Pehlwani facts for kids

Pehlwani is a special kind of wrestling that comes from the Indian subcontinent. This area includes countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Pehlwani was created a long time ago during the Mughal Empire. It mixes traditional Indian wrestling styles with ideas from Persian wrestling.

What is Pehlwani?

Pehlwani is a traditional sport where two people wrestle each other. It's not just about strength, but also about skill and strategy. Wrestlers, called pehlwans, train very hard. They learn different moves to try and pin their opponent down.

A Blend of Styles

Pehlwani was developed by combining two older wrestling forms. One was malla-yuddha, which was a native Indian wrestling style. The other was varzesh-e bastani, a traditional sport from Persia (modern-day Iran). This mix created the unique style of Pehlwani we know today.

Where Does the Name Come From?

The words pehlwani and kushti are both important in this sport. They come from the Persian language. Pehlwani comes from the Persian word pahlavani. Kushti comes from the Persian word kosht. It's thought that pahlavani might be linked to an old Iranian word, "Pehalavi." This word was used to describe people from Iran.

Images for kids

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  Hyderabadi Peahelwans preparing for kushti (1870)

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  Illustration of two wrestlers (1825).

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  Trained Sikhs in the Perak Armed Police demonstrating Pehlawani wrestling, circa 1880–1890.

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  An old Indian pehlwan exercising with Indian clubs near Varanasi.

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  Ghee, a special food for wrestlers

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  Kushti in Bharatpur

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  The Great Gama, a famous Pehlwani wrestler