Mallakhamba

Mallakhamba
A mallakhamba team performs on the pole, 2015
Highest governing bodyMallakhamb Federation of India
First playedc. 2nd century BCE
Characteristics
Mixed-sexYes
TypeIndoor or outdoor, gymnastics, pole sports
EquipmentWrestling grips, vertical pole
Presence
Country or regionIndia
Olympic1936

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.[1] The pole is usually made from sheesham (Indian rosewood) polished with castor oil.[2] Other popular versions of mallakhamba are practiced using a cane or a rope instead of a pole.[3] The origins of pole dancing can be traced back to the sport of mallakhamba.[4]

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.[5]

On April 9, 2013, the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh declared mallakhamba the state sport. As of 2017, more than 20 other states in India have followed suit.[6]

  1. ^ Dyck, Noel (2000). Games, sports and cultures. Oxford: Berg. p. 96. ISBN 1-85973-312-3. OCLC 44485325.
  2. ^ Sport in the USSR. - Issues 1-12; Issues 286-297, pp.9
  3. ^ Bromber, Katrin; Krawietz, Birgit; Maguire, Joseph, eds. (2013). Sport Across Asia: Politics, Cultures, and Identities. Routledge. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-415-88438-9. OCLC 800447515.
  4. ^ Kapur, Mallika (September 11, 2017). "Aarifa Bhinderwala: India's pioneering pole dancer". CNN.
  5. ^ "Mallakhamb – History, Indian Gymnastic Pole, Information In English". Mumbai, India. September 12, 2018.
  6. ^ "Mallakamb: The art of aerial yoga". Hindustan Times. June 11, 2017. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2019.