Kabaddi
Though kabaddi is primarily an Indian game, not much is known about the origin
of this game. There is, however, concrete evidence, that the game is 4,000 years
old. It is a team sport, which requires both skill and power, and combines the
characteristics of wrestling and rugby. It was originally meant to develop self
defense, in addition to responses to attack, and reflexes of counter attack by
individuals, and by groups or teams. It is a rather simple and inexpensive game,
and neither requires a massive playing area, nor any expensive equipment. This
explains the popularity of the game in rural India. Kabaddi is played all over
Asia with minor variations.
Amar Kabaddi (Punjab Style) In the Amar form of Kabaddi, each team
consists of 5-6 stoppers and 4-5 raiders. At one time, only 4 stoppers are
allowed to play on the field. Every time a stopper stops the raider from going
back to his starting point, that stoppers team gets 1 point. on the other hand,
every time the raider tags one of the stoppers and returns to his starting
point, his team gets one point. At one time, only one of the stoppers can try to
stop the raider. If more than one touch the raider, an automatic point is
awarded to the raider's team. If the stopper is pushed out by the raider or vice
versa, then the team whose member is still in the field gets a point. If both
the raider and the stopper go out, the result is a common point, where nobody
gets a point. There is a 30 second time limit for the raider from the moment he
leaves until he returns to his starting point. This rule was only recently
introduced (1994) after controversy with some raiders abusing the old system
where they were able to struggle through a point until they ran out of breath
from repeating the word kabaddi. Some players used to continue on for more than
a minute which was deemed to be unfair to other players including stoppers who
were constantly tugged at for silly amounts of time. The basic unwritten rule of
kabaddi is that once you are caught and after a brief but unsuccessful attempt
at breaking free, you give up and surrender the point to the stoppers team. The
first point of the game is always worth 1 and a half points to avoid a tied
game. This is why it is advantageous to win the toss at the start of the game.
Whether it be the stopper who gets the point or the raider it is always worth
that extra half a point. Usually made of 2 20 minute halves, this form of
kabaddi can also be played in 10 or 15 minutes each, depending on the tournament
organisers. It is played in a circle, with a line dividing the field into two
halves.
This form of kabaddi is played in Punjab, Canada, England, USA, Scotland,
Pakistan and Australia. The current world champions are Canada who defeated
India in the final of the World Cup held in Toronto - Canada. There was an
estimated 25 000 spectators packed in to the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium. In
kabaddi dominated countries such as India and Canada it is played on a
professional basis with top players earning up to $30000 for a 2 month season.
The player who has made most out of the game is Balwinder Phiddu, who started
playing in 1975 and only recently retired after the 1997 World Cup. This large
framed man considered a hero from Punjab to the rest of the world made vast
amounts of money during his many travels for the sport predominantly being to
England and more recently Canada. Since Phiddu, the most famous player has been
Harjeet Brar from Bajjakhanna village in Faridkot, Punjab. Sadly, his life ended
short when killed in a motor vehicle accident whilst travelling with three
fellow players from Ludhiana to Chandigarh in February 1998. His death was a
tremendous loss to the game as he reached his peak and was a virtual unstoppable
raider with a number one player rating in the world. A typical kabaddi year
starts in Punjab in late November and continues on up until March at which point
the season starts in Canada where the season is played until June. Then the
season commences in England in July for two months and then players take a break
for some time before they recommence playing in Punjab. Followers of the game
can nowadays enjoy live radio commentary and Television broadcasts due to the
wide-ranged sponsorship deals being offered in Canada and Britain from various
companies.