Women wrestling in saree in Lucknow
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Lucknow’s Wrestling Women – a tradition kept alive

Volume: 18, No: 09 ; September-2024

The tradition of women’s kushti (wrestling), known as ‘Hapa’ in the local dialect, has been a part of Lucknow’s Ahimamau village for over 200 years. During this event, women, including those dressed in saris, engage in wrestling matches on the mud-rings (it is just a patch demarcated for the purpose) to win both the bout and to seek the blessings of the divine. This event takes place each year, the following day of Nag Panchami, and as a part of this ritual women curse their opponents while onlookers sing folk songs with explicit and suggestive lyrics. It is believed that this ritual is a way to honor the Goddesses Kali and the Goddess Bhawani. Participation in the competition is exclusively for women and closely resembles a rural Indian wedding. Women adorn elaborate wedding attire with extravagant jewelry and elaborate makeup before taking part in the wrestling match.

As a tradition, women are not allowed to launder their wrestling attire on the same day, as it is believed that keeping the mud-stained clothes in the house for a day will bring them prosperity. None of them are professional wrestlers, but have upheld this tradition that dates back two centuries or even more. It signifies women’s empowerment. Since it’s the Panchami (Sanskrit for ‘five’) celebrations, the wrestling matches consist of five rounds, and each woman participates in five folk songs and five rounds of cuss words during the competition.

There is also a disciplinary committee consisting of five women ensures that no male enters the ground though men and boys secretly watch the women fight from their rooftops and windows and enjoy the spectacle equally. This disciplinary committee also ensures that no one is injured while wrestling or an dress (sari) malfunctions during the matches. This is a day for women of Ahimamau village to display their strength and build stronger bonds among themselves. Even a daughter-in-law who usually wears a veil can challenge her mother-in-law, and vice versa, on this day. In fact then the match is interesting as the two often, even in their real life do not go along well. In this form of wrestling, nobody really loses as the winner receives a new sari as a prize, while the loser gets rupees fifty as a participation reward or to get her clothes washed later.

Even 70 year olds compete or if they can’t they play the dholak (drum musical  instrument), rallying the wrestlers and encouraging the women to voice their support with fervor. The more they express themselves, the more the Goddess Kali appreciates the courage.

These women are not professional wrestlers, their skills have been honed by watching their mothers, grandmothers and by watching other women participate in the tradition of engaging in Hapa. Though Hapa continues to attract quite a few in spite of a grand village fair that also takes place in the village alongside the wrestling match venue, it is a fading tradition, and the younger generation have lost interest in following this tradition nor is it a form of entertainment anymore with the internet taking Indian villages by storm.

Credits : Mohita Tiwari (Times of India)

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Lucknow’s Wrestling Women – a tradition kept alive

The tradition of women’s kushti (wrestling), known as ‘Hapa’ in the local dialect, has been a part of Lucknow’s Ahimamau village for over 200 years. During this event, women, including those dressed in saris, engage in wrestling matches on the mud-rings (it is just a patch demarcated for the purpose) to win both the bout and to seek the blessings of the divine. This event takes place each year, the following day of Nag Panchami, and as a part of this ritual women curse their opponents while onlookers sing folk songs with explicit and suggestive lyrics. It is believed that this ritual is a way to honor the Goddesses Kali and the Goddess Bhawani. Participation in the competition is exclusively for women and closely resembles a rural Indian wedding. Women adorn elaborate wedding attire with extravagant jewelry and elaborate makeup before taking part in the wrestling match.

As a tradition, women are not allowed to launder their wrestling attire on the same day, as it is believed that keeping the mud-stained clothes in the house for a day will bring them prosperity. None of them are professional wrestlers, but have upheld this tradition that dates back two centuries or even more. It signifies women’s empowerment. Since it’s the Panchami (Sanskrit for ‘five’) celebrations, the wrestling matches consist of five rounds, and each woman participates in five folk songs and five rounds of cuss words during the competition.

There is also a disciplinary committee consisting of five women ensures that no male enters the ground though men and boys secretly watch the women fight from their rooftops and windows and enjoy the spectacle equally. This disciplinary committee also ensures that no one is injured while wrestling or an dress (sari) malfunctions during the matches. This is a day for women of Ahimamau village to display their strength and build stronger bonds among themselves. Even a daughter-in-law who usually wears a veil can challenge her mother-in-law, and vice versa, on this day. In fact then the match is interesting as the two often, even in their real life do not go along well. In this form of wrestling, nobody really loses as the winner receives a new sari as a prize, while the loser gets rupees fifty as a participation reward or to get her clothes washed later.

Even 70 year olds compete or if they can’t they play the dholak (drum musical  instrument), rallying the wrestlers and encouraging the women to voice their support with fervor. The more they express themselves, the more the Goddess Kali appreciates the courage.

These women are not professional wrestlers, their skills have been honed by watching their mothers, grandmothers and by watching other women participate in the tradition of engaging in Hapa. Though Hapa continues to attract quite a few in spite of a grand village fair that also takes place in the village alongside the wrestling match venue, it is a fading tradition, and the younger generation have lost interest in following this tradition nor is it a form of entertainment anymore with the internet taking Indian villages by storm.