Jetties of Mysore

Myore is synonymous with several things. Talk about Dasara and the first place that comes to mind is Mysore. Similarly, mention Chamundi and the Chamundi Hills of  Mysore come to our mind. So also do sandalwood, jasmine, silk and even wrestling or Kusti.
Traditional Indian wrestling or kusti as it is popularly known  has long been a part of Mysore and the Dasara festivities. In Mysore these wrestlers are known as pehelwans or Jetties.

The Wodeyar Kings of Mysore were known or their patronage of wrestling. One of the kings, Ranadheera Kanteerava was himself a champion wrestler.

There were two types of wrestling that were patronized in Mysore. One was called Musti Kalaga and in this sport, fists were used to hit the forehead of an opponent and the fight was stopped when the first blood was drawn.

The second was the regular Kusti or Malla Yuddha where an opponent had been pinned on the ground. Both forms of Kusti were held during Dasara.  

When India became independent in 1947, Mysore had more than 150 Garadi Manes or places where wrestlers learnt the game. Today, there are less than 50.

Generally Hanuman was the presiding God of the Garadi Mane. The centre of the Garadi Mane had a ring of mud which is considered to be sacred and wrestlers stepped on it only after offering prayers to Hanuman and other Gods.

One of the oldest and still surviving Akhada or Garadi Mane in Mysore is the Sahukar Chennaiah Kusti Akhada.

The Garadi Manes and Akhadas hosted several wrestling matches. Today, almost all the wrestling bouts are held at the Doddakere Maidana Kusti Mane. The best time to see wrestling in action would be Dasssara.

The wrestling bouts in Mysore till the 1980s were held regularly at the Sauhkar Chenniah Kusti Akkada.  After the closure of the arena, there was lull in the activity and only State-level Dasara competitions were held every year.

Since February 2011, there has been a revival of some sort and monthly Nada Kusti bouts being conducted at the D. Devraja Urs Multipurpose Wrestling stadium at Doddakere Maidana (Dasara Exhibition grounds).  Well-known Wrestlers from outside the State also are taking part in the bouts and this has been attracting the crowds. The Negilayogi Trust has been formed and a corpus fund of Rs.5 lakhs has been set up with contributions from former wrestlers and sports promoters so that this activity goes on without a lull.

Some of the well-known wrestlers of  the times like Rudra Mooga, Shankar Chakravarthy, Lokesh, Girish and others have flexed their muscles here before going on to the national level.

Old timers still recall the Garadi Manes of yore which became centers of Nada Kusti. They recall that Hathujanagala Garadi, Pakeer Ahmed Sahebara Garadi, Mayannanavara Garadi and Ustad Srinivasan Garadi received royal patronage.

Apart from these garadis, nearly 240 others came up all over Mysore and Bangalore districts. Most of them have closed down due to lack of patronage.

Once a crowd puller, it is today struggling for survival.