The Original Game Of India
Kabaddi, the word we’ve heard so much growing up. Be it school playgrounds or common streets, the repetitive phrase kabaddi kabaddi has been an exciting occurrence in our lives. Originating in India, kabaddi is a full contact sport and derives from the Tamil language in the southern regions of India.
Kabaddi Competitions amongst the young and old are very popular in India, as it is also one of the most popular sports in the country, although it is played mainly in the villages. It has been popularly compared to combat training and is a team sport played on a field. Each team occupies one half of the field and the game usually consists of players invading the opposite half of the field one at a time. The aim of this lone player is to tag a member of the other team and successfully return to their own half. During the time the player is on the opposing teams ground, the player must repeat the word ‘kabaddi kabaddi kabaddi’ several times.
Whilst on the other hand, the members on the opposing team must first avoid being tagged, and then if tagged, must stop the person from entering their own ground. India has been a participant in four kabbadi tournaments around the world, and has won gold in all of them. Although popular all over the world, the game is most popular in Punjab, Haryana, America, Canada etc. The sportsmen of these kabaddi competitions however, are mainly Punjabi.
The most common form of kabaddi that is played in international kabaddi tournaments is Suranjeevi. There are three other forms of this sport known as Amar, Huttuttoo and Gaminee. Generally less used, but still in the works. The state of Maharashtra in India uses the huttuttoo form of kabaddi and is played till this day still.
