Mallakhamba, or mallakhamb is a traditional sport, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a group of gymnasts perform aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips in concert with a stationary vertical pole. The word "mallakhamb" also refers to the pole used in the sport. The pole is usually made from sheesham (Indian rosewood) polished with castor oil. Other popular versions of mallakhamba are practiced using a cane or a rope instead of a pole. The origins of pole dancing can be traced back to the sport of mallakhamba. The name mallakhamba derives from the terms malla, meaning wrestler, and khamb, which means a pole. Literally meaning "wrestling pole", the term refers to a traditional training implement used by wrestlers. On April 9, 2013, the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh declared mallakhamba the state sport. , more than 20 other states in India have followed suit.

History

Early examples of mallakhamba are seen on Chandraketugarh pottery from between the 2nd century BCE and 1st century CE, where figures are shown exhibiting gymnastics by hanging on a pole like structure in the shape of a T which is held by another person. In 7th century CE, Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzhang provides evidence of pole climbing of the pillar cult which he witnessed at Prayagraj. Xuanzhang records that Hindu ascetics climbed the top of a pole situated at Prayagraj, clinging onto it with one hand and one foot, and watched the sunset with their heads turned to the right as it set, marking it as a type a solar rite. The earliest mention of mallakhamba in a literary work is in the 1135 CE Sanskrit classic Manasollasa, written by the Western Chalukya king Someshvara III. A Rajput painting from 1610 CE shows athletes performing various acrobatics, including pole climbing, while dancing to Raga Desahka. A Mughal painting from 1670 depicts athletes practicing club swinging, weightlifting, and pole climbing similar to mallakhamba. Little mention of mallakhamba exists between the late 17th century to the late 18th century, until it received new interest from Balambhatta Dada Deodhar, the teacher of Peshwa Baji Rao II. During the first half of the 19th century, Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi learned mallakhamba with her childhood friends Nana Saheb and Tantia Tope. Mallakhamba was demonstrated at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Competitive mallakhamba made its first appearance in 1958 at the National Gymnastics Championships (NGCs) held at the Pahadganj Stadium, Delhi, India. The Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) proposed to recognize the game and include it in subsequent NGCs. The first national mallakhamba championships were held in 1962 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, as part of the NGCs. Around 1968, the game was introduced in the All-India Inter-University Gymnastics Championships. The national mallakhamba championships were organized annually by the GFI until 1976. In 1977, the mallakhamba championships were removed from the GFI, and no major championship games were held until 1980. Bamshankar Joshi and other mallakhamba enthusiasts in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, founded an all-India level organization named the Mallakhamb Federation of India. The first all-India national mallakhamba championships were organized by the new sports association in 1981 from January 28 to 29 at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The event brought in representatives from all over India. The national mallakhamba championships have since been organized by different state associations affiliated to this federation. Competitively, there are three variations of mallakhamba which have been in practice since 1937: All variations are practiced by both men and women, though pole mallakhamba is more commonly practiced by men, and rope mallakhamba by women. All mallakhamba competitions are organized under the rules made by the Mallakhamb Federation of India, and 28 states are affiliated to the Federation. Himani Uttam Parab won gold medal in rope long set in the first World Mallakhamb Championship 2019.

Variations and specifications

Pole mallakhamba

In this variation, a vertical wooden pole made of teak wood or sheesham is fixed to the ground. The pole is smeared with castor oil, which helps to minimize excessive friction. Participants perform various acrobatic feats and poses while hanging on the pole. Wrestlers mount, dismount, and utilize the pole for various complex calisthenics designed to develop their grip, stamina, and strength in the arms, legs, and upper body. There are a number of different types of pole, although the most common is a free-standing upright pole, some eight to ten inches in diameter, planted into the ground. The pole used in competitions is a straight pole made of teak or sheesham wood, standing 2.6 m in height with a circumference of 55 cm at the base. It gradually tapers to a circumference of 35 cm at the top. The specifications of pole mallakhamba are as follows:

Hanging mallakhamba

This type of mallakhamba is similar to pole mallakhamba, but uses a shorten wooden pole shorter than the one used in pole mallakhamba. Instead of being planted into the ground, the pole is hung with hooks and a chain, leaving a gap between the ground and the bottom of the mallakhamba. The specifications of hanging mallakhamba are as follows:

Rope mallakhamba

In this variation, the participants perform exercises while hanging on a rope suspended from a support at the top. The rope is typically 5.5 m long, and approximately 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The rope is caught by the performer in the gap between the big toe and the second toe, along with one or both hands. After climbing upwards on the rope, the performer ties the rope around the body through a sequence of steps. The performer then reaches various positions called Udi ("to fly"), some of which are imitations of standard asana. Rope mallakhamba was historically performed on a piece of cane grass, but due to the lack of access to cane, a cotton rope is commonly used. Performers are expected to perform various exercises without knotting the rope in any way. The specifications of rope mallakhamba are as follows:

Official international organizations

Official Indian mallakhamb sport national organizations

Indian National Sports Award recipients