The Bliss of Playing Mallakamba Sport

The traditional Indian sport Mallakamba involves performance by a gymnast doing aerial yoga postures and wrestling grips in harmony with a vertical object or hanging wooden pole or rope. The word Mllakambha got its reference from the pole used in this sport. Sheesham (Indian Rosewood) polished with castor oil is used to make the pole Mallakambha.

Sheesham pole, cane or a rope are used to practice three popular versions of Mallakambha. Mallakambha word got its derivation from the terms malla/mallar which means wrestler and khambal/kambam which means a pole. It literal meaning is a wrestling pole which was used as traditional equipment for training by wrestlers.

The benefits of practicing Mallakambha are that it keeps body slim, hardens muscles and ensures the proper degree of tension for each.  It is a state sport in Madhya Pradesh which was declared on 9^th April, 2013. Now, more than 20 Indian states recognized it as their state sports.

By: Bhavna Sharma

Content: wikipedia