Where boys become Men

Since time immemorial, the landscape of India has been dotted with villages. In these small, close-knit communities, life always presented its fair share of conflicts. But the hot-blooded youths found a way to channel their competitive fire into kabaddi.

In a remote hamlet, under the sweltering subcontinental sun, bare-chested young men gather in hay fields. Tempers had flared between hot-headed teens from neighboring families, putting the village chief on edge. “Let us settle this with an old game,” the elder says. “Form teams and compete, but no bloodshed. This is kabaddi.”

Two lines are scraped onto the dirt, defining the playing area. Seven players face off on each side of the center line, ready to defend their territory. The chief tosses a small gilli nut into the air and one daring young man catches it – he is the first raider. Gripping the nut with a mischievous grin, the raider storms into the enemy’s end.

Chaos erupts as the defenders grab and wrestle their invader to the ground, but his hand clutching the nut never bends. Within seconds the raider taps three opponents and returns to home turf, scoring points. In the next round, a defender races across the line, dodging and weaving, touching two rivals. Back and forth the raiders go, sometimes succeeding, sometimes tackled to the earth.

By dusk when the match ends, the boys are exhausted but the bonds between them are reforged. Kabaddi has channeled their aggression into a face-off of strategy and skill. In the days that follow, they play again, no longer as hot-headed youths but as friends. This scene replays across Pakistan’s villages, keeping community ties strong.

Years pass but kabaddi remains a mainstay. Standard rules are established, making matches here different from contests 500 miles away. Kabaddi became the cement that connected the diverse nation, tying together rural hamlets and urban centers. And so the game follows the people, spreading with South Asian’s across the globe. Wherever it goes, kabaddi carries the heartbeat of an ancient land.

[A traditional tale by Aurora Ibsen: Our Cultural & Heritage writer]