ARMY REVIVES TRADITION OF WRESTLING

Tribune News Service
Udhampur, November 2

The sport of wrestling has got a new lease of life in Mahore area of Reasi district where it had almost lost its relevance due to militancy. The 61 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion (JAT), located at Sarh, under the aegis of Mahore Garrison, has made an attempt to revive it by organising traditional dangal bouts.

The event began with great fanfare with enthusiastic crowd cheering for wrestlers representing their native villages. The final bout that lasted about half-an-hour between Liaquat Ali of Jammu and Hoshyar Singh of Reasi drew a large number of wrestling lovers from the entire area. Hoshyar gave a tough fight before losing to his rival Liaquat.

The planning for dangal began weeks before the actual event, wherein wrestlers for different weight categories were selected from remote areas of Mahore tehsil by the battalion to represent their respective village team in the competition. Arjuna awardee Ayub Khan was among the distinguished personalities present on the concluding day.

Brigadier DA Chaturvedi, SM, Cdr, 15 Sect RR, distributed prizes to winners and assured the gathering that the Army would organise many more such events in future. The local people thanked the Army for having revived the sport, which is an important source of entertainment for them.

However, no dangal was organised in the area for the past many years since the beginning of the militancy.