Kabaddi is a popular team sport that needs skill and strength and combines characteristics of wrestling and rugby. It originated in India 4000 years ago. It is widely played across the Indian subcontinent. It was originally designed to develop self-defence. It is a simple and inexpensive game that requires a huge playground or expensive equipment.
It is also known as the game of the masses because of its simplicity and public appeal. Because it requires less expensive equipment, it is very popular in developing countries. It is an outdoor sport played on a clay court, but synthetic indoor surfaces are used these days.
Kabaddi is known by different names, such as Chedugudu or Hu-Tu-Tu in southern India, Khadudu (for men) and Chu-Kit-Kit (for women) in eastern India and Kabaddi in northern India. It is much more popular in the villages of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
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Objective
The main objective of this game is to score points by raiding the opponent’s court and touching as many opposing players as possible without holding any breath. Each player sings “Kabaddi! Kabaddi! Kabaddi!” enters the opponent’s court and tries to touch the defending players closest to him, while the opponents make a concerted tactical effort to catch that player.
Team size
Each team consists of 12 players, with seven on the court and five in reserve. Both teams compete for high scores by alternating between defence and attack. Participants from different countries form teams for major tournaments or championships around the world. The two teams compete against each other for higher scores by touching or tackling players from the opposing team.
A little history of Kabaddi
Kabaddi shows its existence since prehistoric times. It used to be used not only as a recreational game, but also to build up the physical strength and stamina needed for everyday work. They used it as a tool of self-defence. A hint of the existence of the game far back in prehistoric times cannot be seen anywhere except in the great Hindu mythology of the Mahabharata, where Chkrabyuhi Abhimanyu’s trap and his defence against it speaks for itself.
It is even said that Arjuna was very good at this art. He would go inside the wall of the enemy to destroy them and come back unscathed. Gautama Buddha also used this game as a means of finding out his inner strength and stamina, and the manuscripts say that through this game alone he got his bride.
In 1918, Kabaddi was given the status of a national game. All the rules and regulations were also formulated in the same year but were officially introduced after 1923 but it took quite a long time (1938) to get to the Olympic Games in India.
Participating countries
Since Kabaddi originated in India, neighbouring countries could easily access it and learn the game. Over the years, Asian countries have dominated the game and are believed to produce the best Kabaddi players in the world.
Apart from India, millions of people from countries like Sri Lanka, Japan, Bangladesh, China, Taipei, Nepal, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Oman, South Korea, Thailand, Iran and Pakistan participate in Kabaddi. Most of these Asian countries also have their own Kabaddi Confederation bodies.
Kabaddi is gaining popularity in countries like Argentina, Sierra Leone, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, USA, Australia, England, Italy, Kenya, Norway, Scotland etc. etc., and have also set up their own Kabaddi federations. Countries like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA have also picked up the game and it is quickly gaining popularity among the citizens.
