a sport that you belong to and love. And, that is what makes Art.
Adnan, USA.
*If you go to rural areas of lahore
well you can change every sport according to changing times but that doesn’t mean you totally ignore it.
If rural areas around lahore, i am sure you will find a lot of people more than interested in pehalwani.
I was just wondering you guys didn’t mention anything about other pehalwaans (haddi jorne wale pehalwaan ji) who used to fix broken bones. One delicate touch and even a seriously fractured bone used to get fixed. You know what I mean?
question: why would anyone in lahore be interested in pehalwani today? i dont know but it seems something really old fashioned in this modern age. something that should remain in history books. i find it hard to imagine people wrestling in akhara in today’s lahore.
just a thought
Though Jhara emerged as the last icon in Bholu family and unfortunately died ATearly age but my favourite was Nasir Bholu.
Sepoy, thank you for that fascinating link and the historical context to this. Gama, of course, was the stuff legends are made of. And I suspect that some of it was really just ‘legend’. But a worthwhile legend at that. Up to my grandparents generation, and into my parents, there was a certain Lahori nationalist pride in Gama that makes better sense after reading your post (readers, see link in Sepoy’s message above).
In many ways the stardom of Hashim and Roshan Khan with squash was similar. Supermen from the colonized subcontinent triumphant as world champions, including literally their masters… as the Pehalwans would say “Dhaa liya aye!”
i wrote something on pehlawani a while back - art of pehlwani. glad to see that the lassis & akharas of lahore is remembered by others.
loved this post. Gama was world champion? coolness ;/