The most popular sport in the state of Nagaland by far, is an indigenous form of wrestling. Seen here are wrestlers in a bout at the Hornbill Naga Wrestling competition 2012...
Naga Wrestling is one of the oldest traditional Indian sports. This is a form of wrestling in India that was invented and popularised in the Indian state of Nagaland. The people of Nagaland enjoy playing and watching the game very much, and the authorities organise regular inter-village wrestling championships in the state, every year. The game has later gained popularity in the national level in India also and in the modern times, national championships are being organised on a regular basis. Naga Wrestling, the participants begin by catching the other contestant`s waist belt. Once the referee signals the start of a game, the two competitors try their level best to discard each other. The wrestlers can do it by using a number of tricks. They can use their legs and also muscular force. However, though holding the opponent`s leg with using hands is not permissible in Naga Wrestling, one can use his hands to hold the other parts of the opponent`s body, beginning from the waist and going further up. The wrestler, who becomes successful to throw the opponent to the ground, is declared as the winner of the match. However, the wrestler must ensure that the trunk of the opponent has touched the ground. India also and in the modern times, national championships are being organised on a regular basis.
The bouts start with the contestants holding each other's waist girdles. As soon as the signal is given, both the wrestlers try to throw off each other. A combination of various leg tricks and sheer brawn are employed to achieve victory, but the use of hands on an opponent's legs is considered a foul, though hands can be used to hold other parts of the body, waist upwards. A wrestler is declared the winner if he can throw off his opponent, and in the process, get the trunk of the opponent to touch the ground, taking care not to let his own trunk do so. The wrestler who succeeds in pulling or thrusting down his opponent, or forces him into a kneeling position with both knees and one hand, or one knee and both hands touching the ground simultaneously, also wins. It takes three bouts to decide the result. Naga wrestling is quite popular amongst the Angami, Chakhesang, Zeliang, Rengma and Mao tribes. The sport has acquired an all - Nagaland sports status, and each alternate year a competition is held. The people of Nagaland has also been organising a Wrestling Championship since 1961, to promote peace and unity among the people. The Nagaland Wrestling Association (NWA) is working relentlessly to preserve and promote Naga Wrestling, and it is also affiliated to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
For encouraging inter-tribal cultural interaction and bringing together the festivals of the various tribes under one umbrella, the Government of Nagaland has evolved a festival called the Hornbill festival, where one can see a melange of Naga cultural displays at one place. Organised by the State Directorate of Tourism every year between December 1 and 5 in Kohima since 2000, the festival is intended to revive, protect and preserve the richness and uniqueness of the Naga heritage and attract tourists. The festival, in a way, is also a tribute to the hornbill, a bird most admired by the Naga people for its qualities of alertness and grandeur. This majestic bird is linked closely with the social and cultural life of the people, as is evident in tribal folklores, dances and songs. The awe and admiration for the bird is symbolically displayed on almost all traditional tribal headgears worn during festivities.
Source: http://www.indianetzone.com & http://www.hornbillfestival.com
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